§ 12.1-31-13 — Tattooing, branding, subdermal implants, scarifying, and piercing - Minors

Minors.
1. As used in this section:
a. "Brand" means the use of heat, cold, or any chemical compound to imprint
permanent markings on an individual's skin.
b. "Pierce" means the puncture of any part of an individual's body to insert studs,
pins, rings, chains, or other jewelry or adornment.
c. "Scarify" means to cut, tear, or abrade an individual's skin for the purpose of
creating a permanent mark or design on the skin.
d. "Subdermal implant" means to insert a foreign object beneath the skin to
decorate an individual's body.
e. "Tattoo" means to mark the skin of an individual by insertion of permanent colors
through puncture of the skin.
2. It is a class B misdemeanor for a person, other than a licensed health care
professional acting within that professional's scope of practice, to tattoo, brand,
subdermal implant, scarify, or pierce an individual who is under eighteen years of age
unless the tattooing, branding, subdermal implanting, scarifying, or piercing takes
place in the presence of and with the written consent of the individual's parent or legal
guardian.
3. It is a class B misdemeanor for a person to sell, trade, or otherwise provide materials
or kits for tattooing, self-tattooing, branding, self-branding, scarifying, self-scarifying,
subdermal implanting, self-subdermal implanting, body piercing, or self-body piercing
to an individual who is under eighteen years of age.
4. A political subdivision may enact and enforce an ordinance restricting tattooing,
branding, subdermal implanting, scarifying, and piercing or restricting the sale of

tattooing, branding, subdermal implanting, scarifying, and piercing materials and kits if
the ordinance is equal to or more stringent than this section.