Imperial County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Facility permit
- $267/year
- Practitioner registration
- $150 per location
- Mobile operation permit
- $243/year
- Event organizer permit
- $407/year
Summary
Imperial County requires tattoo and body art operators, fixed facilities, mobile units, practitioners, and event organizers, to hold an annual environmental health permit, each with its own fee.
No person, corporation, association, firm, business or entity shall operate, perform, carry on, conduct or engage in any of the activities delineated in this section without obtaining a health permit and paying the fee listed in this section for the activity and obtaining a receipt therefore from the environmental health division.B.Non-transferable Permits. Permits described herein are not transferable.C.Owner/Operator Business Name Change. An owner/operator with a valid permit changing only the name of the business shall submit an updated permit application within ten (10) days from the date of the business name change. Failure to submit updated permit application will result in suspension of the health permit until the required business information is obtained. (Ord. No. 1588, § II, 12-19-23)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 62 - 9-25).
Full Breakdown
The county's environmental-health permit requirement (§8.02.040) covers tattoo and body art operations. Under §8.02.070(C), a fixed facility pays $267 a year, a mobile operation $243, and each individual practitioner must separately register for $150 per permitted location. Event organizers pay $407 for an annual permit, and a temporary booth at an event costs $237, with a $75 late-submittal fee on top of any of these. Operating without the required permit, or after a change of ownership without re-permitting, exposes the operator to infraction fines from $100 to $500, or misdemeanor prosecution under §8.02.090.
Violations & Fines
Operating a tattoo or body art business without a current health permit is an infraction, fined $100 to $500 per repeat violation in a year, or chargeable as a misdemeanor with up to $1,000 and six months in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do tattoo artists need their own permit in Imperial County, separate from the shop?
Is there a permit for a temporary tattoo booth at an event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Imperial County
California rules heatmap·Compare Imperial County to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
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