Cicero, IL Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)

Article XIII of Chapter 46 addresses tattoos directly and takes the strictest possible position. Sec. 46-578 declares that "the town authorities declare tattooing and the operation of a tattoo parlor or business is a public nuisance," a legislative finding that is cross-referenced to the town's general nuisance provisions in Sec. 38-116 et seq. Sec. " There is no permit, license, or health-department approval pathway anywhere in the article that would allow a tattoo business to operate lawfully in Cicero; the article defines only what counts as a tattoo (Sec.

46-576: inserting pigment under the skin with a needle or otherwise to produce an indelible mark) and sets the penalty for violating the ban. This puts Cicero at the strict end of the spectrum compared to towns that instead regulate tattoo parlors through health permits and sanitation rules; here, the business itself is banned rather than licensed.