yourstate.us
Va. Code § 18.2-371.3

Tattooing or body piercing of minors

Virginia · Code of Virginia Title 18.2 — Crimes and Offenses Generally · Status: effective

Get this as JSONEmbed this
Cite this
Citation
Va. Code § 18.2-371.3, Tattooing or body piercing of minors, Virginia, version 1 as recorded 2026-09-23, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/1376483
Permanent ID
ys:prov:1376483@1
SHA-256
63729f6a17bdc18e86967ab31b2c1dc558e546c9624bd0e8d6f75a2725ec053d

The hash is SHA-256 of this version's text, with every run of whitespace collapsed to a single space and the ends trimmed. The ID always leads back here, and checking it says whether the text you cited is still the current version.

Full text

No person shall tattoo or perform body piercing for hire or consideration on a person less than eighteen years of age, knowing or having reason to believe such person is less than eighteen years of age except (i) in the presence of the person's parent or guardian, or (ii) when done by or under the supervision of a medical doctor, registered nurse or other medical services personnel licensed pursuant to Title 54.1 in the performance of their duties. In addition, no person shall tattoo or perform body piercing on any client unless he complies with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines for "Universal Blood and Body Fluid Precautions" and provides the client with the following disclosure: 1. Tattooing and body piercing are invasive procedures in which the skin is penetrated by a foreign object. 2. If proper sterilization and antiseptic procedures are not followed by tattoo artists and body piercers, there is a risk of transmission of bloodborne pathogens and other infections, including, but not limited to, human immunodeficiency viruses and hepatitis B or C viruses. 3. Tattooing and body piercing may cause allergic reactions in persons sensitive to dyes or the metals used in ornamentation. 4. Tattooing and body piercing may involve discomfort or pain for which appropriate anesthesia cannot be legally made available by the person performing the tattoo or body piercing unless such person holds the appropriate license from a Virginia health regulatory board. A person who violates this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. For the purposes of this section: "Body-piercing" means the act of penetrating the skin to make a hole, mark, or scar, generally permanent in nature. "Body piercing" does not include the use of a mechanized, presterilized ear-piercing system that penetrates the outer perimeter or lobe of the ear or both. "Tattoo" means to place any design, letter, scroll, figure, symbol or any other mark upon or under the skin of any person with ink or any other substance resulting in the permanent coloration of the skin, including permanent make-up or permanent jewelry, by the aid of needles or any other instrument designed to touch or puncture the skin.