Body Art includes the practice of tattooing, permanent makeup, and/or body piercing. Body Art in Ohio is regulated under the authority of Chapter 3730.01 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and Chapter 3701-9 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC).

These rules and regulations have been established to protect public health. Body Art procedures present opportunities for the transmission of blood-borne pathogens and bacterial infections. Our role in ensuring the safety of the public is routinely conducting comprehensive inspections of approved (licensed) Body Art establishments, paying particular attention to the body art practices, sanitization and sterilization procedures, record-keeping, and overall maintenance of the establishment.

Permit Information:

In order to open a body art facility in Clermont County, approval must first be obtained from the local zoning office, and facility plans must be submitted to Clermont County Public Health and the Clermont County Building Inspections Department. Please read the ‘Guide to New Body Art Establishments’ and submit the Body Art Plan Review Application.

Time-limited/Temporary Body Art Events in Clermont County:

Time-limited/Temporary Body Art event is a tattoo or body piercing business that operates on a time-limited basis, in conjunction with a specific event. Examples of such events are fairs, biker rallies, conventions, and other gatherings. This requires a permit from Clermont County Public Health.

The requirements are the same as for a permanent body art establishment. Please note that we do require a hand sink with running water at these events. If the proposed site does not have access to a hand sink in close proximity, there are portable sinks that can be rented by companies that provide portable toilets.

Know the Facts!! 

Clermont County Public Health encourages you to know the risks associated with body art and ask the right questions of your body artists.

1. Ask to see a copy of the body art establishment’s license issued by Clermont County Public Health. While the presence of a license offers no guarantees, it does offer assurance that the facility is routinely inspected to ensure the operator maintains the establishment in a clean manner and has the correct equipment, supplies, experience, and training to perform a safe procedure.
2. The establishment should be clean and well lit, with a stocked and operable handwashing sink available. The customer should be able to witness the body artist or piercer wash their hands with soap and put on a new pair of disposable gloves before beginning any body art procedure.
3. Tattoo equipment such as needles, needle bars, marking instruments, tubes, ink, ink caps, disposable gloves, and disposable razors should be used only once and discarded. The customer should be able to witness the body artist remove needles and tubes from intact sterile packaging.
4. Body piercing equipment such as piercing needles, forceps, and marking instruments should be used only once and discarded. The customer should be able to witness the piercer remove piercing equipment from intact sterile packaging.
5. After the procedure is completed, verbal and written aftercare instructions must be provided to you before you leave the establishment. Aftercare instructions must include information about physical restrictions, wound care, signs and symptoms of infection, and when to seek medical treatment if necessary. Be certain to follow the instructions carefully to avoid infection of your new piercing or body art.
6. A parent or legal guardian is required to be present when anyone under the age of 18 receives a tattoo or body piercing in the state of Ohio. A parent, guardian, or custodian must appear in person at the business at the time the procedure is performed. The parent, guardian, or custodian must sign a document provided by the business that explains the manner in which the procedure will be performed, the specific part of the body upon which the procedure will be performed, and the methods of proper care of the affected body part following the procedure. Please be advised that no body art procedure shall be performed on the nipple, areola or genital area of any individual under the age of 18.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing an infected tattoo or piercing, or any other issue that suggests a body art establishment is posing a risk to public health or safety please contact us. This will enable us to inspect and make sure the safety procedures are being followed, to prevent people from getting sick.