a collage of person with a glove prepares a piercing tool, a person with their ears pierced, and a woman with tattoos and piercings

Tattoos & Piercing (Body Art)

Person getting an arm tattoo

Lorain County Public Health inspects and licenses places that provide tattoos, piercing, and other types of body art. These inspections help protect the public from injury, keep diseases from spreading, and make sure the place is a safe and healthy environment.

Planning to get a tattoo or piercing?

Visit a licensed and inspected place. That way, there’s less risk to get or spread disease. Check out this list of licensed body art places in Lorain County:

Licensed Lorain County Body Art Facilities

Are you a body artist?

Creating body art like tattoos and piercings is a unique talent. One danger these artists may experience is coming into contact with clients’ blood. When you touch someone’s blood, you might get sick from germs spread through blood.

Follow these steps to protect yourself:

Get Vaccinated 
Protect Against Needlesticks 
Follow Rules And Best Practices 

How to get approval to operate (licensed):

  1. Read about the Process for Obtaining Approval for a Body Art Establishment
  2. Read the Plan Submittal Guidance Document
  3. Know how much it costs to get licensed
  4. Fill out the Plan Review Application
  5. Contact Lorain County Public Health at 440-322-6367.
  6. Once plans are approved, fill out the Approval to Operate Application
    For a temporary Tattoo Event use this application: Temporary Body Art Application

Resources for Body Art establishments:

Body Art is regulated under Chapter 3730 of the Ohio Revised Code and Chapter 3701-9 of the Ohio Administrative Code.