At what age can you get a tattoo, piercings in IL? When the law requires parental consent
Can children younger than 18 years old get tattoos or piercings in Illinois, with or without parental permission?
In the U.S., regulations on providing tattooing or piercing services to minors vary depending on the state. Stories of children getting tattoos have been the subject of controversy recently, such as a 9-year-old child who got a tattoo of an American flag in Arizona.
Some states require parental consent to tattoo those younger than 18, while others ban the practice altogether.
In neighboring Missouri, someone cannot tattoo or pierce a minor without prior written informed consent from a child’s parent or legal guardian. Missouri law defines body piercing as “the perforation of human tissue other than an ear for a nonmedical purpose.”
Not all tattoo parlors in Missouri will tattoo minors, and many that do have specific requirements, minimum ages and limitations
Here’s what to know about Illinois state law on tattooing or piercing a minor.
Tattooing minors in Illinois
Minors cannot get legally tattooed in Illinois, regardless of parental consent, unless the tattoo is done by someone who is “licensed to practice medicine in all its branches,” the relevant state law says.
The law says a violation involves someone “knowingly or recklessly” tattooing or offering to tattoo someone who is younger than 18 years old.
Reasons to get a medical tattoo vary, but could include tattooing an alert bracelet for someone with a serious health condition, tattoos to indicate where radiation needs to be administered for patients with cancer and more.
Additionally, Illinois state law also prohibits minors from being inside tattoo parlors unless they are accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.
Exceptions to the law include a minor tattooing or offering to tattoo another minor somewhere other than a tattooing business, as well as tattoo removal for minors who are the victim of crimes such as human trafficking or who are or have been members of street gangs. An establishment needs certain credentials to lawfully remove tattoos from minors.
Piercings for minors in Illinois
Illinois state law requires written consent from a parent or legal guardian to pierce a minor. Someone violates this provision by “knowingly or recklessly” piercing the body of a minor without such permission.
Oral cavity piercings for minors require a written consent form detailing infection risks and health hazards.
Similarly to Illinois’ state law about tattoos and children, minors are not allowed to enter a premises where piercings are being done unless they are accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.
The statute has exceptions for injections, incisions, acupuncture and similar medical and dental procedures performed by a licensed medical professional or other authorized person. Other exceptions include emancipated minors and minors who do piercings on other minors outside of a business setting.
Violating either of these Illinois statutes is a Class A misdemeanor, Illinois State Police Sergeant Melissa Albert-Lopez wrote in a Jan. 27 email to the News-Democrat. The minimum fine is $75, and the maximum is $2,500 per offense. In some cases, a tattoo artist may lose their license, as well.
“The enforcement is really against the person who is doing the tattooing, and not the minor,” Teri Ross, executive director of Illinois Legal Aid Online, said in a Feb. 28 interview with the News-Democrat.
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