Albany, NY Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual registration fee
- $200, nonrefundable
- Filed with
- City Clerk
- Minors
- tattooing a minor is banned
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 15 days jail
- Register inspection
- Chief of Police, on demand
Summary
Albany requires every tattoo business to register annually with the City Clerk, pay a $200 fee, and follow strict minor-protection and recordkeeping rules under City Code Chapter 329.
Any person engaged in the business of tattooing shall file a registration form annually with the City Clerk or his/her designee containing the tattoo shop name, address, telephone number and business hours, along with a nonrefundable processing fee of two hundred dollars ($200.) paid by certified or business check or money order or cash. No personal checks shall be accepted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4873446; v61 updated 2026-03-18; through 03-18-2026).
Full Breakdown
Anyone engaged in the tattoo business in Albany must file an annual registration with the City Clerk listing the shop name, address, phone number, and business hours, plus a nonrefundable $200 processing fee paid by certified check, money order, or cash: no personal checks. Tattooing a minor is flatly prohibited. Shops must keep a customer register (name, address, tattoo description, and a Red Cross blood-donation disclosure) and post a sign stating tattooing minors is illegal. The Chief of Police can inspect the register on demand and can suspend or revoke a shop's registration for any violation; a conviction under the minors ban triggers mandatory revocation. Shops must also comply with State and County Health Department rules.
Violations & Fines
Registration is $200/year, filed with the City Clerk. Violating any part of Chapter 329 is a misdemeanor: up to a $1,000 fine, up to 15 days in jail, or both. A conviction for tattooing a minor means mandatory revocation of the shop's registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Albany require a license to run a tattoo shop?
What happens if a tattoo shop tattoos a minor in Albany?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albany
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