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HomeHealth and Safety CodeDiv. 104Pt. 15Ch. 7Art. 4§ 119314 Body Art Facility Requirements

§ 119314 Body Art Facility Requirements

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

§ 119314 Body Art Facility Requirements

Key Takeaways

  • •A tattoo or piercing shop must have clean, smooth walls and floors that can be washed easily.
  • •The shop must have a separate area for tattoos or piercings, away from hair or nail services, and must have its own sink with hot water, soap, and paper towels.
  • •Sharps (like needles) must be thrown away in a special container labeled 'sharps waste' or 'biohazard,' and the shop must keep records of how they dispose of these for 3 years.
  • •No pets are allowed in the tattoo or piercing area, except for service animals like guide dogs.

Example

You go to a tattoo shop to get a small tattoo on your arm.

The shop must have a clean, separate area just for tattoos, with its own sink and a special trash can for needles. The artist must throw away the needle in a labeled 'sharps waste' container right after using it. If the shop has a dog hanging around in the tattoo area, that’s not allowed unless it’s a service animal.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 119314 Body Art Facility Requirements

(a) With the exception of a temporary demonstration booth, as specified in Sections 119317 and 119318, a body art facility shall comply with all of the following: (1) Have floors, walls, and ceilings. (2) Have floors and walls that are smooth, nonabsorbent, free of open holes, and washable. (3) Be free of insect and rodent infestation. (4) Be separate from any residential areas used for sleeping, bathing, or meal preparation. A body art facility associated with a residential dwelling shall have a separate entrance and toilet facility, and shall not have a door allowing direct access between the body art facility and the residential dwelling. (5) Have adequate toilet facilities, in accordance with the specifications of the State Building Standards Code, local building standard codes, and any other local ordinance. The sink shall be supplied with hot and cold running water, containerized liquid soap, and single-use paper towels that are dispensed from a wall-mounted, touchless dispenser. (b) Procedure areas in a body art facility shall meet all of the following standards: (1) Be equipped with a light source that provides adequate light at the procedure area. (2) Be separated, by a wall or ceiling-to-floor partition, from nail and hair activities. (3) Be separated from all business not related to body art, at the discretion of the local enforcement agency. (4) Be equipped with a sink supplied with hot and cold running water, containerized liquid soap, and single-use paper towels that are dispensed from a wall-mounted, touchless dispenser that is accessible to the practitioner. (5) All sinks shall be permanently plumbed and meet local building and plumbing codes. Facilities that were issued a permit prior to January 1, 2014, shall have until July 1, 2014, to comply with this section. (6) All counter surfaces and service trays shall have a smooth, durable, and nonabsorbent finish. (c) Decontamination and sterilization areas within a body art facility shall meet all of the following requirements: (1) Be separated from procedure areas by a space of at least five feet or by a cleanable barrier. (2) Be equipped with a sink, hot and cold running water, containerized liquid soap, and single-use paper towels dispensed from a wall-mounted, touchless dispenser that is readily accessible to the practitioner. (d) Each procedure area shall have lined waste containers. (e) Each procedure area shall have a sharps waste container that meets the following requirements: (1) The sharps waste container shall be portable, if portability is necessary to ensure that the sharps waste container is within arm’s reach of the practitioner. (2) The sharps waste container shall be labeled with the words “sharps waste” or with the international biohazard symbol and the word “BIOHAZARD.” (3) All sharps waste produced during the process of tattooing, body piercing, or the application of permanent cosmetics shall be disposed by either of the following methods: (A) Removal and disposal by a licensed waste hauler. Materials shall be disposed of at a licensed treatment facility or removed and transported through a mail-back system authorized by the State Department of Public Health. (B) As solid waste, after being disinfected by a method approved by the department pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 118215. (4) Documentation of proper disposal of sharps waste shall be maintained for three years and shall be available for inspection at the request of the enforcement officer. (f) No animals shall be allowed in the procedure area or the decontamination and sterilization area except service animals, as defined by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. (Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 555, Sec. 11. (AB 1168) Effective January 1, 2014.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

body art facilityprocedure areastoilet facilitiessinkcontainerized liquid soapsingle-use paper towelswall-mounted, touchless dispenser

Related Statutes

  • § 119313 Body Art Infection Control
  • § 103025 Fetal Death Certificate Requirements
  • § 111795 Cosmetic Manufacturer Registration
  • § 111800 Annual Registration Fee Requirements
  • § 111805 Registration Change Notification

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Health and Safety Code. Section 119314.
View Official Source