North Carolina state rules that you must obtain a tattoo permit. Permits are granted by the local health departments. A tattooing permit costs $225.
Permits expire one year from the date it was issued. Renewing a current permit costs $125 (this is an annual fee). If renewed after the expiration, the fee is $225.
Tattoo Artist Application
The only requirements by the state of North Carolina are that tattoo artists meet certain minimum sanitation standards (find the checklist here). These standards include: |
|---|
An autoclave for sterilizing tattoo instruments |
Sink(s) for hand washing |
Providing a clean facility/studio with floors, walls, ceilings, and fixtures in good repair |
Maintenance of records of clients & autoclave tests |
Approved water supply and sewage disposal |
Proper storage and disposal of solid waste |
The only requirements by the state of North Carolina are that tattoo artists meet certain minimum sanitation standards (find the checklist here). These standards include:
- An autoclave for sterilizing tattoo instruments
- Sink(s) for hand washing
- Maintenance of records of clients & autoclave tests
- Approved water supply and sewage disposal
- Proper storage and disposal of solid waste
You must pass an inspection prior to getting your permit. (They don’t judge on your artistic ability; permit issuance is based on sanitation and environmental health standards.)
You will apply for a permit, and then the inspection will be completed by your local Health Department (find your county here). If you pass, you will be granted a permit. You must have your current permit posted in a visible area of the shop.
Applications are specific to each local department of health. Find yours here.
If you plan to tattoo in Mecklenburg County, you can find the application here.
If your county has additional regulations, you can find them here.
You can find additional regulations for tattoo establishments here.
Turn in Your Application
To obtain a tattooing permit in Mecklenburg County:
Complete this application and mail it along with your $225 payment to the address below at least 30 days before you plan to begin tattooing.
Mecklenburg County Public Health
Attn: Tattoo Program
3205 Freedom Dr. Suite 8000
Charlotte, NC 28208
Permanent Makeup Artists
NC considers microblading and permanent makeup to be an extension of tattooing, so you will need a tattoo artist permit to do permanent makeup.
Things You Should Know:
Tattoo permits are issued to a specific artist at a specific location. If a tattoo artist moves between multiple tattoo establishments, they will need multiple tattoo permits. Tattoo artists within an establishment must maintain their individual permit. It is not allowed for an individual to work under another artist’s permit.
Tattoo license fact sheet https://www.mecknc.gov/HealthDepartment/EnvironmentalHealth/Tattoo/Documents/Tattooing%20Fact%20Sheet%202020.pdf
https://ehs.ncpublichealth.com/faf/pti/tattoos.htm
https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/county-health-departments
https://www.mecknc.gov/HealthDepartment/EnvironmentalHealth/Tattoo/Documents/TATTOO%20APPLICATION%20FORM%20-%20Fillable.pdf
Infection control course by state: https://courseforbbp.com/states
permit application: https://www.mecknc.gov/HealthDepartment/EnvironmentalHealth/Tattoo/Documents/Tattoo%20Application%203%2029%2022.pdf#search=tattoo%20artist
Additional permit application: https://www.mecknc.gov/HealthDepartment/EnvironmentalHealth/Forms-Applications/Documents/TATTOO_PERMIT_APPLICATION.pdf#search=tattoo%20artist
Prepare for a Tattooing Career with the Artist Accelerator Program
Learning the steps you need to take to get licensed is an important step in your journey, but it can also be pretty eye-opening to how difficult tattooing can be. Without the right knowledge, it’s impossible to level up your skills and become a professional tattoo artist.
However, finding the straight-forward information you need to progress is difficult. And with so much out there online, it’s hard to avoid picking up bad habits from incorrect and outdated resources.
This is one of the biggest struggles new tattooers face, and too many talented artists have given up their goal of getting into tattooing because of the years it would take to unlearn their bad habits.
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So, just a tattoo permit is needed for both "regular" and makeup tattooing?
I know each county has different fees for yearly permitting… just didn't know if my regular permit covered both!
From what I understand you must do the 1 year apprenticeship in Tn to get a license. Is It at all possible to do the apprenticeship 100% online in Tn to get a tattoo license?
My wife and I want to start our career in the tattoo industry but we have absolutely no idea how or where we need to start our process of starting our journey to becoming professional tattoo artists… would somebody please help us or point us in the right direction for us to go please?
That’s awesome to hear! Starting your journey as professional tattoo artists can be exciting, and we’d love to help. Just send us an email at replies@tattooing101.com, and we’ll guide you through the steps to get started.
What are the requirements for an at home business?
It’s best to email us at replies@tattooing101.com, and we can give you more specific info based on your location.