Body Art
Establishment Information
Currently licensed establishments
Data in the sheet linked below lists all body art establishments under the regulation of the Minnesota Department of Health.
Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 146B.2, subdivision 9, an establishment may be exempt from the state licensure requirement if it is located within a county or municipal jurisdiction with an enacted ordinance which meets or exceeds Chapter 146B requirements.
Establishments located in Anoka, Hennepin, and Steele counties and the cities of Minneapolis, Maplewood, Brooklyn Park, Bloomington, Richfield, and Edina are not regulated by the Minnesota Department of Health. Please contact the county or city offices for establishments in these areas for more information.
New establishments
If you want to open a body art establishment in the State of Minnesota, you will need to complete the Body Art Establishment Application online at the MDH e-Licensing System.
In order to use the system, you will need to create an account. Please make sure the account is created with your establishment’s permanent email address, as this is how MDH will communicate information about your registration. You can find instructions for creating an account on the MDH Licensing System Help page of our website.
Make sure you are in an MDH-regulated area. MDH does not regulate facilities in the following locations: Anoka, Hennepin, and Steele counties and the cities of Minneapolis, Maplewood, Brooklyn Park, Bloomington, Richfield, and Edina. The fee for a body art establishment license is $1,500 (effective July 1, 2017).
If you would like to apply for a body art establishment license, you must:
- Complete the body art establishment application through e-Licensing system.
- Complete payment through the e-Licensing system.
- Submit these attachments with the application.
- The acknowledgement form signed by all local jurisdiction (city, town, and/or county)
- Floor Plan
- Business Licenses, proof of sales and tax certificate
- Documentation from Secretary of State
- Rental lease agreement (if applicable)
- Copy of disciplinary actions (if needed)
Length of Licensure: Establishment licenses are valid for up to two years (effective July 1, 2017).
Provisional Status: All initial establishment MDH licenses are issued as provisional. That status will remain in effect until your establishment has been inspected and approved by MDH staff. To help you prepare for your inspection, please refer to the Body Art Establishment Inspection Checklist (PDF). (NOTE: This form is subject to change.) During the inspection process, the inspector will note any deficiencies in your establishment, and you will be given a specified period of time in which to correct the deficiency. Failure to correct a deficiency may result in the shutdown of your establishment.
Relevant Statutes: Minnesota Body Art Licensing Statutes
Change establishment type or name
If you need to change the establishment name or establishment type, please complete the Body Art Establishment Change of Information Form.
The fee for a change in establishment name/or type of establishment (i.e. piercer establishment to tattoo establishment, or tattoo establishment to piercer establishment) is $50.00 per Minnesota Statutes, section 146B.10, subdivision 1(j).
Renewals
For current body art establishment license holders, MDH is transferring their information to the new Minnesota Department of Health Licensing System where their license will reside. Body art establishment owners or operators will receive an email from MDH@public.govdelivery.com with instructions for creating their login.
We encourage you to set up your login as soon as possible so that you will receive a reminder when your body art establishment license is due for renewal. If you haven’t logged in and used your unique claim code prior to your license expiration, you will not receive the reminder messages. The renewal notices will be sent in July 2025 if your body art establishment expires September 2025 or July 2026 if your body art establishment expires September 2026.
Renewal notices will be emailed to the license holder 60 days prior to the expiration. Renewal applications submitted after the expiration date are considered late and a late fee of $300 will be applied.
Please note pursuant to Minnesota Statute, chapter 146B.10, subd. 2a(c) “The technical violation fee for operating a body art establishment after the license has expired and before it is renewed is $300 for any part of the first month, plus $300 for any part of the subsequent month up to six months. Continued practice or operation after six months becomes a disciplinary violation.”
Establishment documents
Editable versions
Intended for establishment owners to adapt and use as their own:
- Tattoo and Piercing Informed Consent and Health Disclosure Form (Word)
- Permanent Cosmetic Informed Consent and Health Disclosure Form (Word)
Non-editable versions
Accessible version for use by screen reader users:
- Tattoo and Piercing Informed Consent and Health Disclosure Form (PDF)
- Permanent Cosmetic Informed Consent and Health Disclosure Form (PDF)
License closure
Providers who are closing their license should fill out the form below and submit it to MDH.