Monterey County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitting agency
- County of Monterey Department of Health
- Minimum applicant age
- 18 years old
- Permit expiration
- Annually on June 30, Section 10.91.080
- Operator requirement
- HBV vaccination proof or signed declination
- Geographic scope
- Both incorporated and unincorporated county
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under Section 1.20.040
Summary
Anyone practicing tattooing, permanent cosmetics or body piercing in Monterey County needs a Department of Health permit under County Code Section 10.91.040. Unlike most Title 10 chapters, this one binds both incorporated and unincorporated areas, and operating without a permit is unlawful.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, owning, controlling, leasing, acting as agent for, conducting, managing or operating any establishment to practice or engage in the practice of body art or ear piercing without first applying for and receiving a permit from the Department in the manner hereinafter provided. ... It shall be the duty of the Director of Health to enforce the provisions of this Chapter and to implement provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 119300) of Part 15 of Division 104 of the California Health and Safety Code throughout both the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Monterey County.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
91, adopted by Ord. 040(A). Applicants must be at least eighteen years old and submit a verified written application listing the business's trade name, each practitioner's qualifications, and the name of the transporter arranged to dispose of contaminated waste, with fees set by the Monterey County Fee Resolution. 050 gives the Department authority to investigate the application and inspect the premises, and to suspend or revoke a permit for violations of the chapter, state law, or Department regulations. 060, which requires either documented hepatitis B vaccination or a signed declination kept on file at the facility.
080. 090. 020(B) directs the Director of Health to enforce the chapter and implement the state Health and Safety Code's body art provisions 'throughout both the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Monterey County,' making this one of the few County Code chapters that reaches inside city limits as well.
Violations & Fines
Operating a body art or ear piercing facility without a permit, or employing an unregistered operator, violates Section 10.91.040(A) and 10.91.060(A). Under Section 10.91.100, any violation of the chapter or a Department order is a misdemeanor punished under the general penalty section, Section 1.20.040: up to a $1,000 fine, six months in county jail, or both, per day of violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues Monterey County body art permits?
Does the permit requirement apply inside Salinas or Monterey?
How long does a body art permit last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
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