Body Art

A Body Art Establishment is, any establishment that conducts any type of body art including piercing, tattooing, painting or scarring. Local Boards of Health are responsible for the permitting of Body Art establishment where body art is performed. These requirements shall include, but not be limited to, general sanitation of premises where body art is to be performed and the use of pre-sterilized, disposable equipment. Each community that has a body art establishment has local rules and regulations that are necessary to protect the public’s health by preventing diseases, specifically including, but not limited to transmission of Hepatitis B and/or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS). 

In addition, these rules and regulations shall establish procedures for permitting of all persons performing body art for the requirement of training courses in disease prevention and in anatomy and physiology, for regular inspection of premises where body art is performed, and for revocation of the permit of any person or establishment deemed in violation of the rules and regulations promulgated under this section. 

 Whereas body art is becoming prevalent and popular throughout the Commonwealth; and whereas knowledge and practice of universal precautions, sanitation, personal hygiene, sterilization and aftercare requirements on the part of the practitioner should be demonstrated to prevent the transmission of disease or injury to the client and/or practitioner; now therefore the Board of Health of the Town of Reading passes these rules and regulations for the practice of body art in the Town of Reading as part of our mission to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. 

Any person seeking a permit to practice body art  or operate a body art establishment in the Town of Reading must complete an application package.