Indiana § 35-45-21-4 Tattooing or body piercing a minor

Indiana Statutes

§ 35-45-21-4 — Tattooing or body piercing a minor

Indiana § 35-45-21-4

Art. 45OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH, ORDER,

Ch. 21Offenses Against Public Health

This text of Indiana § 35-45-21-4 (Tattooing or body piercing a minor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Ind. Code § 35-45-21-4 (2026).

Text

(a)As used in this section, "tattoo" means:

(1)any indelible design, letter, scroll, figure, symbol, or other mark placed with the aid of needles or other instruments; or

(2)any design, letter, scroll, figure, or symbol done by scarring; upon or under the skin.

(b)As used in this section, "body piercing" means the perforation of any human body part other than an earlobe for the purpose of inserting jewelry or other decoration or for some other nonmedical purpose.

(c)Except as provided in subsection (e), a person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally provides a tattoo to a person who is less than eighteen (18) years of age commits tattooing a minor, a Class A misdemeanor.

(d)This subsection does not apply to an act of a health care professional (as defined in IC 16-27-2-1) licen

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(a) As used in this section, "tattoo" means:
(1) any indelible design, letter, scroll, figure, symbol, or other
mark placed with the aid of needles or other instruments; or
(2) any design, letter, scroll, figure, or symbol done by scarring;
upon or under the skin.
(b) As used in this section, "body piercing" means the perforation
of any human body part other than an earlobe for the purpose of
inserting jewelry or other decoration or for some other nonmedical
purpose.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (e), a person who recklessly,
knowingly, or intentionally provides a tattoo to a person who is less
than eighteen (18) years of age commits tattooing a minor, a Class A
misdemeanor.
(d) This subsection does not apply to an act of a health care
professional (as defined in IC 16-27-2-1) licensed under IC 25 when
the act is performed in the course of the health care professional's
practice. Except as provided in subsection (e), a person who recklessly,
knowingly, or intentionally performs body piercing upon a person who
is less than eighteen (18) years of age commits body piercing a minor,
a Class A misdemeanor.
(e) A person may provide a tattoo to a person who is less than
eighteen (18) years of age or perform body piercing upon a person who
is less than eighteen (18) years of age if a parent or legal guardian of
the person receiving the tattoo or undergoing the body piercing:
(1) is present at the time the tattoo is provided or the body
piercing is performed; and
(2) provides written permission for the person to receive the tattoo
or undergo the body piercing.
(f) Notwithstanding IC 36-1-3-8(a), a unit (as defined in IC 36-1-2-23) may adopt an ordinance that is at least as restrictive or more
restrictive than this section or a rule adopted under IC 16-19-3-4(c).