Rhode Island § 23-1-39 § 23-1-39. Tattooing and/or body piercing.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 23-1-39 — § 23-1-39. Tattooing and/or body piercing.

Rhode Island § 23-1-39

Title 23Health and Safety

Ch. 23-1Department of Health

This text of Rhode Island § 23-1-39 (§ 23-1-39. Tattooing and/or body piercing.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-1-39 (2026).

Text

§ 23-1-39. Tattooing and/or body piercing.
(a) The director shall promulgate rules and regulations which provide minimum requirements
            to be met by any person performing tattooing and/or body piercing upon any individual
            and for any establishment where tattooing and/or body piercing is performed. These
            requirements shall include, but not be limited to, general sanitation of premises
            wherein tattooing and/or body piercing is to be performed and sterilization of instruments.
            These rules and regulations shall place emphasis on the prevention of disease, specifically
            including, but not limited to, transmission of hepatitis B and/or human immunodef

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§ 23-1-39. Tattooing and/or body piercing.

(a) The director shall promulgate rules and regulations which provide minimum requirements to be met by any person performing tattooing and/or body piercing upon any individual and for any establishment where tattooing and/or body piercing is performed. These requirements shall include, but not be limited to, general sanitation of premises wherein tattooing and/or body piercing is to be performed and sterilization of instruments. These rules and regulations shall place emphasis on the prevention of disease, specifically including, but not limited to, transmission of hepatitis B and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

(b) In addition, these rules and regulations shall establish procedures for registration with the department of health of all persons performing tattooing and/or body piercing, for registration of any establishment where tattooing and/or body piercing is performed, for regular inspections of premises where tattooing and/or body piercing is performed, for revocation of the registration of any person or establishment deemed in violation of the rules and regulations promulgated under this section. An annual registration fee in the amount as set forth in § 23-1-54 shall be paid by any person or establishment registered to perform tattooing and/or body piercing under this section. All fees shall be deposited by the department as general revenues.

(c) Body piercing of a minor is prohibited; provided, however, that body piercing will be allowed if the minor is accompanied by his or her parent or guardian, and the parent or guardian gives consent to the body piercing.

Legislative History

P.L. 1988, ch. 354, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 164, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 370, art. 40, § 58; P.L. 1999, ch. 364, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 77, art. 14, § 28; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 2; P.L. 2007, ch. 73, art. 39, § 25; P.L. 2012, ch. 241, art. 9, § 35.