Tattoos and Tanning Under Eighteen
Penal Law § 260.21 — no tattoo under 18, and no tanning device under 18
Marking the body of a child less than eighteen years old with indelible ink or pigments by tattooing is unlawfully dealing with a child in the second degree, a class B misdemeanor. The section has no parental consent exception.
Who handles this in New York: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the New York directory.
No tanning facility may let a person under eighteen years of age use an ultraviolet radiation device, and an adult has to show photo ID and sign the state's warning statement first.
Body piercing and the licensing of tattoo studios are under other law not covered here, and questions about a particular shop go to the local health department.
Sources for this section (2)
- Penal Law § 260.21 — Unlawfully dealing with a child in the second degree
- Pub. Health Law § 3555 — Restrictions on the use of ultraviolet radiation devices
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New York attorney.