As a tattoo artist, you have an obligation to protect yourself and your customers, especially if you are self-employed or own your own shop. You may be risking your health and could end up with a blood-borne infection. Registered tattoo artists are regularly inspected to ensure they maintain good hygiene standards. The decision to get a tattoo should never be taken lightly, especially when you have life ahead of you. But how old do you have to be to get a tattoo in the UK? Perhaps regretting your decision is far from the only trap of drunken tattoos. MORE: Why is the EU banning coloured ink for tattoos and the UK doing the same? Contact your GP immediately if you are looking for a tattoo: You must be at least 18 years old before you can get a tattoo. It is illegal to tattoo someone under the age of 18, even with parental consent. The age restriction is set out in the Minors Tattoo Act 1969, which clearly states that it is illegal to tattoo a person under the age of 18. The UK prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from having a tattoo and any artist who does so will be prosecuted and fined, so it is imperative that you always ask for proof of age and include a copy in a consent form. MORE: How to Choose a Tattoo You Won`t Regret However, in the Republic of Ireland, there is technically no legal age for a tattoo.
The idea was to force a period of „reflection” so that the client had to wait several days before getting a tattoo. Most registered tattoo artists work as apprentices at an established tattoo studio to gain experience before starting their own business. An inexperienced tattoo artist could pierce the skin too deeply with the needle and cause severe pain and bleeding. No, there are no laws that prevent drunk people from getting tattoos. The law goes on to say, „However, it is a defence for an accused to prove that at the time of the tattoo he or she had reasonable grounds to believe that the person being tattooed was eighteen years of age or older and actually believed it.” Interestingly, the legal age for a tattoo differs in other parts of Europe. For example, in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic or Hungary, there is no age restriction, and in Spain, customers aged 14 and over can be colorful. The France is 16, while Austria, Denmark and Germany are among the few to join the UK, with a minimum age of 18. A tattoo artist will be prosecuted and fined if it turns out that he has given a tattoo to a person under the age of 18. As many who have them will tell you, tattoos can be incredibly meaningful. The tattoo artist may also be exempt from prosecution if he can prove that he had reason to believe that the person was over 18 years of age at the time. Unregistered tattoo artists often use cheap equipment, so the quality of the tattoo is unlikely to be of a high standard. Making sure you comply with UK tattoo laws is one of the first things an artist should consider before applying ink to someone`s body.
And no matter how qualified you are, everyone has to follow the same rules. We (as a local authority) regularly inspect registered tattoo artists to ensure that hygiene standards are met and that the equipment is properly sterilized. This could come from tattoo dyes that can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash around the tattoo. In 2015, the Welsh government debated the introduction of a law that would criminalise tattooing a drunk person. While drunk people are easily distracted and can get agitated, it is difficult for the artist to draw a high-quality tattoo. It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to get a tattoo. You can use our online form to report a tattoo or skin piercing problem. This can be an unregistered tattoo artist, someone who works in an unregistered place (such as their home) if you have been tattooed and are under 18, or if your tattoo has been infected. MORE: Are hand and finger tattoos a bad idea? What you need to know before you get one However, this law wasn`t introduced — and it wouldn`t have done much to stop the growing problem of poorly designed drunken tattoos bought at bachelor and hen parties.
