Anne Arundel County, MD Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing provision
- Zoning use table, § 18-5-102
- By-right districts
- C3, C4, mixed-use, Odenton Town Center
- C1 districts
- Accessory to business complex only
- C2 & light industrial
- Not an allowed use
- First-offense fine
- $125 civil citation
Summary
Anne Arundel County zones tattoo parlors and body piercing salons as a distinct use, permitted outright in C3 and C4 commercial districts, mixed-use districts, and heavy industrial zones, but allowed only as a business-complex accessory in C1 districts and barred entirely from C2 office and light-industrial districts.
Permitted, Conditional, Special Exception, and Business Complex Auxiliary Uses C1 C2 C3 C4 Tattoo parlors and body piercing salons A P P (P=permitted use; C = conditional use; SE = special exception use; and A = auxiliary to a business complex use. A blank means that the use is not allowed in the district.)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-93: County Code is current through May, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Anne Arundel County's zoning code lists 'Tattoo parlors and body piercing salons' by name in its commercial-district use table under Section 18-5-102: permitted outright in C3 General Commercial and C4 Highway Commercial districts, allowed only as an accessory to a business complex in C1 Local Commercial, and barred entirely from C2 Commercial Office. The industrial-district table permits them only in W3 Heavy Industrial, not W1 Industrial Park or W2 Light Industrial. Mixed Use and Odenton Town Center districts permit them by right. These tables govern all unincorporated county land, including Glen Burnie, Severna Park, and Pasadena -- not Annapolis or Highland Beach, which regulate separately under their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Operating a tattoo parlor in a district where it isn't a listed use is a zoning violation: Planning and Zoning can cite it with civil fines of $125 first offense, $500 second, $1,000 thereafter, plus a court injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a tattoo shop in Glen Burnie or Severna Park?
Does the county require a special license for a tattoo shop?
Is a tattoo parlor allowed in a C2 office district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anne Arundel County
Compare Anne Arundel County to another location·View the Maryland business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.