So, how old do you have to be to get a tattoo? You must be 18 to get a tattoo without parental consent. But there are different laws in different states and countries; let’s investigate.
Tattoos are a trend among younger and older generations alike. An art form that exhibits their contemporary culture.
Tattoos are seen as the new cool. Living in the digital age, access to new fashion comes easy.
Influencers and celebrities with tattoos flaunt their skin art on social media. The image they portray impacts the mindset of the youth.
However, how old do you have to be to get a tattoo?
Tattoo age restrictions are implemented in most states in the US. Despite the existence of “old-school” views on tattoos, the demand from minors of getting a tattoo is excessive.
Tattoos became a fashion statement. The youths have a strong urge to satisfy their need to belong and impress. Thus, the prestige of having one adds spice to their social media.
Influencers are prevalent in the US. By all means, teenagers wanting tattoos and piercings are growing.
Nonetheless, they can’t quickly get one without their parent’s consent due to tattoo age restrictions.
With this in mind, teenagers aren’t discouraged. Instead, they look for ways to embed art on their skin.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Get A Tattoo in the US?
Tattoo age restrictions in the US are strictly implemented. Therefore, minors can’t simply walk into a tattoo shop and have their skin inked.
Specific protocols must be followed to regulate tattoo laws for minors. As a result, each state has different implications when it comes to tattoos for minors.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Get A Tattoo in My State?
Please scroll down to see how old you have to have to be to get a tattoo in the state you live in.
Alabama Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A written and signed consent from parents or guardians must be provided.
Alaska Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Minors are not allowed.
- Written consent must be provided.
- A parent/guardian must be present during the procedure.
Arizona Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A parent or a guardian must be present during the procedure.
Arkansas Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Minors are not allowed.
- It is illegal to perform any of the procedures on a minor.
California Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Minors 18 and below are not allowed.
- A parent or guardian must be present during the procedure.
- Tattoos on genital areas and nipples are restricted.
Colorado Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- A parent’s consent is required.
- A parent or guardian must be present during the procedure.
Connecticut Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- Permission from a parent/guardian must be provided.
District of Columbia Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Minors are prohibited.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
Delaware Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Minors are prohibited.
- A notarized written consent is required.
Florida Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- Evidence of guardianship, photo ID, along with notarized consent must be provided.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
Georgia Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
Hawaii Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
Idaho Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 14 and above are allowed.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
Illinois Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Minors are prohibited.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
Indiana Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A parent or a guardian must be present during the procedure while,
- Written consent is provided.
Iowa Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Minors are strictly prohibited.
Kansas Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- Along with a notarized consent while,
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
Kentucky Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A notarized consent is required.
Louisiana Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Minors 16 and above are allowed.
- Written consent is required.
- Also, parents/guardians must be present during the procedure.
Maine Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Teenagers with ages 18 and below are prohibited.
Maryland Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- Written consent is required and must be retained for 3 years.
Massachusetts Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Teenagers with ages 18 and below are prohibited.
- Tattoos on genital areas are restricted.
Michigan Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A parent/guardian is required to provide written consent.
- In addition, a parent must be present during the procedure.
Minnesota Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Teenagers with ages 18 and below are prohibited.
- Genital areas are restricted.
Missouri Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A parent/guardian must provide signed consent.
- Also, a parent must be present during the procedure.
Montana Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A parent/guardian is required to provide written consent.
- Moreover, a parent must be present during the procedure.
Nebraska Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A parent/guardian is required to provide written consent.
- Also, a parent must be present during the procedure.
Nevada Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Nevada state laws do not regulate tattoos, piercings, and other body art.
New Hampshire Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Teenagers with ages 18 and below are prohibited.
New Jersey Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Minors 16 and above are allowed.
- Also, parental/guardian permission is required.
New Mexico Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
- A parent/guardian must be present during the procedure.
New York Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
- A parent/guardian must be present during the procedure.
North Carolina Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
North Dakota Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
- A parent/guardian must be present during the procedure.
Ohio Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
- A parent/guardian must be present during the procedure.
Oklahoma Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
- A parent/guardian must be present during the procedure.
Oregon Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- Minors are allowed with the authorization of a physician.
Pennsylvania Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The minimum age is The state did not define the specific age.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
- A parent/guardian must be present during the procedure.
Rhode Island Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
South Carolina Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- Head, face, and neck tattoos are illegal.
South Dakota Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
Tennessee Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
- A parent/guardian must be present during the procedure.
Texas Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- Written parental/guardian consent is required.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
Utah Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- Written parental/guardian consent with proof of identity is required.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
Vermont Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- No further information is available.
Virginia Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
Washington Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- No further information is available.
West Virginia Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Parents’ written consent is required.
Wisconsin Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 18 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Moreover, parents’ written consent is required.
Wyoming Tattoo Age Restrictions
- The state did not define the specific age.
- A parent/guardian needs to provide verbal consent.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Moreover, parents’ written consent is required.
Furthermore, not only in the US, where tattoos for minors are regulated. Also, in some European countries, minors need to follow protocols before getting one.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Get A Tattoo in Europe?
Do you live in Europe, or are you traveling there this summer? Maybe a holiday tattoo with your best friend is on the cards? Check out the European countries and their tattoo restrictions below.
Austria Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Also, parents’ consent is required.
Croatia Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Also, parents’ consent is required.
Cyprus Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Also, parents’ consent is required.
Denmark Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Also, parents’ consent is required.
- Head, neck, and hand tattoos are prohibited.
Germany Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Also, parents’ consent is required.
France Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Also, parents’ consent is required.
Ireland Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Additionally, parents’ consent is required.
Poland Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Also, parents’ consent is required.
Portugal Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- Also, parents’ consent is required.
Slovakia Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- A parents’ consent is required.
Spain Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Only young adults with ages 14 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be present during the procedure.
- A parents’ consent is required.
The Netherlands Tattoo Age Restrictions
- Young adults with ages 16 and above are allowed.
- A parent must be during the procedure.
- A parents’ consent is required.
Tattooing As a Medical Procedure
The restrictions on tattooing minors came about due to tattooing as a medical procedure. Thus, the laws require that the minimum standards are met.
Moreover, the risks associated with tattooing were taken into consideration: viruses, infections, and bacteria can quickly spread if the minimum standard of safety and hygiene is neglected.
As a result, most states don’t allow minors to get a tattoo, and yes, you have to abide by the same laws even if it’s a vegan tattoo!
Risks & Complications Associated with Tattoos
There are health risks associated with getting a tattoo, so make sure your tattoo parlor has top hygiene standards. I mean, getting a tattoo is not a sin, but you can still go wrong.
- Infections: hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV transmission are acquired due to multiple uses of needles.
- Allergic reactions: allergic reactions to pigments.
- Granulomas: nodules that might form if the body finds ink pigments foreign.
- Keloid formation: tattoos have high chances of forming keloids.
For first-timers, perhaps a small or a minimalist tattoo design sounds reasonable?
Minimalist tattoos are small in size. Thus, it is unlikely to make a significant impact when it comes to complications.
Moreover, “small” chances of regret will happen in the future.
Temporary tattoos are another option. Temporary tattoos appear real, but they can be removed easily. Moreover, temporary tattoos are safe and can be bought online.
In the same way, temporary tattoos come in different designs, colors, and sizes and can look very realistic too!
Signs of Tattoo Infections
Although not common these days, there are risks to getting a tattoo. Please see the list below and if anything seems a concern, contact your Doctor.
- Excessive redness will occur.
- The skin around the tattoo will start to feel tender.
- Prolonged bleeding will be experienced.
- Then, a sudden change in skin color around the tattoo will be visible.
- Lastly, swelling will happen.
There are a lot of odd ingredients in tattoos, so these days vegan tattoos are now an option. Additionally, vegan tattoo inks and other equipment are more common than you would think.
So, if you are skeptical about getting tattoos due to possible infections or reactions to ink ingredients, perhaps a vegan tattoo is an option?
Vegan tattoos look the same as standard tattoos, except all materials used are plant-based.
Tattoo Safety for Minors
Do you agree to a tattoo for your son or daughter? Are you getting one together?
- It is essential to ask about the sanitation of the surface and the equipment.
- Moreover, parents should ask about the ink they use.
- Then, make sure it follows the FDA guidelines.
- After, see to it that the needle they use is new.
- Lastly, check if the tattoo artist wears gloves.
Follow Tattoo After-Care Instructions
Looking after your tattoo is essential to it lasting and looking the best on your body.
Some handy hints are:
- Wash the tattoo with soap and warm water.
- Then, keep the tattoo covered for 24 hours.
- Likewise, maintain moisture by applying thick skin cream, vitamin E oil, or antibiotic ointments.
- Additionally, avoid the use of petroleum jelly, alcohol, and peroxide.
- Furthermore, avoid direct sun exposure.
How Old Do I Have To Be TO Get A Tattoo – Conclusion
You won’t be getting a tattoo anywhere in the U.S legally if you are under 18 and do not have parental consent. Under 18 with parental consent will differ between states too.
Also, remember that a tattoo is an art; it is a form of self-expression which will be with you for the rest of your life. Which can be a good but also a bad thing.
So when deciding on what to get and where to get it, ask yourself, will I be happy having this tattoo here in 20 years’ time? If the answer is yes, go for it!
Happy tattooing!
