Body Art Permitting and Inspections
Body Art Facility Health PermittingThe purpose of this program is to protect human health and safety through a program of inspection, complaint investigation, public education and assistance to industry. The program requires the establishment and maintenance of sterile conditions and safe disposal of instruments for the persons engaged in the business of tattooing, body piercing, and the application of permanent cosmetics.
Body Art Facility: The specified building, section of a building, or vehicle in which a practitioner performs or demonstrates for the purpose of instruction, body art, including reception areas, the procedure area, and the decontamination and sterilization area.
Permanent and Mobile Body Art facilities are required to be approved by Environmental Health Services prior to beginning construction or use.
InkSafeSLO provides locations of permitted body art facilities and links to health inspection results.
Body Art Event Sponsor Health Permitting
This service is to assist Body Art Event Sponsors in obtaining a Health Permit to conduct a Body Art Community Event within San Luis Obispo County.
Body Art Facility Construction Permitting
This service allows you to apply for a permit to construct or modify a Body Art Facility within San Luis Obispo County. Body Art facility operations include application of tattoos, body piercing, and permanent cosmetics performed by registered body art practitioners.
Body Art Facility Health Permitting
This service allows you to apply for or renew a permit to operate a Body Art Facility within San Luis Obispo County. Body Art Facility operations include application of tattoos, body piercing, and permanent cosmetics performed by registered body art practitioners.
Body Art Facility Inspection
This service allows you to request an inspection of your Body Art Facility operated within San Luis Obispo County.
Please visit InkSafeSLO for the mapped locations of actively permitted body art facilities along with inspection reports.
Body Art Inspection Results
Interactive map:
InkSafeSLO is an interactive map that provides the locations of permitted body art facilities with links to health inspection results.
Search the inspection database directly without the InkSafeSLO interactive map:
MyHealthDepartment to view inspection results directly from our new database for inspections performed on or after May 5th, 2025. Please note that if a facility has not been inspected since May 5th, 2025, the link will not return a result. If this is the case, please refer to the 2 Year Inspections Report for Body Art to view inspection results for inspections performed on or before May 2nd, 2025.
Body Art Practitioner Registration
This service provides instruction to individuals wishing to become a Registered Body Art Practitioner.
This service also allows for Registered Body Art Practitioners to submit their registration documents required annually in order to maintain current Body Art Practitioner registration each year.
Mobile Body Art Facility Construction Permitting
This service allows you to apply for a permit to construct or modify a Mobile Body Art Facility to be operated within San Luis Obispo County.
Mobile Body Art Facility Health Permitting
This service allows you to apply for or renew a permit to operate a Mobile Body Art Facility to be operated within San Luis Obispo County.
Mobile Body Art Facility Inspection
This service allows you to request an inspection of your Mobile Body Art Facility to be operated within San Luis Obispo County.
Temporary Body Art Event Practitioner Registration
This service allows you to apply for or renew a permit to operate a Temporary Body Art Facility within San Luis Obispo County.
