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Phoenix, AZ Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

C-2 zone
use permit required
C-3 zone
permitted outright
Permit reviewer
Zoning Administrator, § 307
Tattooing under 18
unlawful citywide, § 23-91

Summary

Tattoo shops must secure a discretionary use permit before opening in Phoenix's C-2 Intermediate Commercial zone, but the identical use is allowed outright in C-3 General Commercial. Tattooing anyone under 18 is a separate citywide crime.

187. Tattoo Shops, subject to securing a use permit pursuant to Section 307.

Source: ARS §36-601View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Phoenix's Zoning Ordinance lists "Tattoo Shops" as a permitted use in the C-3 General Commercial district (§ 624.D.139) with no extra approval, but the identical use in the more restrictive C-2 Intermediate Commercial district (§ 623.D.187) requires "securing a use permit pursuant to Section 307": a discretionary review by the Zoning Administrator that can attach conditions or be denied before a shop can open. Separately, Phoenix City Code § 23-91 makes it unlawful to tattoo anyone under 18 anywhere in the City, and places the burden of verifying the recipient's age on the person doing the tattooing, not the customer.

Violations & Fines

Operating a tattoo shop in a C-2 zone without an approved use permit is a zoning violation subject to enforcement. Tattooing a minor under Sec. 23-91 is a misdemeanor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open a tattoo shop anywhere in Phoenix?
Only in commercial zoning. C-3 General Commercial allows tattoo shops outright, while C-2 Intermediate Commercial requires a discretionary use permit from the Zoning Administrator under Section 307 first.
Is it illegal to tattoo a minor in Phoenix?
Yes. Phoenix City Code § 23-91 makes it unlawful to tattoo anyone under 18, and the tattoo artist, not the minor, bears the burden of verifying age.

Sources & Official References

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All Phoenix rules

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