Tattoo License Laws in California

Tattoo artists in California must obtain a certificate of registration.

By law, in order to work in the tattoo industry in California, tattoo artists must obtain a license, called a Tattooist, Body Piercer or Permanent Cosmetics Technician Certificate of Registration. The certificate of registration is obtained through the California Department of Health Services and is monitored by the county health department where the tattoo artist and tattoo shop are registered. California is among 48 states in the nation where the tattoo industry is regulated at the state level.

Registration Requirements

To obtain the certificate of registration, tattoo artist applicants must be at least 18 years old. They must complete an application form and pay a $25 registration fee, as of May 2011. They must also read and sign a county health department document that outlines the standards for conducting a tattoo business and submit to the health department the address where they will be conducting tattoo artistry. Applicants must also show documentation proof that they have been vaccinated for and are free from hepatitis B, which is a liver disease that can be transmitted by blood. Once the certificate of registration is granted, it must be clearly displayed in the tattoo artist's work area. Certificates of registration are valid for three years.

Training

To receive their certificate of registration, tattoo artist applicants must successfully complete a health and safety class. They must also pass an exam with at least 70 percent accuracy that includes questions on their basic knowledge of tattooing, permanent cosmetics and body piercing techniques, as well as health and safety precautions and sanitation and sterilization techniques.

Inspections and Additional Fees

To maintain their certificate of registration, tattoo artists must also pay $105, as of 2011, for an annual inspection fee. Some counties charge more to cover the cost of registration and inspection. County health department enforcement officers have the right to inspect a tattoo artist shop, or any facility suspected of conducting tattoo artistry business. They also have the right to impound equipment, instruments and pigments; make copies of records; and take samples, photographs or any other evidence they deem necessary. Tattoo artists who do not maintain their certificate of registration to the department of health's standards relating to safe practices and sanitary conditions are liable to have the certificate suspended or revoked.

Renewals and Exemptions

Certificates of registration are valid in three-year increments. In order to renew their certificate of registration, tattoo artists must successfully complete at least one continuing education course every three years. They must also retake the preventing disease transmission class every three years. Certificates of registration are not transferable to other individuals. An appropriately licensed physician or surgeon and those who only pierce earlobes are exempt from the certification requirements.

References

• Every Tattoo: California Tattoo Laws
• AAA Tattoo Directory: Tattoo Regulations
• California Conference of Local Health Officers: Sterilization, Sanitation and Safety Standards for Tattooing, Permanent Cosmetics and Body Piercing June 30, 1998
• National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: What I need to know about Hepatitis B