Contents

Legal status of tattooing in European countries

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this articlebyadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Legal status of tattooing in European countries" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Youth rights
Activities Bailey v. Drexel Furniture Co. Child Labor Deterrence Act Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Kids Online Safety Act Convention on the Rights of the Child Fair Labor Standards Act Hammer v. Dagenhart History of youth rights in the United States Morse v. Frederick Newsboys' strike of 1899 Prez Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms Wild in the Streets
Theory/concepts Adultcentrism Adultism Ageism Criminalization Democracy Ephebiphobia Fear of children Free-range parenting Intergenerational equity Future generations Paternalism Social class Suffrage Taking Children Seriously Universal suffrage Unschooling Youth activism Youth detention center Youth empowerment Youth exclusion Youth suffrage Youth voice
Issues Adolescent sexuality Age of candidacy Age of consent Age of consent reform Age of majority Age of marriage Behavior modification facility Child labour Children in the military Child marriage Compulsory education Conscription Corporal punishment at home at school in law Curfew Child abuse Emancipation of minors Gambling age Human rights and youth sport In loco parentis Juvenile delinquency Juvenile court Juvenile law Legal drinking age (U.S. history) Legal working age Minimum driving age Marriageable age Minor (law) Minors and abortion Restavec School leaving age Smoking age (U.S. history) Status offense Underage drinking in the US Voting age Youth-adult partnership Youth participation Youth politics Youth unemployment Youth voting
Organizations United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Akt Americans for a Society Free from Age Restrictions Canadian Youth for Choice Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission Common Cents Community Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Youth DoSomething Future Coalition Global Youth Action Network High School Democrats of America Indian Youth Climate Network International Falcon Movement – Socialist Educational International Mermaids National Union of Students LGBT+ Campaign National Youth Rights Association One World Youth Project Queer Youth Network Students for a Democratic Society Freechild Project Three O'Clock Lobby UK Youth Parliament Youth International Party Youth Liberation of Ann Arbor The Youth Cafe Young Communist League of Canada Young Democrats of America World Federation of Democratic Youth
People Fletcher Hanson Henry Holt Koroknay-Palicz Duff Males Postman Yaco
Related Ages of consent in Asia Ages of consent in Europe Ages of consent in North America Ages of consent in Oceania Ages of consent in South America Ages of consent in the United States Animal rights Anti-racism Direct democracy Egalitarianism Feminism French petition against age of consent laws Legal status of tattooing in European countries Legal status of tattooing in the United States Libertarianism Students' rights Youth Olympic Games Youth sports Youth wing Liberation theology Communism Socialism Marxism
Youth rights Society portal
v t e

Legislation controlling tattooing varies among countries in Europe. In many countries there is no particular legislation. In countries that do have legal controls, they relate mainly to the minimum age of clients. Greece and Denmark impose further stipulations.

Legal controls by European country[edit]

Country	Age (with authorisation)	Age (without authorisation)	Notes
Armenia	No legislation		[1]
Austria	16	18	Parental consent can be written.[2]
Belgium	16	18	Parents must be present to give consent for children.[citation needed]
Bulgaria	No legislation		[3]
Croatia	16	18	Parents must be present to give consent for children.[citation needed]
Cyprus	16	18	[citation needed]
Czech Republic	No legislation		[citation needed]
Denmark	18		The Danish tattoo law was valid from 15 June 1966. It is unlawful to tattoo someone under the age of 18. In addition to this it is unlawful to tattoo someone on the head, neck and hands.[3][4]
Estonia	18		[citation needed]
Finland	Unspecified age	18	Permit required for anyone under 18.[citation needed]
France	16	18	Parental consent required for anyone under 18.[citation needed]
Germany	No legislation		[5]
Greece	16	18	Greek tattoo law only covers tattoos and not permanent make-up. Other key provisions, in a non-exhaustive summary:[3] Only tattoo persons who are at least 18 years of age. Persons under the age of 18 may only be tattooed in the presence of a guardian who has given the required written consent. Not advise on the customer's state of physical health or offer any medical opinion. Not effect any medical procedure, be it on the recommendation, under the guidance or with the help of any form of medical specialist. Not proceed in any manner whatsoever to remove a tattoo.
Guernsey	18		As in the UK, a person under 18 may not be tattooed except for medical reasons, per the Tattooing, Piercing, Acupuncture and Electrolysis (Guernsey and Alderney) Law, 2000. In practise the law is rarely enforced.[6][7]
Hungary	No legislation		[citation needed]
Republic of Ireland	No legislation		16 is de facto with parents present throughout Ireland, but there is no legislation. From the age of 18 without parental authorisation.[8]
Isle of Man	18		As in the UK, a person under 18 may not be tattooed except for medical reasons, per the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1984.[9]
Italy	No legislation		One must be over 18 years of age to get a tattoo freely without parental consent. Those over the age of 16 must have parental consent.[citation needed]
Jersey	16	18	Unlike in the UK, the Isle of Man or Guernsey, the minimum age to obtain a tattoo in Jersey is set at 16 (with parental consent), under the Piercing and Tattooing (Jersey) Law 2002.[10]
Latvia	18		[citation needed]
Lithuania	16	18	In Lithuania one can get a tattoo from the age of 16, or in the presence of a guardian or a parent who has given the required written consent if one is under this age.[citation needed]
Luxembourg	18		[citation needed]
Malta	16	18	[11]
Netherlands	16		In the Netherlands, the age at which persons may decide for themselves to have a tattoo and piercing is 16 years. This age limit is suspended for earlobe piercing but pertains to all other areas. Informed consent forms, with information concerning health (including allergies) must be available and must be signed by the client. In the case of young adults under 16 years, a parent or guardian must sign. If they have signed but are not present with the client, the tattooist or piercer must verify their consent by telephone. Signed consent forms must be kept by the studio in a locked file for ten years.[12]
Norway	No legislation		[citation needed]
Poland	16	18	[citation needed]
Portugal	16	18	[citation needed]
Romania	18		[citation needed]
Slovakia	16	18	[citation needed]
Slovenia	No legislation		[citation needed]
Spain	14–17	18	Age varies by region.
Sweden	No legislation		[citation needed]
United Kingdom	18		In the United Kingdom, tattoos are regulated by both the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969[13] and the Tattooing of Minors (Northern Ireland) Order 1979.[14] The former applies to Great Britain and the latter applies to Northern Ireland. Both acts in principle define a minor (in relation to obtaining a tattoo) as any person under the age of 18. However, both acts allow for exceptions in which any person below the minimum age may obtain a tattoo for medical reasons, when performed by a duly qualified medical practitioner or by a person working under their direction.[15]

See also[edit]

• Legal status of tattooing in the United States

References[edit]