Detroit, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Before operating any body art shop
- Issuing agency
- BSEED Business License Center
- Pre-license inspections
- Zoning, building, fire, health
- Expires
- January 31 each year
- Max penalty
- $500 fine, 90 days jail
Summary
Detroit requires a license from the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department before any tattoo, branding, or body-piercing business can open, backed by zoning, fire, and health inspections under City Code § 20-3-21.
It shall be unlawful to conduct or to maintain any body art facility in the City without first having obtained a license from the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department Business License Center to operate such business.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Operating a body art facility in Detroit without a license is unlawful under City Code § 20-3-21. Applicants apply through the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department (BSEED) Business License Center, pay an annual fee, and must pass inspections by BSEED, the Fire Marshal, and the Health Department covering zoning compliance under Chapter 50, building and fire code standards, and sanitation before a license is issued. Licenses expire January 31 each year, must be posted inside the shop near the entrance, and cannot be transferred to another owner or location.
Violations & Fines
Operating unlicensed is a misdemeanor under § 20-3-2, punishable by up to $500 and 90 days in jail per violation, with each day of continued operation chargeable as a separate violation; licenses can also be suspended, revoked, or denied renewal under Chapter 28.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to open a tattoo shop in Detroit?
What happens if a Detroit body art shop operates unlicensed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Detroit
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Tattoo & Body Modification in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle tattoo & body modification.