Tattoo law in England
In England it is an offence to tattoo a person under 18, except for medical reasons. Where section 15 of the 1982 Act is in force, a tattooist and the premises must be registered with the local authority.
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- Minimum age
- Under 18 (offence to tattoo, medical exception)
- Studio or artist registration or licence
- Registration with the local authority, in areas where section 15 is in force
- Authority
- The local authority for the area
- Law
- Tattooing of Minors Act 1969; Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, section 15
- Source
- legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives), read 5 November 2026.
What this page does not cover
It states what the cited text says on the date it was read, translated from the original language. It does not cover other rules that may apply, such as local or regional rules, a studio's own policy or a change in the law since that date. Fields the source does not give are left out. The original text prevails over this summary.
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