Laws and regulations surrounding tattoos vary by location, with some types of tattoos being illegal if administered by an unlicensed person, given to a minor, or in certain locations. Tattoo shops may also face zoning laws and age restrictions. Some organizations ban certain types of tattoos, and cosmetic tattoos may not be legal in some places. Prison tattooing is illegal but common, with makeshift supplies increasing the risk of infection and disease.
Laws regarding different types of illegal tattoos vary from place to place. The decision to get a tattoo can also have social consequences in some countries, even if the practice is legal. Public health issues are usually why regulations are put in place to prevent illegal tattooing. Tattoos can be illegal if they are administered by someone who is not licensed, given to someone who is a minor, administered in places where tattooing is not permitted, or violates laws about which parts of the body can be tattooed.
Tattoo shops are legal in many countries, but the acceptance and regulation of these businesses can vary from place to place, even within a country or within a small geographic area. A tattoo shop owner in one city may find it difficult to relocate the shop to another nearby location due to local zoning laws that now allow this type of business. Many places also prohibit people under the age of 18 from getting tattoos. Laws in other places may require parental consent before tattoos can be administered to a minor.
In many places, tattoo artists must obtain a license from local officials and have their shops inspected at regular intervals. Tattoos that are administered by anyone other than a licensed tattoo artist are illegal in some places. In other places, tattoo parlors are legal, but tattooing may not be considered socially acceptable by many people. Tattoos were illegal in Japan until 1946 and have had negative associations in the country because they are often considered symbolic of the yakuza, an organized criminal group. Some Japanese businesses, including public bathhouses, commonly ban customers who have tattoos.
Some types of tattoos are not illegal but have been banned by some organizations. For example, in 2007, the United States Marine Corps implemented a policy prohibiting Marines from getting sleeve tattoos, which cover a large portion of the arm or leg. Different types of these tattoos include full-length, half-length, and quarter-length designs, depending on how far down the arm or leg they go. Members of this branch of the US military were also banned from displaying tattoos on their heads or necks.
Facial tattoos are also regulated in some places and sometimes tattooing near the eye is illegal. In the US state of Georgia, tattooing within 1 inch (2.54 cm) of the eye is prohibited.
Cosmetic tattoos done in a beauty salon are not legal in some places. These tattoos are also known as permanent lip and eyebrow makeup. A cosmetic tattoo might also involve more advanced procedures on other parts of the body, such as adding pigmentation to areas surrounding the nipple.
Prison tattooing isn’t legal in many places, but it remains common to symbolize things like gang membership, racist beliefs, or violent experiences. The illegal tattoos that inmates obtain and give to their peers are often administered using makeshift tattoo supplies. For example, inmates might take ink from a pen and use parts of radios or video game consoles as a tattoo gun. Prison needles are made of sharp objects such as staples, staples or metal guitar strings. Homemade tattoo equipment used by inmates may not be sterilized properly, which increases the risk of skin infections and the spread of hepatitis C or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
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