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Clark County, NV Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)

Some Restrictions

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

Key Facts

Tattoo license fee: $150 per year
Body piercing fee: $200 per year, separate license
Geographic scope: Unincorporated county, incl. the Strip
License requirement: Mandatory under § 6.04.010
Max penalty for no license: $1,000 fine / 6 months jail

Summary

Clark County requires anyone who tattoos skin for hire to hold an annual $150 business license under County Code § 6.12.946, separate from the $200 body-piercing license under § 6.12.235.

City-specific rules exist: North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, and Henderson have their own tattoo & body modification rules that differ from Clark County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

Any person who places indelible marks and figures upon the body by inserting pigment under the skin or by the production of scars shall pay an annual license fee of one hundred fifty dollars.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147).

Full Breakdown

Clark County Code § 6.12.946 defines a tattoo business as anyone who places indelible marks or figures on the body by inserting pigment under the skin or producing scars, and sets the license fee at $150 per year. Body piercing is licensed separately at $200 annually under § 6.12.235. Both apply only in unincorporated Clark County, which includes the Las Vegas Strip resorts in Paradise and Winchester townships, since the Strip sits outside the Las Vegas city limits. Licenses are issued through the county's Business License Department under Title 6, and operating without one is unlawful under § 6.04.010.

Violations & Fines

Operating a tattoo or piercing business without the required license is unlawful under § 6.04.010. Violations default to the general penalty in § 1.01.040: up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Clark County require a license to run a tattoo shop?

Yes. County Code § 6.12.946 requires anyone who inserts pigment under the skin or produces scars for the public to hold an annual county business license costing $150.

Does this apply to tattoo shops on the Las Vegas Strip?

Yes: the Strip's resort corridor sits in unincorporated Paradise and Winchester townships, not the City of Las Vegas, so this county fee schedule governs tattoo licensing there.

Is body piercing licensed the same way?

No: piercing is defined separately under § 6.12.235 and carries its own $200 annual license fee, distinct from the $150 tattoo license.

Sources & Official References

[1]Clark County Code (Municode)

Other rules in Clark County

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All Clark County rules

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Tattoo & Body Modification in Cities Across Clark County

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