Tattoo and body-art shops in Los Angeles need a city Police Commission permit under LAMC §103.140 plus an annual LA County DPH Body Art Program health permit. Practitioners must complete bloodborne-pathogen training, register with the county, and follow sterile-instrument standards.
LAMC §103.140 requires Police Commission approval for any establishment offering tattooing, branding, body piercing, or permanent cosmetics, including operator background checks and zoning compatibility findings. Layered on top is the California Safe Body Art Act (Health and Safety Code §§119300 to 119328) administered locally by LA County Department of Public Health's Body Art Program. The county issues annual facility permits and registers individual practitioners after they complete OSHA bloodborne-pathogen training. Single-use needle cartridges and autoclave sterilization are required. California Penal Code §653 makes it a misdemeanor to tattoo any person under 18, with no parental consent exception. Mobile body-art events need a separate event permit.
Operating without permits is a misdemeanor under LAMC §11.00 and Health & Safety Code §119308. Tattooing a minor is a misdemeanor under Penal Code §653, punishable by fines up to $1,000 and six months jail.
Los Angeles, CA
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See how Los Angeles's tattoo & body modification rules stack up against other locations.
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