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Body Art - Environmental Health

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Published on November 10, 2016. Last modified on October 16, 2024

compliant body art facilities & operators

Click the following links for a list of approved body art facilities and operators: English | Spanish

What is body Art?

Body art services include tattooing, body piercing, branding, and application of permanent cosmetics (including Microblading).

Local Enforcement Agency

The Monterey County Health Department’s Solid Waste Services is the local enforcement agency responsible for implementing California’s Safe Body Art Act in the County of Monterey. California’s Safe Body Art Act, revised in January 1, 2014, provides minimum standards for persons and businesses engaged in performance of tattooing, body piercing, branding and the application of permanent cosmetics in California.

The Body Art program oversees registration requirements and annual inspections for Body Art Facilities and Body Art Operators.

Click here for a PDF of the California’s Safe Body Art Act

Purpose

The purpose of the Body Art Program is intended to protect both the practitioner and the client from transmission of infectious diseases through the safe and sanitary application of proper body art practices and the control of cross-contamination of instruments and supplies.

Who needs a Health Permit?

Any facility where body art services will be performed.
- Facilities that can operate and provide body art services have a current Health Permit from the Health Department posted in their facilities. Each Health Permit has an expiration date which is valid only during fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) the permit was issued. Health permits expire on June 30^th and must be renewed at the start of each fiscal year (July 1) to continue providing body art services.
- Non-permitted facilities must register with the Health Department, be inspected and acquire a Health Permit from the Health Department. (For application forms & requirements, scroll down below to How to apply for a Health Permit).
Any person who provides a body art services.
- Operators that can operate and perform body art services have a current Health Permit from the Health Department, have completed an approved Bloodborne Pathogen Training Course specific to Body Art, and can ONLY operate in a permitted facility. All permitted operators have a body art operator card with a Health Permit Sticker on-site. Health permits expire on June 30^thand must be renewed at the start of each fiscal year (July 1) to continue providing services.
- Non-permitted operators must register with the Health Department and acquire a Health Permit and body art operator card from the Health Department before body art service can be performed. (For application forms & requirements, scroll down below to How to apply for a Health Permit).
Body Art Services held and provided at a Special Event(s).
- Before a special event can provide body art services, the organizer / sponsor is required to acquire a Temporary Body Art Facility Health Permit from the Health Department and schedule a Temporary Body Art Demonstration Booth Inspection. (For application forms & requirements, scroll down below to How to apply for a Health Permit).
- Temporary Body Art Facilities & Demonstration Booth with Health Permit can only provide body art services for no more than seven days in a 90-day period from the date the permit was issued.

Non-Permitted (Not allowed) Body Art Facilities or Services in Monterey County

A residential location (home) or mobile body art truck that provides tattoo, permanent cosmetic, body piercing and/or branding services are not authorized nor permitted to operate in the County of Monterey by the Health Department.
If you observe any non-permitted facilities or operators, please notify the Health Department.

How to apply for a Health Permit?

For facilities

Review the Plan Check List for Body Art Facility.
Ensure facility meets all requirements on Plan Check List & the following requirements:
1. Procedure area shall be separated from other business including nail or hair salon by a ceiling to floor partition (wall).
2. Procedure area and restroom shall be equipped with sink supplied with hot and cold running water and plumped to building, enclosed paper towel dispenser, and a soap dispenser.
3. All surfaces including floors, walls, countertops and chairs shall be nonabsorbent and easy to disinfect or decontaminate.
4. Procedure area shall have a sharps container (within arms reach of procedure chair/bed).
Find a location for your body art business and acquire a business license from city your business will reside in.
Submit an application package to the Environmental Health Department. Application package consist of:
1. Solid Waste Facility Application Form
2. Infection Prevention and Control Plan (refer to Safe Body Art for requirement).
  - Click here for Infection Prevention and Control Plan Template
3. Consent form (refer to Safe Body Art for requirement)
4. Aftercare Instruction (refer to Safe Body Art for requirement)
5. A copy of the business license.
6. List of all body art operators .
7. Schematic drawing of layout of your facility (can be drawn by hand).
8. If you use a autoclave or sterilizer, please review Plan Check List for requirements and submit along with your application.
9. If you are a new body art operator and also registering a new facility, please complete the application requirement for Body Art Operators.
Pay Health Permit.
Schedule an inspection.
Health permit(s) are issue after facility was inspected and meet Body Art requirements

For Operators

Ensure Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Training certificate is current and from the list of Approved BBP Trainings. No expired certificates or non-approved BBP trainings will be accepted.
Submit a Body Art Application package.
1. Body Art Operator Application form
2. BBP Training Certificate
3. Proof of Hepatitis B vaccination or Hepatitis B declination form
4. 2 Passport size photos (required for Body Art Operator Card)
5. Photo ID (You must be 18 years of age)
Pay Health Permit.
Body Art Operator card & Health Permit Stickers for Body Art Operator Card will be issued & dropped off at the facility.

For Special Events

Ensure temporary body art facility demonstration booths meets all requirements for the following requirements:
- Be located within a building that has a hand washing facilities or have enclosed demonstration booths with a roof and side walls (partition).
- Fulfill either of the following:
  - Have hot and cold running water, soap, and single-use paper towels to which practitioners have direct access or
  - Be equipped with hand washing equipment, at a minimum, consist of containerized liquid soap, single-use paper towels, a five-gallon or larger container of portable water accessible via spigot, and a wastewater collection and holding tank of corresponding size. Potable water shall be refilled and the holding tank evacuated frequently to provide uninterrupted use, or as determined by the LEA. The host (Host/sponsor shall provide one hand wash area for every two demonstration booths at the event).
- Constructed with a partition of at least three feet in height separating the procedure area from the public.
- Have floor space of at least 50 square feet for each practitioner.
- Be free of insect or rodent infestation.
- Used exclusively for performing body art.
- Equipped with adequate light available at the level where the practitioner is a performing body art.
- Equipped with Sharps Container for each demonstration booth.
- Have smooth, cleanable flooring.
- No food, drink or tobacco product are permitted in the demonstration booth.
- No animals within the confines of the demonstration booth.
Submit an application package to the Environmental Health Department. Application package consist of the following:
1. Solid Waste Facility Application Form
2. Include
  - A list of all body art operators,
  - Body Art Operator Application form completed by each operator,
  - A copy of the valid bloodborne pathogen training certificate for each body art operator and
  - A copy of the valid Health Permit from operator’s respective jurisdiction. (If a Health Permit is not valid, have operator apply for either a Monterey County Body Art Operator Health Permit or a Temporary Body Are Operator.
3. Schematic drawing of layout of your Temporary Body Art facility including demonstration booth (with dimensions and operators name who will be operating at each respective booth), hand washing station(s), sharps container(s)). (Can be drawn by hand).
Pay Health Permit.
Schedule an inspection.
Health permit(s) are issue after Temporary Body Art facility was inspected and meet Body Art requirements.

How to renew your Health Permit?

Health permit are valid during the fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Health permits expires on June 30^th of each year.
Facilities will be invoiced automatically in the month of May or June prior to the new fiscal year and payment is required to before July 1 to avoid late penalty charges.
- If you do not receive your invoice in your mail, it is your responsibility to contact the Health Department to pay your invoice before July 1 to avoid late penalty charges. It is optional to request for a copy of the invoice. Payment plan are optional if requested at time of payment.
Operators will not be invoiced automatically. Operators, who choose to continue to operate during the new fiscal year period (July 1 – June 30), shall be required to complete and submit a Body Art Operator Application form and a current BBP training certificate before July 1.
Health Permit(s) for Special Events are not renewable. A new application must be submitted to the Health Department for each event. Please see section, How to Apply for a Health Permit (listed above) to apply.