How to Open a Tattoo, Piercing or Microblading Studio in Georgia: Artist Certification and Studio Permit

If you want to open a tattoo shop in Georgia, a piercing studio or a microblading practice, start with the rule that governs all three. The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) regulates body art under Rule chapter 511-3-8, 'Body Art,' which took effect in 2023 and includes a phase-in period for existing artists and studios. Two credentials are required, and both are separate from a business license: a Body Artist Certification for each artist, and a Body Art Studio permit for the studio.

Microblading is regulated as body art, not by the cosmetology board, so a cosmetology license does not cover it. If you also plan other cosmetology services, read our Georgia cosmetology license guide separately.

This guide is ordered by importance: the people credentials come first, then the studio, then the business registrations. It is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Talk with a licensed Georgia attorney and a CPA before you sign a lease, form an entity or hire staff.

What you need before you start

Gather these items before you apply. Missing documents cause more delays than any other single problem.

• A government-issued photo ID and a photocopy of it
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful residence
• Your full name, date of birth and current and prior addresses
• A certificate from an OSHA-compliant bloodborne pathogens and universal precautions course
• A certificate from a basic first aid and CPR course approved by the Department
• Hepatitis B records: vaccination documentation, evidence of immunity, a medical contraindication statement, or a signed declination as OSHA allows
• For the studio: a detailed, to-scale floor plan on at least letter-size paper, equipment specification sheets and a full ownership disclosure
• Written studio policies and procedures (covered in Step 8)

Part 1: Artist certification

No one may practice body art in Georgia without a certification from DPH (Rule 511-3-8-.07). Certifications are issued for one or more areas: tattooing, piercing and microblading. An artist may perform only the kind of body art shown on the certification, and the certification must be posted where clients can see it.

Step 1: Choose your service areas

Decide whether you will tattoo, pierce, microblade or some combination. Each area appears on the certification, so an artist certified only for piercing cannot tattoo. Make sure every service you plan to offer is covered before you open.

Step 2: Complete the two required courses

Complete the OSHA-compliant bloodborne pathogens and universal precautions course, plus the basic first aid and CPR course approved by DPH. No certification is issued without both. Keep the original certificates and a copy of each. Confirm the first aid and CPR course is on the Department's approved list before you pay for it.

Step 3: Assemble your hepatitis B documentation

Your file must include one of four items: vaccination records, evidence of immunity, a medical contraindication statement, or a signed declination where OSHA permits one. Start this early, because you may need to schedule a clinic visit or a lab test.

Step 4: Submit the artist application

You must be at least 18. Pay the exam fee set by your local Health Authority (your county health department), which may not exceed $50. Pay DPH's certification fee as well. DPH says it will adopt a certification fee schedule, so do not rely on a figure from an older website or forum post. Call your county health department for the current certification fee before you send payment. Include your name, date of birth, addresses, ID copy, citizenship or residence proof and the course and immunization documents.

Step 5: Pass the Department-approved exam

The exam tests the body art rules. Read Rule chapter 511-3-8 in full rather than relying on summaries, and ask your county health department how exam scheduling works in your area.

Step 6: Calendar your renewal

The artist certification is valid for one year. Renewal requires a renewal application, the required fees, proof of current immunizations and education, and no unresolved disciplinary actions. Put the expiration date on your calendar the day you are certified.

Part 2: The studio permit

No one may operate a body art studio in Georgia without a permit from the Health Authority (Rule 511-3-8-.05). The permit lists the specialties the studio may offer: tattooing, piercing and microblading. A permit goes to one permit holder at one location and cannot be transferred.

Step 7: Confirm zoning before you sign a lease

Zoning is local. Before you sign a lease or pay a deposit, confirm with the city or county that a body art studio is allowed at the specific address. Ask the planning or zoning office in writing if you can. A zoning problem discovered after you have paid for a floor plan and build-out is expensive to fix.

Step 8: Write your studio policies and procedures

Before the permit is granted, the studio must have written policies covering each of these areas:

• Sterilization, including emergency sterilization
• Artist and employee health
• Drug and alcohol use
• Sanitizing
• Waste disposal
• Record keeping
• Client screening
• Aftercare
• An exposure control plan
• An emergency plan that includes first aid and a water interruption plan

Step 9: Prepare and submit the permit application

Submit the application at least 14 days before construction or major structural changes begin. Do not start the build-out first. The package must include:

• The names and duties of every artist and employee, with their IDs and DPH certifications
• A detailed floor plan drawn to scale on at least letter-size paper, showing windows, doors, chairs, tables, sinks, restrooms, waiting area and equipment
• Equipment specification sheets
• Full ownership disclosure
• Proof of compliance with zoning and building, fire, plumbing, mechanical and electrical codes

A permit is not issued if anyone with an ownership interest is under 18, has had a body art permit or certification revoked, or is the subject of disciplinary proceedings. Check every owner against those three conditions before you file.

Step 10: Pass plan review and inspection

The Health Authority issues the permit after it receives a complete application, the fees, plan review approval and an inspection of the proposed studio. Permit and inspection fees are set locally by the county board of health, so there is no single statewide amount. For example, one county's published form lists a $50 exam fee, a $200 initial studio permit and a $200 annual inspection. Treat those numbers as one county's schedule only. Ask your own county health department for its current fees and review timeline.

The studio may not tattoo anyone under 18. Confirm the age rules for piercing and any other services with your county health department.

Step 11: Post the permit and track the events that end it

Display the studio permit near the front entrance, within 15 feet of the public door. The permit expires when the studio closes, moves or changes ownership. A transfer of 50 percent or more to a new person or entity counts as a change of ownership, so a new partner can end the permit even if the studio stays open. Ask the Health Authority what it requires for a new permit before any ownership change closes.

Part 3: Business registration and other licenses

The certifications and permit sit on top of your standard business setup. Georgia issues no general statewide business license. The Secretary of State issues none, and Department of Revenue sales tax registration is not a business license. Your business registers its entity, registers with the Department of Revenue if it sells taxable goods or has employees, and then adds the licenses and permits for its activity.

Step 12: Form your entity with the Secretary of State

Most studio owners choose an LLC or a corporation. Filing Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (corporation) costs $110 total, which is the $100 fee plus a $10 service charge, whether you file online or on paper. Online filings through Georgia Secretary of State eCorp take about 7 to 10 business days, and paper filings take about 15 business days. Expedited review costs $120 for 2 business days, $275 for same-day review if received by noon, or $1,200 for one-hour review on business days. A name can be reserved for 30 days for $35. Read our guide to starting an LLC in Georgia before you choose a structure. Corporations and LLCs taxed as corporations also owe the Department of Revenue net worth tax, which runs from $0 to $5,000 depending on net worth.

Step 13: File your annual registration

The annual registration fee is $60 ($50 plus a $10 service charge), filed between January 1 and April 1 each year. An LLC files its first annual registration in the year after it forms. A new corporation files within 90 days of incorporating. Check the Secretary of State Corporations Division for the current window and the late penalty, which is $25.

Step 14: Get an EIN

Apply for a federal Employer Identification Number before you open a bank account, hire staff or register with the Department of Revenue. Our guide to getting an EIN in Georgia walks through the process.

Step 15: Obtain your local occupation tax certificate

The local license is an occupation tax certificate, often called a business license. It is issued by the city if your studio is inside city limits, or by the county if it is in unincorporated territory under O.C.G.A. Title 48, chapter 13. Georgia has 159 counties and about 537 cities and towns, and each sets its own formula, deadlines and prerequisites. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so the county is their issuer. A studio inside a city pays the city, not the county. Employers with more than 10 employees must file an E-Verify affidavit to receive the certificate (O.C.G.A. 36-60-6). See our guides on Georgia business licenses and E-Verify requirements for business licenses.

Step 16: Register with the Department of Revenue if you sell goods

If you sell retail products such as jewelry or aftercare products, register for sales tax through the Georgia Tax Center. Registration is free. The state rate is 4%, and combined state and local rates run from 6% to 9% by county and city, with Atlanta at 8.9%. Georgia issues no separate resale permit. The resale instrument is Form ST-5, the certificate of exemption. Ask the Department of Revenue whether your tattoo, piercing or microblading services are taxable, because this guide does not decide that question. See our guide to sales tax for new businesses and online sellers.

Step 17: Plan for workers' compensation and employee rules

Workers' compensation coverage is required once you have three or more workers, including part-time workers. Georgia has no state paid sick leave or family leave mandate, but federal rules and local ordinances may still apply. See our guide to Georgia workers' compensation requirements.

Step 18: Understand your income tax

Georgia taxes individual and corporate income at a single flat rate, and the corporate rate matches the individual rate. Check the current rate before you project profit. Our Georgia business taxes guide covers the details.

Tips for getting it right the first time

• Call your county health department early. Ask for the current application packet, fee schedule, plan review steps and inspection process in writing.
• Draw the floor plan to scale before you hire a designer, and label every fixture and piece of equipment.
• Keep one binder with every certificate, permit, receipt and application copy. Inspectors ask for records.
• Post every artist's certification in the studio the day it is issued.
• Keep your permit visible within 15 feet of the public door, and check that it stays there after any furniture or signage changes.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating microblading as cosmetology. It falls under body art and DPH's certification.
• Signing a lease before confirming zoning. Zoning is local and can rule out the address.
• Starting construction too early. The permit application is due at least 14 days before construction or major structural changes begin.
• Using an outdated fee. Certification and permit fees are set by DPH and the county health department, so confirm them directly.
• Assuming a state business license exists. Georgia issues none, so your city or county certificate and your permits do the work.
• Adding an owner without checking the rules. Anyone with an ownership interest must be 18 or older and must have no revoked permit or certification or pending disciplinary action.
• Letting a certification lapse. Certifications last one year, and renewal requires current immunization and education records.

Expected results and marketing claims

Body art carries real risks of infection and skin reaction. The state rules are designed to reduce those risks, but they do not guarantee any outcome. Tattoo inks and microblading pigments are regulated by the FDA as cosmetics, so describe what your services are designed to do and avoid claims that a product treats, cures or prevents a medical condition. Hedged wording such as 'designed to,' 'may help' or 'many clients report' is safer than promises. Do not promise that results will last a set number of years, and keep aftercare instructions in writing for every client.

The licensing timeline depends on your county and city, so build the review and inspection steps into your lease and opening plans before you commit to a date.

Next steps

Start with the artist certification courses and the zoning question, since those two items control your schedule. Then form your entity, get your EIN and prepare the permit application package. For fees and processing times you cannot find in this guide, confirm them with the agency directly: DPH through your county health department, the Secretary of State at sos.ga.gov/corporations-division, and the Department of Revenue at dor.georgia.gov.

Disclaimer: This article is informational content, not legal, tax or licensing advice. Rules, fees and deadlines change, and local requirements vary by county and city. Consult a qualified Georgia attorney and a CPA for your specific situation before you make financial or legal commitments.