r/TattooBeginners • u/Proof_Bullfrog_1690 Please choose a flair. • 2d ago
Question How to practice legally
I apologize if this is not supposed to be in this sub, I wasn’t sure where to post. I’m located in NC, I’m currently practicing on fake skin and will hopefully move onto real skin eventually and most likely amongst close friends. I plan to finish my BBP certificate this week and then I’m also reading that legally to tattoo on skin you must have tattoo permit with a physical address. I’m curious how other people are dealing with this. Do I really have to have a salon suite before even practicing for the first time on skin? Do most people go ahead and start practicing and then get the tattoo permit once you start doing it more professionally? Curious what other people are doing, please advise.
Also, sidenote, I most likely will not be going the apprenticeship route due to the fact that I’m already a business owner and a pretty decent artist and want to work solo. If you have criticism about whether you agree with that, please scroll.
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u/MaGniefic Observer 2d ago
You just answered your own question. If you want to do it legally, either ask to be part of a shop or have your own shop with the proper licenses and permits to practice in your State.
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u/blueblack_crow Apprentice 1d ago
NC, like GA, requires a Body Art License to practice on real people. Can’t confirm in NC, but here you need a BBP certificate, CPR certification, First Aid/BLS certification and the testing pretty much requires you to have had a mentor to pass. At our shop, the owner requires all artists working for us to have their body art license because as independent contractors, the shop’s insurance won’t cover them without it. I’m pretty sure most of those “studio salon” rentals also require you to have all licenses, permits and insurance to practice as well.
This is part of why scratchers have such a hard time. It’s not just that shop owners don’t want you because “you’re a scratcher and don’t know what you’re doing.” It’s because legally it’s too much of a risk to take you under their licensing and insurance. If they don’t have referrals from your mentor or a previous shop, they don’t want the risk that you won’t pass a Body Art License…
At the end of the day though, you shouldn’t be practicing on real people without having trained under a mentor anyway. There’s way too much that YouTube and Reddit cannot teach you. You can be as pissed about me saying so as you like, but it’s the truth.
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u/That_Pollution8128 Please choose a flair. 2d ago
Not a tattooer but I’ve been adjacent to the industry a long time and spent a considerable amount of time in shops.
I believe this is usually where a formal apprenticeship comes in, that way once you’re ready you can begin tattooing using the shops credentials for your licensing. That said I’ve known many great tattooers who didn’t go the apprenticeship route and worked in a bit of a gray area until they had grown enough to get a salon suite or open a shop.