Albuquerque, NM Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Establishment permit
- Annual, issued by Environmental Health Dept.
- Operator permit
- Expires automatically after 2 years
- Minor consent
- In-person parental consent + photo ID
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor; each day/procedure separate offense
- Training
- Blood-borne pathogen course, renewed every 3 years
Summary
Albuquerque requires separate annual permits for body art establishments and individual operators, bars body art on minors without in-person parental consent, and makes unpermitted tattooing or piercing a criminal misdemeanor.
(1) No person, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, business trust, corporation or any organized group of persons may operate a body art establishment without a body art establishment permit issued by the Department. ... (B) Operator Permit. (1) No person shall practice body art procedures without first obtaining a permit from the Department.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-95: Current through Ordinance 2026-010, passed 4-6-2026).
Full Breakdown
The city's Environmental Health Department administers the Body Art Ordinance, ROA § 11-5-1 et seq., issuing establishment permits annually and operator permits valid for two years. Operators must complete blood-borne pathogen training within 90 days of their first permit and repeat it at least every three years. Body art on anyone under 18 requires the parent or legal guardian to appear in person with photo ID and give written consent before the procedure starts, and operators may not work on clients who appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Operating an establishment or performing procedures without a current permit is a misdemeanor, with each day of unpermitted operation and each separate procedure charged as its own offense.
Violations & Fines
Operating a body art establishment or performing body art without a permit is a misdemeanor under ROA § 1-1-99; each day of operation and each procedure counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a minor get a tattoo or piercing in Albuquerque?
What happens if a shop operates without a body art permit?
How often do operators need to renew their permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albuquerque
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