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Stockton, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing table
Table 2-2, SMC § 16.20.020 (Development Code)
CN/CG/CL/CH districts
Commission Use Permit, Planning Commission review
CD district
Administrative Use Permit, decided by Director
Prohibited zones
RE, RL, RM, RH, CO, CA, IL, IG, PF, OS
Tattoo classification
None separate; folded into Body Piercing Studios row
Appeal path
City Council under Chapter 16.100

Summary

Stockton's Development Code has no separate tattoo-parlor category; its land use table lists only "Body Piercing Studios," a discretionary use split off from ordinary personal-service shops. Table 2-2 (SMC § 16.20.020) requires a Commission Use Permit in the CN, CG, CL and CH commercial districts, an Administrative Use Permit in CD, and bars the use in every other zone on the map.

TABLE 2-2: ALLOWABLE LAND USES AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS "P" = Permitted Use, "L" = Land Development Permit required, "A" = Administrative Use Permit required, "C" = Commission Use Permit required; "E" = Use not allowed, except under special circumstances "-" = Use not allowed ...

RE RL RM RH CO CN CG CL CA CH CD IL IG PF OS

...

Body Piercing Studios — — — — — C C C — C A — — — —

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4970744; v11 updated 2026-07-07).

Full Breakdown

168 (Use Permits). In the CD district the bar is lower: only an Administrative Use Permit ("A"), decided by the Community Development Director, is required. Every other zoning district on the table, RE, RL, RM, RH (all four residential tiers), CO, CA, IL, IG (both industrial tiers), PF and OS, carries a dash, meaning the use is not allowed there at all. 020 when no exact match exists. Applicants file with the Community Development Department: Commission-level applications go to a noticed Planning Commission hearing, while Administrative-level applications are decided by the Director without a hearing. 100 (Appeals).

Violations & Fines

Operating a body piercing (or tattoo) studio in Stockton without the Commission Use Permit or Administrative Use Permit that Table 2-2 requires is an unpermitted land use. Chapter 16.108 (Revocations and Modifications) lets the Planning Commission or Director revoke or modify any Title 16 permit for noncompliance, and the business remains subject to code enforcement citation. Permit denials or added conditions can be appealed to the City Council under Chapter 16.100.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a body piercing studio open in any Stockton commercial zone?
No. Table 2-2 of the Development Code requires a discretionary Commission Use Permit in the CN, CG, CL and CH commercial districts and an Administrative Use Permit in CD. The CO (Commercial Office) and CA (Commercial Auto) districts carry a dash, meaning body piercing studios are not allowed there at all, unlike ordinary personal-service shops.
Is a tattoo parlor regulated the same as a body piercing studio in Stockton?
The Development Code names only "Body Piercing Studios" in its land use table; it has no separate tattoo classification. A shop offering tattooing is reviewed under the same or a "substantially similar" category by the Director per Section 16.20.020 when no exact use match exists.
Which board approves the permit?
A Commission Use Permit in the CN, CG, CL or CH districts goes to a noticed hearing before the Planning Commission under Chapter 16.168. An Administrative Use Permit in the CD district is decided by the Community Development Director without a public hearing.
What happens if I operate without the required permit?
Unpermitted operation is a zoning violation. Chapter 16.108 (Revocations and Modifications) lets the Planning Commission or Director revoke or modify any Title 16 permit for noncompliance, and the business remains subject to code enforcement citation; permit denials or conditions can be appealed to the City Council under Chapter 16.100.

Sources & Official References

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