Tattoo & Body Art Program

In the state of New Jersey body art establishments must be licensed or permitted to operate within the local health department’s jurisdiction. Here in Cumberland County we have very few body art establishments but we do have a very thorough program that ensures that the facilities operating within our jurisdiction are meeting the State’s standards.

The term body art includes piercings, tattooing, and permanent cosmetics. Body art establishments must be licensed or permitted to operate with approved practitioners. Our inspectors perform annual site visits of establishments within our jurisdiction to ensure that there is ongoing compliance. We also respond out to a number of complaints of unlicensed body art facilities and complaints regarding inadequate sanitary practices.

In the event that infection occurs that is related to a body art procedure, we contact the General Sanitation Project of the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) that assists local health authorities with investigations of reported infections.

The New Jersey Body Art regulations are available under N.J.A.C. 8:27-1, et seq.

New Jersey Department of Health Body Art Guidelines