Surprise, AZ Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing article
- §§ 26-173 through 26-189
- Establishment + artist license
- Both required, § 26-179/26-180
- ID check
- Two forms of ID logged per customer
- Under-16 procedure
- Class six felony, § 26-185
- 16-17 year olds
- Parent/guardian must be physically present
- Renewal
- Annual, due by January 1
Summary
Surprise requires every tattoo and body piercing establishment and artist to hold a city license under City Code §§ 26-179 and 26-180, backed by fingerprint background checks. Section 26-185 makes it a class six felony to brand, scarify, tattoo, or pierce anyone under 16, and a class 1 misdemeanor to work or operate without a valid license.
(a)No tattoo and/or body piercing establishment license shall be issued or renewed, except in conjunction with one or more tattoo and/or body piercing artist licenses, or unless inspection of the site indicates the proposed establishment complies with each and all of the following requirements:...(7)Establishments must have a posted procedure, followed by all employees, wherein they are required to obtain two pieces of identification to verify the age of the customer. A log must be retained to document this verification. The log must be available for inspection at any time by a police officer or the administrator or his agent. (Sec. 26-185)(a)...it shall be unlawful:...(5)To intentionally brand, scarify, tattoo or pierce the body of person who is under 16 years of age;(6)To intentionally brand, scarify, tattoo or pierce the body of a person who is 16 or 17 years of age without the physical presence of that person's parent or legal guardian;(7)To perform branding, scarifying, tattooing or piercing of the body of a person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 26, Article VI (§§ 26-173—26-189) licenses tattoo and body piercing establishments and artists separately. An establishment license under § 26-179 cannot be issued or renewed unless it is paired with at least one artist license and unless a site inspection confirms an identifying sign at the entrance, adequate lighting and ventilation, restrooms located away from sterilization and service areas, fire code compliance, written sterilization procedures with annually updated staff training, posted aftercare instructions, and a logged two-piece age verification for every customer. An artist license under § 26-180 requires the same clean criminal history as the establishment: no felony, moral-turpitude, drug, or alcohol-related conviction within the past five years, and no deliberately falsified application.
Applicants for either license submit fingerprints under § 26-178, which the city forwards to the Arizona Department of Public Safety and FBI for a criminal history check. Licenses must be displayed with a recent photo of the licensee attached under § 26-181, relocations need administrator approval and a relocation fee under § 26-182, and both establishment and artist licenses renew annually by January 1, with a grace period of up to three months for a lapsed artist license under § 26-183.
Violations & Fines
Section 26-185 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to tattoo or pierce without a license, to operate an unlicensed establishment, to employ an unlicensed artist, or to brand, scarify, tattoo, or pierce a 16- or 17-year-old without a parent or guardian physically present. Branding, scarifying, tattooing, or piercing anyone under 16, or performing the procedure on someone visibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs, is elevated to a class six felony, and the administrator may revoke a license under § 26-186 for fraud, a qualifying conviction, or gross negligence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a minor get a tattoo in Surprise?
What ID do Surprise tattoo shops have to check?
Does a Surprise tattoo artist need a background check?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Surprise
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