Tattoos Under Eighteen
Wis. Stat. 948.70 — no tattoo for a child, except by a physician
Anyone who tattoos or offers to tattoo a child is subject to a Class D forfeiture. The only exception is a physician tattooing a child in the course of professional practice. A tattoo here is pigment put under the skin with a needle or otherwise to make an indelible mark.
Who handles this in Wisconsin: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Wisconsin directory.
Piercing, tanning and the licensing of tattoo establishments are under other law not covered here. Questions about a particular shop go to the local health department.
Sources for this section (1)
- Wis. Stat. 948.70 — Tattooing of children
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Wisconsin attorney.