Licence for tattooing and piercing

Do you apply tattoos, piercings, or permanent make-up (PMU)  in the Netherlands? You need a licence to do so. You must work according to hygiene and safety regulations. And you need to follow minimum age requirements.

Applying for a tattoo and piercing licence

In order to obtain a licence, you need to submit an application form to the Municipal Health Service (GGD) for your municipality (in Dutch).

You need a licence in, among others, these situations:

• you apply tattoos and/or piercings at home
• you rent a chair in a studio
• you own a studio

The licence is for 1 specific location and valid for 3 years. If you perform these activities in more locations, you need to apply for a separate licence for each location. After your application a Municipal Health Service employee will check whether your location meets the requirements. If you get the licence, you will be listed in a database on the National Institute for Public Health and the Environments’ website (RIVM, in Dutch).

Applying for a licence for permanent make-up (PMU)

Permanent make-up (PMU) and cosmetic tattoos are also tattoos. You may only apply permanent make-up if you:

• have a licence from the Municipal Health Service (GGD) in your region (in Dutch)
• work in accordance with the hygiene guidelines for permanent make-up (PMU, in Dutch)
• comply with the age limits for permanent make-up (PMU, in Dutch)

Tattooing and piercing at events

Do you work at an event where visitors can get tattoos, piercings, or have permanent make-up applied? The event's organiser must apply for dispensation (in Dutch).

When is a licence not required?

You do not need a licence (in Dutch) for:

• medical tattoos
• henna tattoos
• some forms of body modification, for example scarification
• piercing of earlobes (you must keep to the hygiene rules, in Dutch)

Hygiene and safety when tattooing and piercing

You must comply with the hygiene regulations (in Dutch) referred to in the Tattooing and Piercing (Commodities Act) Decree (Warenwetbesluit tatoeëren en piercen). There are guidelines for piercing, piercing of ears and nostrils, and for applying tattoos and permanent make-up (in Dutch).

The rules concern for example:

• the area where you apply the tattoos and/or piercings
• the materials you use for tattooing and/or piercing. You must, for instance, make sure that the colours used to apply tattoos and permanent make-up (in Dutch) must be microbiologically and chemically safe. A list of banned chemicals can be found in Annex XVII of the REACH regulation.
• your personal hygiene

If you work in accordance with the National Centre for Hygiene and Safety LCHV's guidelines (in Dutch), you will automatically comply with the law.

Please note: The technical requirements imposed by the Netherlands on tattoo colours differ from those of other EU Member States. If a tattoo colour is already permitted in another EU Member State, the Dutch government may only prohibit its sale in the Netherlands in exceptional cases.

Providing information and requesting consent

You must inform your customers about the risks associated with tattooing and how to take care of their skin after application. It is also important that your customers sign the consent form for tattooing or for piercing (in Dutch). Regulators can request to inspect your consent forms.

Minimum ages for tattoos or piercings

Minimum ages apply to tattoos and piercings. The rules for tattoos also apply to permanent make-up (PMU)  and cosmetic tattoos. You are responsible for checking your customer's age (in Dutch).

For children under 12 years old:

• You are not allowed to apply a tattoo or piercing on a person under the age of 12. You are allowed to pierce their earlobes.

Piercings for children 12 to 16 years old

• You may only perform a piercing on minors between 12 and 16 years of age, if their parents or carers have given their explicit consent. A parent or carer must be present when you perform the piercing.
• You are not allowed to perform genital piercings.
• You are not allowed to perform nipple piercings on girls.

Tattoos for children 12 to 16 years old:

• You may only apply a tattoo if the child’s parents or carers have given their explicit consent. A parent or carer must be present when you apply the tattoo.
• You are not allowed to apply tattoos on the head, neck, wrists, or hands.

Supervision of tattooing and piercing rules

The Netherlands Food and Consumer product safety Authority (NVWA) and the Municipal Health Service (GGD) check if you keep to the rules on hygiene and the age rules. You have to cooperate with an inspection. If you fail to keep to the rules, you may receive a warning, penalty, or fine. You may even lose your licence.

Tattoo and permanent make-up removal

Do you provide laser removal of tattoos and/or permanent make-up? You must comply with the Care Sector Quality, Complaints, and Disputes Act (Wet kwaliteit, klachten en geschillen zorg, Wkkgz). You must, for instance, have an independent complaints officer and keep records of your clients. If you make a mistake, you must include it in the client’s files.

Online application procedure via Message Box

You can apply for a licence for hygienic tattooing and piercing to the Municipal Health Service (GGD) also via Message Box. Message Box is a secure email system that enables you as an entrepreneur to exchange digital messages with Dutch government agencies.