Kenner, LA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning definition
- UDC Appendix A § 5.03
- Permitted district
- General Commercial (C-2), UDC § 6.10
- Minor tattoo ban
- Kenner Code § 7-116
- Fine range for minor tattoo
- $100.00 to $500.00
- Jail range for minor tattoo
- 30 to 60 days
Summary
In the City of Kenner, tattoo parlors are a recognized zoning use, defined and permitted by right in the General Commercial (C-2) district under the Unified Development Code, while a separate criminal statute, Kenner Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-116, bars tattooing anyone under 18 without parental consent regardless of where the shop is located.
(a)It is unlawful for any person to tattoo any other person under the age of eighteen (18) without the consent of the parents of such person.(b)Whoever is found guilty of violating the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or be imprisoned for not less than thirty (30) days nor more than sixty (60) days, or both. ... Tattoo Parlor: Establishments where services offered are tattooing, body piercing and non-medical body modification. This definition does not include establishments that offer only ear piercing as an accessory use. ... u.Tattoo Parlor
Full Breakdown
The Unified Development Code, Appendix A Section 5.03, defines a Tattoo Parlor as an establishment offering tattooing, body piercing, and non-medical body modification, expressly excluding businesses that offer only ear piercing as an accessory use. That use is listed among the permitted uses in the General Commercial (C-2) district under Section 6.10(b), meaning a tattoo studio in Kenner does not need a conditional use permit if it locates in a C-2 parcel, unlike bars or pawnshops in the same district, which do require conditional approval.
The Unified Development Code does not carry a separate occupational-license fee schedule for tattoo studios beyond the zoning classification; any occupational license instead runs through Chapter 10, Licenses and Taxation, generally. Where Kenner does regulate the tattoo trade directly is age protection: Sec. 7-116 makes it unlawful for any person to tattoo another person under the age of 18 without the consent of that minor's parents. The section does not carve out any exception for a parent tattooing the minor personally or for medical tattooing, so any inking of a person under 18 without documented parental consent exposes the artist to prosecution.
Enforcement of the age restriction falls to the Kenner Police Department, while zoning compliance for where a parlor may operate is handled through the Planning and Zoning Commission and Inspection and Code Enforcement.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Sec. 7-116, tattooing a minor without parental consent, is punishable by a fine of not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00, or imprisonment of not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days, or both. Operating a Tattoo Parlor use outside a district where it is permitted or without required zoning approval is enforced separately by Inspection and Code Enforcement under the Unified Development Code's administration and enforcement article, which can result in a stop-work order or citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a tattoo parlor operate in Kenner, Louisiana?
Can a minor get a tattoo in Kenner with parental consent?
Does Kenner define body piercing the same as tattooing for zoning?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kenner
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