California's Safe Body Art Act and Penal Code 653 govern tattooing, piercing, and branding. In San Jose, the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health issues body art facility and practitioner registrations, and minors face strict consent rules.
California Health and Safety Code Sections 119300 to 119328, the Safe Body Art Act, sets statewide standards for tattoo, piercing, branding, and permanent cosmetic operations. Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health (DEH) administers the program for businesses inside San Jose, issuing facility health permits and registering practitioners. Practitioners must be at least 18, complete bloodborne-pathogen training, register annually with DEH, and use single-use needles and pre-sterilized equipment. Facilities undergo annual unannounced inspections. Penal Code Section 653 makes it a misdemeanor to tattoo anyone under 18, and piercings of minors require parental consent in person. San Jose zoning under Title 20 also limits tattoo shops to commercial districts.
Tattooing a minor, operating without DEH registration, reusing needles, or skipping required sterilization are misdemeanors. DEH may suspend the facility permit and the County District Attorney can prosecute under the Safe Body Art Act.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
San Jose, CA
San Jose Municipal Code Title 7 (Animal Care and Control) requires dogs in public places, city parks, and trails to be on a leash no longer than six feet, re...
San Jose, CA
San Jose imposes no general restriction on year-round lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays on private residential property. The sign code (SJMC Ch...
San Jose, CA
San Jose has no city ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Size, height, and motor noise are not restricted by the munic...
San Jose, CA
San Jose has no ordinance limiting the duration, brightness, or hours of residential holiday lighting. The general nuisance provisions in SJMC Title 6 and th...
San Jose, CA
A built-in outdoor kitchen in San Jose typically requires multiple permits: a building permit for any structural roof or counter exceeding the patio cover ex...
San Jose, CA
San Jose does not have a dedicated ordinance for backyard smokers, pellet grills, or wood-fired ovens. Use is governed by the multifamily balcony restriction...
See how San Jose's tattoo & body modification rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.