LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeHealth and Safety CodeDiv. 104Pt. 15Ch. 7Art. 3§ 119309 Body Art Sanitation Rules

§ 119309 Body Art Sanitation Rules

Health and Safety Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 119309 Body Art Sanitation Rules

Key Takeaways

  • •Keep everything clean and germ-free where you do tattoos or piercings.
  • •Wear gloves when touching anything dirty or that might have blood on it.
  • •Tools that touch broken skin must be cleaned and sterilized after each use.
  • •No eating, drinking, or smoking in the work area.

Example

A tattoo artist finishes a tattoo on a client.

The artist must clean all surfaces, like the chair and table, with disinfectant right after. They also have to sterilize the tattoo needle before using it again on someone else. If the artist wants to drink water, they have to stop working and step away from the area.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 119309 Body Art Sanitation Rules

(a) The practitioner shall maintain a clean and sanitary environment. (b) All solid surfaces and objects in the procedure area and the decontamination and sterilization area that have come into contact with the client or the materials used in performing the body art, including, but not limited to, chairs, armrests, tables, countertops, and trays, shall be immediately cleaned and decontaminated after each use by application of a disinfectant, used according to manufacturer’s directions. (c) The surfaces and objects in the procedure area shall be disinfected again before use if the area has been used for any activity following its previous disinfection. (d) The practitioner shall wear disposable gloves on both hands when touching, decontaminating, or handling a surface, object, instrument, or jewelry that is soiled or that is potentially soiled with human blood. (e) An instrument or other reusable item that comes into contact with nonintact skin or mucosal surfaces shall either be single use or be cleaned, decontaminated, packaged, and sterilized after each procedure. Sterilization shall be accomplished pursuant to the procedures established in Section 119315 by steam autoclave. (f) An instrument or reusable item that does not come into contact with nonintact skin or mucosal surfaces shall be washed with a solution of soap and water, using a brush that is small enough to clean the interior surfaces, and decontaminated after each procedure. (g) A reusable item that cannot be immediately washed, disinfected, and sterilized following completion of the body art procedure shall be placed in a basin of water with or without detergent. (h) Sterile instrument packs shall be evaluated before use, and if the integrity of a pack is compromised in any way, including, but not limited to, being torn, punctured, wet, or having evidence of potential moisture contamination, the instrument pack shall be discarded or reprocessed before use. (i) No food, drink, tobacco product, or personal effects are permitted in the procedure area. The practitioner shall not eat, drink, or smoke while performing a procedure. If a client requests to eat, drink, or smoke, the procedure shall be stopped and the procedure site shall be protected from possible contamination while the client leaves the procedure area to eat, drink, or smoke. (j) Branding shall not be done with another client in the procedure area. During the procedure, the practitioner and the client shall wear appropriate protective face filter masks. (Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 555, Sec. 7. (AB 1168) Effective January 1, 2014.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

instrumentcontaminationlienthe practitionerenvironmentsterilizationapplicationactivity

Related Statutes

  • § 119308 Body Art Hygiene Requirements
  • § 114211 Water System Contamination Prevention
  • § 114235 Water Contamination Prevention Rules
  • § 114239 Mobile Food Facility Water Tanks
  • § 119301 Body Art Health Definitions

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Health and Safety Code. Section 119309.
View Official Source