Iowa § 10A.531 - 10A.531 Tattooing — permit requirement — penalty.

§ 10A.531. 10A.531 Tattooing — permit requirement — penalty.

1. A person shall not own, control and lease, act as an agent for, conduct, manage, or operate an establishment to practice the art of tattooing or engage in the practice of tattooing without first applying for and receiving a permit from the department. 2. The department shall not require an applicant for a permit to perform tattooing to show proof of a high school diploma, high school equivalency diploma, or degree from an accredited college as a condition of issuing a permit to perform tattooing. 3. A minor shall not obtain a tattoo and a person shall not provide a tattoo to a minor. For the purposes of this section, “minor” means an unmarried person who is under the age of eighteen years. 4. A person who fails to meet the requirements of subsection 1 or a person providing a tattoo to a minor is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. 5. The department shall: a. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A and establish and collect all fees necessary to administer this section. The provisions of chapter 17A, including licensing provisions, judicial review, and appeal, shall apply to this section. b. Establish minimum safety and sanitation criteria for the operation of tattooing establishments. 6. If the department determines that a provision of this section has been or is being violated, the department may order that a tattooing establishment not be operated until the necessary corrective action has been taken. If the establishment continues to be operated in violation of the order of the department, the department may request that the county attorney or the attorney general make an application in the name of the state to the district court of the county in which the violations have occurred for an order to enjoin the violations. This remedy is in addition to any other legal remedy available to the department. 7. As necessary to avoid duplication and promote coordination of public health inspection and enforcement activities, the department may enter into agreements with local boards of health to provide for inspection of tattooing establishments and enforcement activities in accordance with the rules and criteria implemented under this section. 89 Acts, ch 154, §1 CS89, §135.37 2008 Acts, ch 1058, §4; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §33; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §1583, 1711; 2023 Acts, ch 102, §1 C2024, §10A.531 Referred to in §157.3A Wed Dec 10 21:54:19 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Section 10A.531 (31, 0)