Union City, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- Definition covers
- Piercing, tattooing, branding, scarification
- Permit needed
- Use permit in CN/CC districts
- By-right in
- CMU district as personal service
- Excludes
- Ear-lobe piercing
Summary
Union City classifies tattoo, piercing, and other body-art studios as a conditional use requiring Planning Commission approval in the Neighborhood Commercial (CN) and Community Commercial (CC) zoning districts.
Approval by Planning Commission (refer to Chapter 18.56 for a detailed description of the use permit process). ... Body art
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4940544; v16 updated 2026-06-23).
Full Breakdown
Municipal Code Section 18.08.088 defines 'body art' as body piercing, tattooing, cosmetic tattooing, branding, and scarification, excluding ear-lobe piercing. Under the conditional-use table at Section 18.36.030, a body art business needs a Planning Commission use permit under Chapter 18.56 and is allowed only in the CN (Neighborhood Commercial) and CC (Community Commercial) districts -- it is not a listed use in the CPA or CVR commercial districts. The Corridor Mixed Use Commercial (CMU) district treats body art differently, listing it as a by-right personal service under Section 18.35.020, so the rule depends on which district the studio sits in.
Violations & Fines
Operating a tattoo or body-piercing studio without a use permit, or in a zoning district where body art is not a listed use, is a zoning code violation subject to enforcement and permit denial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Union City require a permit to open a tattoo shop?
Is a tattoo studio allowed in the Corridor Mixed Use district without a use permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Union City
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Tattoo & Body Modification in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle tattoo & body modification.