Tattoo and body piercing studios in Travis County need a Texas Department of State Health Services license under Health and Safety Code Chapter 146, with mandatory minor-consent rules, sterilization standards, and county zoning compliance.
DSHS regulates tattoo and body piercing studios statewide under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 146. Studios pass annual inspections covering sterilization, single-use needles, sharps disposal, and consent records. Tattoos on minors are prohibited except for cover-ups of obscene marks; piercings allow parental consent for ages under 18. Travis County applies land use rules outside Austin; Austin adds local registration. Records are kept two years. Cosmetic tattooing falls under separate DSHS rules; bloodborne pathogen training is required.
Operating without a DSHS license, tattooing minors illegally, or failing sterilization inspection results in license suspension, fines up to $5,000 per day, and Class A misdemeanor charges for repeat offenses.
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See how Austin's tattoo & body modification rules stack up against other locations.
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