Burlington, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Under Ch. HFS 173.04(1), permanent or temporary
- Carpeting
- Prohibited in establishment area
- Restroom rule
- Separate public toilet plus second handwash station
- Special events
- Each booth is its own temporary establishment
- Enforcement
- City Health Department, if designated state agent
Summary
Burlington requires anyone operating a tattoo or body-piercing establishment, permanent or temporary, to hold a license under Wis. Admin. Code Ch. HFS 173 before opening. City Code § 284-3 also sets sanitation standards: nonporous floors, no carpeting, and a separate public toilet and handwashing station for every establishment in the City.
Establishments. No person may operate a tattoo or body-piercing establishment or combination thereof on a permanent or temporary basis in the City of Burlington unless the person has obtained a license therefor pursuant to Ch. HFS 173.04(1), Wis. Admin. Code. ... Environment. Floors shall be constructed of smooth, durable and nonporous material and shall be maintained in clean condition and in good repair. Carpeting is prohibited. The establishment shall have a public toilet and handwashing facility that is separate from any living area, and a separate handwashing facility outside of the toilet room. ... No smoking or consumption of food or drink is permitted in the area where the piercing or tattooing is performed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4997580; v29 updated 2026-07-07; through 07-07-2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code Chapter 284, Tattoo and Body-Piercing Establishments, adopted November 9, 2006 by Ordinance No. 1813(17), governs every tattoo and body-piercing business inside Burlington. Section 284-1 adopts Wisconsin Admin. Code Ch. HFS 173 and Wis. 24 by reference, and where the City's own chapter conflicts with the state rule, the most stringent provision controls. Section 284-3A requires a license under Ch. 11(1)(c). Section 284-3C sets the physical environment standard: floors must be smooth, durable, nonporous and kept clean and in good repair, carpeting is banned outright, and the establishment must provide a public toilet and handwashing facility separate from any living area plus a second handwashing station outside the toilet room.
Waste containers for tissues and towels must be easily cleanable with nonabsorbent plastic liners, equipment must sit in closed cabinets used for no other purpose, and no smoking, eating or drinking is allowed where tattooing or piercing takes place. 04(2) practitioner license, and no one with an exposed rash, skin lesion, boil, or who is under the influence of alcohol or a mind-altering drug may perform the procedures. 245, Wis. , giving it authority to issue licenses, inspect and collect fees.
Violations & Fines
Section 284-6 makes any violation punishable by a fine under Ch. HFS 173.12(3), Wis. Admin. Code, with each day of violation and every separate provision violated counted as its own offense. Where the Health Department acts as the state's designated local agent under § 252.245, Wis. Stats., a conviction instead draws the fine set in § 252.25, Wis. Stats., including for operating without a license, and impeding a City inspector or giving false information violates § 66.0417(5)(b), Wis. Stats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to tattoo or pierce in Burlington?
Can I offer tattoos or piercings at a one-time event?
What sanitation rules apply inside the establishment?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Burlington
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