Body Art
Environmental Health Specialists inspect and license tattoo and piercing establishments to ensure safe and sanitary conditions are being maintained. Anyone considering a tattoo or piercing should be aware of the risks and follow certain guidelines when choosing a tattoo or piercing establishment.
How to Get A Body Art License
Ohio defines “Body Art” as the practice of physical body adornment, including tattooing, permanent cosmetics and/or body piercing. Tattooing is permanently placing marks on or under the skin of a person with ink, dye, or pigment. This includes procedures such as permanent makeup, micropigmentation, or microblading.
The Ohio Regulations are found in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). It’s important to read these regulations since this page is just an overview of what is required for a body art license:
Ohio Revised Code: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3730
Ohio Administrative Code: http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/3701-9
Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) licenses body art facilities that are within Hamilton County but are NOT within the cities of Cincinnati, Norwood, or Springdale. Contact the Cincinnati, Norwood, or Springdale health department if you want to perform body art there.
If you’re not sure who you’re licensed by, go to Who We Serve for more information.
There are three forms that you will need to submit to HCPH. You will need to submit an application, a plan review request form, and an Infection Prevent of Control Plan (IPCP). Those forms are available online here:
- Body Art Application
- Plan Review Request Form
- Infectious Prevention and Control Plan (IPCP)
- Facility appropriately equipped with a hand sink with hot and cold water in the procedure area and a smooth, washable floor. Other facility requirements can be found in OAC 3701-9-04.
The IPCP lays out the equipment and the procedures you will use to keep your facility safe and sanitary. Some parts of the sample plan may not apply to your body art operation and you can mark those as “NA”.
A copy of the finished plan should be kept on site and all body artists should be trained on this plan.
Make sure to your application or IPCP includes these:
- Proof of an apprenticeship or training in body art
- Current first aid training certificate
- Current blood-borne pathogen training certificate
- Written proof from your local zoning authority that you’re allowed to have a body art business at that location
- A floor plan showing the general layout of the facility
- Patron Consent or Authorization forms
- Parental Consent form if a patron under the age of 18 will be pierced/tattooed
- Procedure record forms to be kept on file
- Aftercare information provided to patrons
- Log used for steam sterilizer loads (if applicable)
- Log used to demonstrate employee training on the IPCP
An example form can be found here: https://www.hamiltoncountyhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/example_forms.pdf
The initial licensing process takes up to 30 days. Completed paperwork can be mailed, emailed, faxed, or dropped off at our office and will be reviewed by staff. After the paperwork is reviewed, we will schedule a time for a licensing inspection. Once you are approved, we will mail the license to you, which you should hang on site.
The initial license fee is $300. That can be submitted with the application or given to the inspector at your licensing inspection. The annual license fee is $300 and is due at the start of each year with a license renewal application. Initial licenses granted on or after October 1st are effective until December 31st of the following year.
Any patron under 18 years old must have a parent or guardian sign a consent form and be there at the time of the service. You must keep a copy of the patron’s ID AND the parent/guardian’s driver’s license on file. If the patron and the guardian have different last names, they must bring proof of guardianship (e.g. official birth certificate or adoption records).
No tattoo or piercing can be performed on the nipple or genital areas of anyone under 18, even with parent or guardian consent.
You must contact HCPH if you want to remodel your facility or if you’d like to add or change the services you provide. This would include things like:
- Changing or adding on rooms to the facility
- Adding piercing to your services when you are currently approved for only tattooing
- If you want to switch from single use tools to using an autoclave sterilizer
Depending on the changes, you may need to submit a Plan Review Request form and have a re-inspection.
You can mail or drop off your completed application to:
Hamilton County Public Health
Waste Management Division
250 William Howard Taft Road, 2nd Floor
Cincinnati, OH 45219
If you have questions about the licensing process or what is required, call 513-946-7800.
Inspections
Routine, unannounced inspections, along with educational programs/information, raise awareness of disease and infection prevention.
All tattoo and body piercing establishments are required by Ohio law to be licensed by a local health department. All such establishments in Hamilton County, outside the city limits of Cincinnati, Norwood and Springdale are required to be licensed by Hamilton County Public Health. Additionally, employees working in a licensed establishment are required to be trained in first aid, CPR and blood borne pathogen exposure control.
Ohio law also states that establishments offering tattoos or body piercing are not permitted to provide these services to anyone under age 18 without the consent of a parent or guardian.
If you have questions about tattoos or body piercings, if you would like to report an unlicensed person or facility, contact Hamilton County Public Health at 513-946-7800.
Health & Safety Information
If not done properly, tattoos and body piercings can come with serious health side effects. Anyone who is considering a tattoo or body piercing should seriously consider the health risks and the long-term effects associated with tattoos and piercings. You should get a tattoo or piercing from a reputable facility that is licensed and inspected by the local health district.
Employees at licensed establishments are trained to ensure that procedures are done in a way that minimizes the transmission of communicable diseases and the risk of infection. Employees are also required by the state to be trained in first aid, control of transmission of infectious disease, universal precautions against blood-borne pathogens and appropriate aftercare.
The following steps should be taken after a child receives any tattoo or body piercing; these steps are particularly important if the procedure was performed at an unlicensed facility:
- If the child appears to be ill as a result of the tattoo or piercing, contact your regular health care provider immediately. If you do not have a regular health care provider, visit the nearest Urgent Care location or contact the Health District at (513) 946-7800.
- Whether the child is ill or not, parents should contact the health department in their area to determine if the facility is licensed. If proof of licensure can not be provided, parents should take their child to their regular health care provider to be analyzed for exposure to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.
What to look for when choosing a safe tattooist:
- Ask to see a copy of the establishment’s current operating license.
- Never perform tattooing at home.
- Make sure the establishment looks clean, the practitioner is a licensed professional and follows basic sanitary procedures.
- Look for proper lighting and a sink to wash hands within the establishment.
- Cleaning products and sterilizing equipment (such as autoclaves) are available and used.
- Autoclaves are the only acceptable sterilizers.
- Make sure disposable razors; ink caps; sterile needles and new, clean sterile gloves are used for each tattoo client. All items should be used only once.
- Skin is cleaned before tattooing.
- Look for previous work done by the tattooist. Check for pictures on the wall or a binder/portfolio with photos of work that tattooist has done.
- Make sure proper consent forms are used. A parent or legal guardian is required to be present when anyone under the age of 18 receives a tattoo in the state of Ohio.
Guidelines to follow for safe body piercing:
- Ask to see a copy of the establishment’s current operating license.
- Never perform body piercing at home.
- Make sure the practitioner washes hands between customers and that he/she uses brand new, disposable piercing needles and a new, clean pair of sterile gloves for each piercing client. All items should be used only once.
- Make sure the establishment looks clean, the practitioner is a licensed professional and follows basic sanitary procedures.
- Make sure you are given detailed follow up instructions and follow them exactly as written. After-care piercing is very important and determined by the area pierced. Piercing above the neck requires different care than piercing below the neck.
- Make sure proper consent forms are used. A parent or legal guardian is required to be present when anyone under the age of 18 receives a body piercing in the state of Ohio.
Signs of infection:
- Skin is sore/tender/painful at tattoo site
- Skin is red at tattoo site
- Discharge from skin around tattoo
- Fever
If any of the above symptoms occur, call your physician immediately. Then contact the Health District to report your information.
