Do I need a license to be a tattoo artist in Kentucky?
Yes. In Kentucky a person may not advertise tattooing or use the title tattooist unless registered with the local health department. The registration fee is $100.
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- License required
- Yes. The regulation bars advertising tattooing or using the title of tattooist unless registered with the local health department, and bars tattooing without proof of bloodborne pathogen training.
- Issued by
- The local health department of the district or county where the artist tattoos (902 KAR 45:065)
- Bloodborne pathogen training
- Proof of completion of bloodborne pathogen training
- Fee
- $100 registration fee
- Application
- Official application or application information
- Note
- The application form (DFS-303) is named in the regulation; the Cabinet site refused automatic access, so the link was not opened.
- Source
- Kentucky Administrative Regulations, 902 KAR 45:065, 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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