Piercing & Tattoo Laws by State (Part 1 - Alabama-Missouri)
The best way to know if you can get a piercing or tattoo?
Call a shop and ask them. Professional piercers and tattoo artists will follow all state guidelines and provide you with well informed, educated answers to your questions. We (BodyCandy.com) are not professional piercers. We're here to guide you in the right direction towards making informed decisions about your body piercing journey.
Always, always, ALWAYS have your tattoos and piercings done by a professional. If someone is willing to bend the law to perform a tattoo or piercing, they are putting themselves and YOU at risk.
To see a list of APP approved artists in your area, please visit: safepiercing.org/find-a-piercer
Laws by state
Alabama
Written consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing and tattoos, signed in the artist’s presence.
Alaska
Written consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing, PLUS a parent or legal guardian must be present during the procedure.
NO TATTOOS FOR MINORS.
Arizona
Parent or legal guardian must be present for body piercing and tattoos.
Minors can have their ears pierced with written or verbal consent of parent/legal guardian.
Arkansas
You cannot legally pierce or tattoo a minor, with or without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
California
Parent or legal guardian must be present during the procedure, minors cannot legally be pierced on genitals or nipples.
NO TATTOOS FOR MINORS.
Colorado
Parent or legal guardian must be present for body piercing and tattoos.
Connecticut
Permission from parent or legal guardian for piercings, except for ear piercings.
Tattoos may only be performed on minors by a physician or under a physician’s supervision.
Delaware
Notarized written consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing and tattoos. District of Colombia - NO PIERCINGS OR TATTOOS FOR MINORS (does not apply to ear piercings)
Ear piercings for minors require written consent from a parent or legal guardian.
Florida
Age of consent for body modification is 16.
Must be accompanied by parent or guardian who can show proof of guardianship, both parent and minor must present photo ID, and a consent form must be notarized.
Georgia
Written/notarized consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing.
Minors can have their ears pierced without parental consent.
No tattoos for minors unless performed by a medical professional for medical or cosmetic reasons.
No tattoos within one inch of the eye socket for anyone.
Hawaii
Written consent from parent or legal guardian for tattoos and body piercings.
Idaho
Minors aged 14-18: Written consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing, PLUS a parent or legal guardian must be present during the procedure.
Minors can have their ears pierced without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
NO TATTOOS OR BODY PIERCING FOR MINORS UNDER 14.
Illinois
Parent or legal guardian must be present with minors when in a tattoo/piercing shop AT ALL TIMES. Minors cannot be present in piercing or tattoo studio without parent or legal guardian.
Minors can have their ears pierced without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
NO TATTOOS FOR MINORS.
Indiana
Written consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing and tattoos, PLUS a parent or legal guardian must be present during the procedure.
Minors may have their ears pierced without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
Iowa
NO TATTOOS FOR MINORS.
No state laws regulating body piercing. Individual cities or counties mat set their own rules regarding the piercing of minors.
Kansas
Written/notarized consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing and tattoos, PLUS a parent or legal guardian must be present during the procedure.
Kentucky
Written/notarized consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing and tattoos. This includes ear piercing.
Louisiana
Parent or legal guardian must give consent and be present for tattoos but not for body piercing.
Maine
Legal consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing. Legal consent is not required for ear piercing.
NO TATTOOS FOR MINORS.
Maryland
Written consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing PLUS the parent must give consent in the presence of the piercer. Ear lobe piercing is exempt.
Massachusetts
Parent or legal guardian must be present for body piercing (other than genitalia) to prove guardianship and sign consent form.
County Health Department regulates body art, but all follow a model regulation set by the state.
Michigan
Written/notarized consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing, PLUS must give consent in the presence of the piercer.
For tattoos, parent/guardian must give written and informed consent at the tattoo shop
Minnesota
Written/notarized consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing MUST be witnessed by the piercer. (That means your parent or legal guardian has to be in the shop while signing.)
No genital or nipple piercings, branding, scarification, suspension, subdermal implantation, microdermal, or tongue bifurcation is allowed on minors.
NO TATTOOS FOR MINORS.
Mississippi
NO TATTOOS OR BODY PIERCING FOR MINORS (except earlobe piercings).
Missouri
Written consent from parent or legal guardian for body piercing or tattoos MUST be witnessed by the piercer (that means your parent or legal guardian has to be in the shop while signing).
Welcome to BodyCandy.com, a small, family-owned business that has been offering high-quality, affordable jewelry since 2002. We take pride in crafting unique pieces that cater to every style, from navel rings to septum rings to faux piercing jewelry, all designed with care and attention to detail. As a close-knit team, we design much of our jewelry in-house, ensuring that each item meets our high standards of craftsmanship and durability. Whether you're looking for something bold, subtle, or custom-made, BodyCandy is dedicated to providing exceptional jewelry that doesn’t break the bank. Thank you for choosing us as your go-to destination for all things jewelry!
