Lake County, IL Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Illinois DOH tattoo/piercing permit
- Local citation
- Lake County Code § 94.09(B)
- Max fine
- $1,000 per day (§ 10.99)
- Enforcement
- Notice, admin adjudication, or circuit court
- Scope
- Countywide per § 94.02(A)
Summary
Operating a tattoo or body piercing establishment in Lake County without a valid Illinois Department of Public Health permit is a public nuisance under county code, enforceable countywide by fines up to $1,000 per day.
(B) Tattoo and body piercing establishments. It is a public nuisance to operate a tattoo and/or body piercing establishment without a valid permit issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health contrary to the provisions of the Illinois Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment Registration Act or the Illinois Department of Public Health Body Art Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 26-0618, passed 6-9-2026 | State legislation current through ILCS Pamphlet 2025 #5).
Full Breakdown
Under Lake County Code § 94.09(B), operating a tattoo and/or body piercing establishment without a valid permit from the Illinois Department of Public Health is declared a public nuisance. The permit requirement itself comes from the state's Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment Registration Act and the Illinois Department of Public Health Body Art Code, but Lake County converts a violation into a locally enforceable nuisance the county can abate through notice, administrative adjudication before a Hearing Officer, or a case in the 19th Judicial Circuit Court. Per § 94.02(A), this nuisance provision reaches both unincorporated Lake County and incorporated municipalities within the county's enforcement authority.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the required state permit is charged as a public nuisance, enforced via notice-and-abatement, administrative adjudication, or circuit court, with fines up to $1,000 per day under § 10.99/94.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lake County issue its own tattoo shop license?
What happens if a Lake County tattoo shop operates without a state permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
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