Tattoos and Piercings Under Eighteen
Utah Code 76-9-2002 — a minor's tattoo or piercing needs a parent's or guardian's consent
Tattooing or body piercing a minor for pay or in the course of a business, without the consent of the minor's parent or legal guardian, is a class B misdemeanor, and the business owner faces a civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation.
Who handles this in Utah: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Utah directory.
An artist with no actual knowledge of the age, who reviewed, photocopied and kept an apparently valid government photo ID saying the customer is 18 or older, is not guilty. Scarification of a minor is covered by a separate section.
Sources for this section (2)
- Utah Code 76-9-2002 — Unlawful tattooing of a minor
- Utah Code 76-9-2003 — Unlawful body piercing of a minor
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Utah attorney.