Walton County, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)

Section 39-285 requires each body tattoo/body piercing establishment to hold a Walton County Health Department permit before operating and bars the business from sharing space with a residence, food service establishment, retail sales floor or hotel room, and from operating out of automobiles, mobile trailers, tents or recreational vehicles. Implants and other subdermal procedures are prohibited outright, and only a licensed physician or osteopath, or a technician under direct medical supervision, may perform tattoo removal or any procedure requiring medical equipment such as scalpels. Section 39-285(e)(3) bars piercing anyone under 18 except the ear lobes, and only with a parent or legal guardian present who signs a written consent form; nipple and genital piercing on minors is prohibited regardless of parental consent, and no one under 18 may be tattooed outside a licensed medical setting.

Operators must pass a health department exam, hold current CPR/first aid certification and complete OSHA blood borne pathogen training under section 39-286, and both establishment and operator permits expire every June 30 under sections 39-288 and 39-289. Section 39-291 sets minimum physical standards, including a dedicated cleaning room with an autoclave and ultrasonic cleaner separated from other work areas, and a minimum 45 square feet of floor space per operator for new establishments. The county health department inspects every establishment at least twice a year under section 39-304 and may suspend or revoke a permit for critical violations.