Orange, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- OMC Chapter 5.43, Tattooing Establishment Regulations
- Sterilization standard
- Autoclave at 15 psi, 251°F, 15 minutes minimum
- Enforcing agency
- County Health Officer, periodic inspections
- Maximum penalty
- Misdemeanor, fine up to $1,000 per violation
- Prohibited use
- Establishment cannot be used as sleeping room
- Glove rule
- Discarded between every customer
Summary
Orange Municipal Code Chapter 5.43 sets sanitation and operating standards for every tattooing establishment in the city: metal or porcelain operating tables, autoclave sterilization of needles and equipment, sterile single-use dye cups, and a ban on using the shop as a sleeping room. The County Health Officer periodically inspects, and violations are misdemeanors punishable by fines up to $1,000.
A. All tattooing establishments shall be equipped with running hot and cold water, with adequate toilet facilities and with all such appliances, furnishings and materials as may be necessary to enable persons employed in and about such establishments to comply with the requirements of this chapter. B. The floors, furnishings and equipment of tattooing establishments shall be kept clean at all times during business hours. For purposes of this paragraph, a floor shall not be considered clean if it has not been swept and mopped within the preceding 24 hour period. C. All operating tables in tattooing establishments shall be constructed of metal with white enamel or porcelain finish or stainless steel. D. Each tattooing establishment shall have adequate lighting and ventilation. E. No tattooing establishment shall be used as a sleeping room or dormitory.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796775; v10 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
43 of the Orange Municipal Code governs every tattooing establishment operating within city limits, defined as any premises used for marking or coloring skin with tattoos along with the furnishings, equipment, dyes and inks used there. 020 requires running hot and cold water, adequate toilet facilities, and operating tables built of metal with a white enamel or porcelain finish or stainless steel. Floors, furnishings and equipment must be kept clean during business hours, and a floor is not considered clean unless it has been swept and mopped within the preceding 24 hours.
The shop cannot double as a sleeping room or dormitory. 040 requires all pigments, dyes and equipment, including needles, needle tubes and blade holders, to be cleaned with soap and a brush, then sterilized in an autoclave at a minimum 15 pounds of pressure per square inch (251 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least 15 minutes. 160. 110. 060. 190, and the county sets annual health service fees by board resolution, paid directly to the County Health Officer.
Violations & Fines
Performing a tattooing operation in violation of any chapter requirement, or a proprietor's failure to maintain the establishment as required, is a misdemeanor under Section 5.43.200 punishable by a fine of up to $1,000. Where a proprietor fails to keep the shop in conformity with the chapter, each day the noncompliance continues counts as a separate, independently punishable violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Orange require special sanitation equipment for tattoo shops?
How must needles and equipment be sterilized?
Can a tattoo operator smoke or reuse gloves?
What happens if a tattoo shop violates these rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange
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Tattoo & Body Modification in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle tattoo & body modification.