LaPorte County, IN Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Facility, mobile facility, and practitioner
- Permit term
- 1 year, renews by Feb. 28/29
- Mobile event notice
- 72 hours to Health Department
- Late fee
- 50% of permit fee per day late
- Temporary practitioner permit
- Expires 31 days after issuance
- First-offense fine
- $500 (§ 111.99)
Summary
LaPorte County requires a Health Officer permit for every tattoo or body piercing facility, including mobile facilities, renewed each year by the last day of February. Mobile operators must give the county Health Department 72 hours' notice before an event, and practitioners face their own separate permitting track.
(A) Permit. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a tattoo and/or body piercing facility in the county without a valid permit from the Health Officer. Only persons who have complied with the applicable provisions of this chapter shall be entitled to receive and retain such a permit. The permit shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises of the permitted facility. Facility and practitioner permits shall be valid for a term of one year and shall be renewed on or prior to the last day of February each year. ... (C) Mobile facilities. The permit holder must notify the County Health Department 72 hours in advance of an event.
Full Breakdown
06(A)); the permit must be posted where it can be seen and is good for one year, renewed on or before the last day of February. 03 lists what a facility or mobile facility application must include: the applicant's legal name, address and phone number; the business name under which the applicant will operate; proof of compliance with Indiana OSHA guidelines; three years of business or employment history including any prior license suspensions or revocations; and documentation that the business location is properly zoned. 04 that requires a government-issued ID, proof of age 18 or older, a high school diploma or GED, training and certification records, work history, and a physician's statement dated within 30 days of application confirming the applicant is free of communicable disease. 06(C). 06(B)). 06(E)). 05(A).
Violations & Fines
Section 111.99(A) fines a first offense $500, a second or repeat offense up to $1,000, and a third or subsequent offense up to $1,500, as fixed by the Health Officer. Violators are also on the hook under § 111.99(B) for the county Health Department's expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees and any losses or damages caused by the violation. Late annual permit payments separately draw a 50% per-day penalty under § 111.06(B), and the Health Officer can suspend or close a permit for imminent health hazards under § 111.10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a mobile tattoo unit need a separate permit in LaPorte County?
How often must a tattoo facility permit be renewed?
What is the fine for operating without a tattoo permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in LaPorte County
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