Tattoo Parlors

The Department of Public Health issues permits for any establishment and/or individual that offers tattoo services. The establishment and/or individual is inspected yearly by an Environmental Health Inspector. 

Anyone wishing to practice as a tattoo artist must complete an Application for Tattooing Permit. Application for renewal of an existing tattooing permit shall be submitted to the local health department at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of the existing permit.  

Note: Body piercing is not regulated under NC Public Health laws or by Henderson County ordinance. 

Prohibited Practice - No person shall engage in tattooing without first obtaining a tattooing permit from the health department. Licensed physicians, as well as physician assistants and nurse practitioners working under the supervision of a licensed physician, who perform tattooing within the normal course of their professional practice are exempt from the requirement.

Limitation - A tattooing permit does not authorize a person to remove a tattoo from the body of a human being.