Orem, UT Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning classification
- SLU 6232, Tattoos & Body Piercing
- Permitted zones
- C2 and C3 commercial zones only
- Use type
- Accessory to a licensed beauty shop only
- Revenue cap
- Under 15% of the beauty shop's revenue
- Method limit
- Three-needle (or less) method only
- Licensing link
- License requires Appendix A permitted-use status (§12-3-3)
Summary
Orem's zoning code does not allow standalone tattoo parlors. Appendix A's Specified Land Use Table lists SLU 6232, Tattoos and Body Piercing, as permitted only as an accessory to a licensed beauty shop (SLU 6231), and only in the C2 and C3 commercial zones. A tattoo or piercing business cannot generate more than 15% of the beauty shop's revenue and must use a three-needle or lighter method.
SLU 6232, Tattoos & Body Piercing: *Only as an accessory use to a beauty shop (SLU 6231) where less than 15% of the revenue of the beauty shop is derived from SLU 6232 and only using a three-needle (or less) method.
Full Breakdown
Appendix A of the Orem City Code is the Specified Land Use (SLU) Table that governs what businesses may operate in each zone, and it treats tattooing and body piercing as a narrow accessory use rather than a stand-alone business. SLU 6232 is marked 'N' (not permitted) in every residential zone, the OS5/ROS open space zones, the PO office zone, C1, the HS Highway Services zone, and the M1, M2, CM, BP, and PF zones. It is marked 'P' only in the C2 general commercial zone and 'P*' in C3 regional commercial, and the asterisk carries the table's own footnote limiting the use to an accessory of a beauty shop (SLU 6231) where the tattoo or piercing work produces less than 15% of that shop's revenue and is performed using a three-needle or less method.
A business cannot get a standalone tattoo studio license under this table; it must first operate as a licensed beauty shop in a C2 or C3 zone and keep tattooing and piercing as a minor, incidental part of that business. ' An application for a tattoo or piercing operation that does not fit within the SLU 6232 accessory-use limits, or that is proposed for a zone other than C2 or C3, does not meet this permitted-use requirement and cannot be licensed.
Violations & Fines
Operating a tattoo or body piercing business outside the SLU 6232 limits, such as a standalone parlor, one located outside the C2 or C3 zones, one exceeding the 15% revenue cap, or one using a method other than three-needle or less, is not a permitted use under Appendix A. Section 12-3-3 makes permitted-use status under Appendix A a precondition of getting a business license, so the City can deny the license and require the operator to cease business at that location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a stand-alone tattoo shop in Orem?
What limits apply once tattooing is added to a beauty shop?
Will Orem issue a business license for a tattoo studio that doesn't meet these rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orem
Compare Orem to another location·View the Utah business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Tattoo & Body Modification in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Utah County handle tattoo & body modification.