Body art businesses provide services such as:

• Tattooing
• Cosmetic tattooing
• Microblading
• Piercings 
• Body modification

In this section

• What to know
• Applications
• Temporary events

Before you begin

Look at our information about: 

• How to open a new business
• Sewer Availability Charge (SAC)

Disclaimer

Information on this page should be considered guidelines. If you have questions, feel free to contact us.

Requirements

Body art businesses are:

• Required to be licensed
• Responsible for making sure their business follows State and City regulations
• Inspected yearly

Individual technicians:

• Are licensed through the State of Minnesota
• Must show proof of state license
• Must follow Minneapolis regulations

Read the Minneapolis Body Art Code

You must submit plans for any new or remodeled body art business.

See body art plan review application and guide

Apply for your business license

See Body art license application

Fee

Find your license fee

Temporary events

Temporary body art events are sponsored by:

• A body art business or professional organization. They can hold a maximum of: 
  • 10 body art events per year
  • 21 days of events, regardless of the number of events held
• An individual who does not hold a current Minneapolis Body Art Establishment license can hold a maximum of: 
  • 4 body art events per year
  • 10 days of events, regardless of the number of events held

Guest artists

If a body art business hosts a guest artist in their business:

• The business does not need a temporary event license
• The guest artist must be licensed

Artists and sponsors

Body art artists

All participating body art artists must:

• Be licensed or permitted by the State of Minnesota prior to the event
  See State of Minnesota
• Show proof of license or permit to Minneapolis Health Department staff 

Submit the application with all required documents (listed on the application) and fee to Minneapolis Development Services.

Sponsor

Every event must have an event sponsor who:

• Submits a Body art temporary event license application
  See Body art temporary event license application
• Makes sure the event follows state and local rules and regulations
• Makes sure artists have proper licenses and follow regulations and event guidelines