Newport News, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual permit fee
- $1,500
- License period
- Jan 1 – Dec 31
- Issuing authority
- City Health Authority
- No permit
- Unlawful to operate
Summary
Operating a tattoo establishment or body piercing salon in Newport News requires an annual $1,500 permit from the city Health Authority before opening, per City Code § 20-54.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a tattoo establishment or body piercing salon until such person has obtained a tattoo establishment permit or body piercing salon permit from the health authority. Prior to issuance of such a permit, the operator shall first make an application therefor on a form prescribed by the health authority, wherein the operator shall agree to conform to all federal, state and/or local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations governing tattooing and body piercing, and to permit such examinations and inspections of the tattooers and body piercers, premises, and equipment as may be deemed necessary by the health authority to insure compliance with sanitary and disease control laws, rules and regulations.(b)In order to defray the costs of administering this article, there is hereby imposed a permit fee of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00) for a one-year licensing period from January 1 to December 31.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 20-54 requires anyone operating a tattoo establishment or body piercing salon to first obtain a permit from the Health Authority, applying on a prescribed form and agreeing to inspections of the tattooers, piercers, premises and equipment. The permit runs a calendar year (January 1 to December 31) for a $1,500 fee, prorated down to a quarter of that if the operator starts after September 30. A permit won't issue until the fee is paid, a certificate of occupancy is on file, and the operator can show compliance with the article and the city's zoning ordinance; operators running multiple locations need a separate permit for each.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a permit is a Class 2 misdemeanor (Class 1 for repeat violations), each day a separate offense; the Health Authority may also suspend or revoke a permit after a hearing, per §§ 20-52, 20-57.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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