Do I need a license to be a tattoo artist in Hawaii?
Yes. Hawaii bars practicing tattoo without a valid tattoo license from the Department of Health. The license fee is $75 and a bloodborne pathogen course is part of the process.
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- License required
- Yes. The Department of Health rule says no person shall practice the art of tattoo unless the person holds a valid tattoo license.
- Issued by
- Hawaii Department of Health, Food Safety Branch
- Bloodborne pathogen training
- A bloodborne pathogen course developed for the tattoo industry; the exam fee is paid to the testing service
- Fee
- $75 tattoo license fee paid to the Department of Health
- Application
- Official application or application information
- Note
- The posted rule text (HAR 11-17) is a copy filed in 2013; the instructions PDF is dated January 2023.
- Source
- Hawaii Department of Health, read November 5, 2026.
What this page does not cover
It states what the cited text says on the date it was read. It does not cover other rules that may apply, such as local ordinances, a county or city permit, a studio's own policy or a change in the rule since that date. The official text prevails over this summary.
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