What Age Can You Get a Tattoo? The Rules in 11 U.S. States

How old do you have to be to get a tattoo with a parent?

With a parent, you can be as young as 16 in Florida or 14 in Idaho on pages read November 5, 2026, while Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona and New Jersey set no younger age.

Florida's statute bars tattoos under 16 except for medical or dental purposes by a licensed physician or dentist. In Florida, at 16 or 17, the minor must come with a parent or legal guardian, and both must show government-issued photo ID. The Florida parent also signs notarized consent in the state's format and proves they are the parent or guardian.

From 14 to 17, the Idaho parent or legal guardian must give prior written informed consent, signed in front of the tattooist or the shop's employee.

The Michigan parent signs written informed consent in front of the licensee or staff and shows the minor's birth certificate or legal proof of guardianship.

In Pennsylvania, the parent or guardian must consent and be present at the time of the tattoo. Arizona's statute makes it unlawful to tattoo anyone under 18 without a parent or legal guardian physically present. New Jersey's health department rule requires the parent's written consent, and the New Jersey parent must accompany the client.

Texas allows a tattoo under 18 only to cover an existing tattoo with obscene or offensive language or symbols, gang or drug markings, or other marks a parent considers best covered. Texas lets the parent give that consent by being present at the studio, signing an affidavit that they are the parent or guardian and showing evidence of identity and of that status.

Table 2. What a parent must do for a minor's tattoo, as each state's page states it, read November 5, 2026. 'Not stated' means the section we read does not say; local rules may add requirements.

Where can you not get a tattoo under 18, even with a parent?

California, New York, Washington and Minnesota allow no tattoo under 18 on pages read November 5, 2026, whatever a parent agrees to.

California's Health and Safety Code requires a client to be at least 18 to receive a tattoo, regardless of parental consent. Minnesota's statute makes tattooing anyone under 18 a gross misdemeanor, regardless of parental or guardian consent.

New York's Penal Law lists tattooing a child under 18 as unlawfully dealing with a child in the second degree. Washington's statute makes applying a tattoo to any minor under 18 a misdemeanor.

What happens if a studio tattoos someone underage?

In the eight states whose penalty sections we read on November 5, 2026, tattooing a minor outside the rules is a crime, from a misdemeanor to a felony in Arizona.

Table 3. Penalties for tattooing a minor outside each state's rule, from the same official pages, read November 5, 2026. We did not read the penalty sections for California, Michigan and New Jersey.

Washington, Arizona and Florida also give a studio a defense, under conditions each statute sets, when it checked the client's ID in good faith; Washington and Florida name a photo ID. In Texas, a minor who falsely claims to be 18 also commits an offense.

How should a studio check the age rule before a session?

A studio should confirm the rule for its state and city, tell clients the age policy before they book, and settle age and parent paperwork before the session day.

1. Find every rule that applies. Read your state's statute and health department rule, then ask your county or city licensing office whether it adds requirements. The agency that licenses your shop is a good first call; our tattoo shop business plan names the licensing agencies and fees in three states.
2. Write the age policy into your booking policy, including what a minor's parent must bring in states that allow minors, such as Florida's notarized form or Michigan's birth certificate.
3. Check age in person before the needle comes out. Where minors are allowed, record the parent's consent the way your state asks; our tattoo consent form template has a guardian line for that.
4. Keep the records your state requires. New Jersey's rule, for example, asks for client records kept for at least three years, with copies of the client's and parent's ID for a minor.
5. Decide your own house rule. A studio may choose to tattoo adults only, even where the law allows minors.

Where Twizzlo fits

Twizzlo is web-based online booking and appointment scheduling software for appointment-based service businesses; a tattoo studio can set up its consult as its own service, with its own length.

Twizzlo's /features/ page does not list an age or ID check or consent forms, so keep those steps in your own process at the counter. A booked consult puts that paperwork visit on the calendar before the tattoo.

Worked example (hypothetical): two artists who each book 60 sessions a month give a studio 120 bookings (2 x 60 = 120). With 25 consults on top, the month holds 145 bookings, which the Free plan covers at $0 because its limit is 150. Free sends no text reminders. Staff are unlimited on both plans.

Book 31 consults instead and the month reaches 151 (120 + 31 = 151), one over the Free limit, which moves the studio to Business Pro at $29.99 a month. One text reminder per booking means 151 texts: 50 are included and the other 101 cost $0.03 each, $3.03 in all, so the month comes to $33.02.

Card payments taken online run at the studio's Stripe rate, and Twizzlo adds a 1.5% platform fee on either plan: $2.25 on a $150 session paid in advance. Paying in advance means the client pays the whole service price when booking. Current plan details are on Twizzlo pricing.

For other tools a studio might weigh, read our booking software comparisons. To try one booking link with a calendar for each artist, start on the Free plan.