Passaic, NJ Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)

Chapter 91, Body Piercing, actually governs all 'body art' in Passaic, tattooing, body piercing and permanent cosmetics, after the City repealed its separate Chapter 271, Tattooing, on May 16, 2006 (Ord. No. 1689-06) and folded tattoo regulation into this chapter's licensing scheme (§ 91-1, BODY ART definition). C. 1 et seq. The license costs $500 for a calendar-year term running January 1 to December 31 regardless of issue date, and renewal applications are due at least 30 days before expiration or the shop must close pending reinspection (§ 91-3C).

Applicants must show $1,000,000 of general liability and malpractice insurance naming the City as additional insured, current Red Cross first-aid certification and OSHA bloodborne-pathogens training for every practitioner, proof of hepatitis B immunization, a written consultative agreement with a New Jersey-licensed physician, and proof the operator has run a body art facility for at least 12 months (§ 91-4). Practitioners need 1,000 hours of supervised apprentice experience before working unsupervised (§ 91-4O). Body art rooms must be at least 100 square feet, separated from waiting areas, with impervious surfaces cleaned daily (§ 91-5).

No one under 18 may be pierced or tattooed without a parent or guardian's signed, photo-verified consent, and the guardian must be present during the procedure (§ 91-6).