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Forsyth County, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

License needed
Annual adult entertainment license
Initial fee
$750.00 one-time
Annual fee
$750.00, due Nov. 30
Zoning
M-1 or M-2 industrial only
Buffer
1,000 ft from homes, schools, churches
Hours
9 a.m.-2 a.m.; closed Sundays
Exempt
Barbers, cosmetologists, ear-piercing, microblading

Summary

Forsyth County treats tattoo and body art studios as adult entertainment establishments under Code of Ordinances Sec. 10-32, so any shop built around tattooing or body piercing needs the same annual adult entertainment license as a strip club, restricted to M-1 and M-2 industrial zoning and away from homes, schools, and churches.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Forsyth County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Adult entertainment establishment shall be defined to include the following types of business: ... (8)Establishments whose principal business activity, either in terms of operation or as held out to the public, is a body art studio, is performing body art, or is performing the practice of physical adornment by using the techniques of body piercing and/or tattooing or any business or commercial establishment where any worker engages in the physical manipulation, washing, scrubbing, stroking or touching, for commercial or pecuniary gain, of another's body, directly or indirectly, using any body part, object, instrument, substance or device. For purposes of this article, the following are specifically exempted from this paragraph: ... g.A person performing ear-piercing services; ... j.A person performing microblading or the art of permanent makeup.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43).

Full Breakdown

Under Sec. 10-32 of the Forsyth County Code, a tattoo studio, body-piercing shop, or any business whose principal activity is body art falls inside the definition of an adult entertainment establishment, the same category covering strip clubs and adult bookstores. Sec. 10-33(a) makes it unlawful to operate such a business in unincorporated Forsyth County without first obtaining an annual adult entertainment license from the county manager's office. 00 annual regulatory fee due by November 30 of the preceding year; renewals filed after November 30 face a 20 percent late charge, and Sec.

00 application fee, full fingerprinting, and a five-year criminal background check on the applicant, operators, and owners. Sec. 10-36 confines these establishments to M-1 or M-2 industrial zoning on a parcel of at least one acre with 150 feet of road frontage, and keeps them 1,000 feet from any residential parcel, church, school, park, or alcohol retailer, 500 feet from another licensed adult establishment, and 250 feet from the Georgia 400 right-of-way. m. Monday through Friday and to midnight on Saturday, with the business closed all day Sunday and on Christmas.

The definition specifically exempts massage therapists, physicians, nurses, licensed barbers and cosmetologists, ear-piercers, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and anyone performing microblading or permanent makeup, so a salon offering only those services does not need this license. Separately, the county's UDC overlay districts along Atlanta Highway, Buford Highway, and several other corridors ban tattoo parlors outright as a zoning use, so a licensable location must also clear the underlying zoning map.

Violations & Fines

Operating a tattoo or body-art business without the license violates Sec. 10-33(a) and exposes the owner to citation in magistrate court; conduct violations under Sec. 10-37, such as advertising without a license or employing an unpermitted worker, carry a fine up to $1,000.00 and up to 60 days in jail under Sec. 10-39, with each day of continued operation a separate offense. Sec. 10-40 additionally lets the county pursue civil abatement of an unlicensed establishment as a public nuisance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Forsyth County require a special license to open a tattoo shop?
Yes. Sec. 10-32 defines tattoo and body-art studios as adult entertainment establishments, so Sec. 10-33 requires an annual license before opening in unincorporated Forsyth County. The initial fee is $750.00 plus a $750.00 annual regulatory fee, and the owner, any operator, and the business location all go through the same background check and site-distance review used for strip clubs and adult bookstores.
Where can a tattoo parlor legally operate in Forsyth County?
Only in M-1 or M-2 industrial zoning, on a parcel of at least one acre with 150 feet of road frontage. Sec. 10-36 also requires 1,000 feet of separation from any residential area, church, school, park, or alcohol retailer, 500 feet from another licensed adult establishment, and 250 feet from the Georgia 400 right-of-way, which rules out most retail corridors.
Is a barber or cosmetologist who does microblading covered by this license?
No. Sec. 10-32(8) specifically exempts licensed barbers, cosmetologists, massage therapists, physicians, nurses, ear-piercing services, and anyone performing microblading or permanent makeup from the adult entertainment license, so long as they hold the applicable state license or certification for that separate service.
What happens if a tattoo studio opens without the county license?
The owner is subject to citation in magistrate court, and Sec. 10-40 lets the county pursue civil abatement of the business as a public nuisance. Violations of the article's conduct rules under Sec. 10-37 carry a fine of up to $1,000.00 and up to 60 days in jail under Sec. 10-39, with each additional day counted as a separate offense.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Forsyth County

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All Forsyth County rules

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