Tattoo Parlor Permit Requirements in Atlanta, GA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you operate as an LLC, corporation, or partnership, or if you have employees. Apply free online through the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate

   Free

   Immediate

2. OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard Compliance

   Tattoo parlors with employees must comply with OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), including written exposure control plans, hepatitis B vaccination availability, proper sharps disposal, and annual employee training.

   Official government source

   Cost of training and supplies (~$200–$500/year)·Ongoing

   Cost of training and supplies (~$200–$500/year)

   Ongoing

1. Georgia DPH Body Art Rules and Regulations (Chapter 511-3-8)

   Senate Bill 214 directed Georgia DPH to adopt statewide body art regulations, including permitting of body artists. DPH passed Chapter 511-3-8 on March 6, 2023; implementation began October 6, 2023, six months after the effective posting date, and existing studios and artists were given until October 6, 2024 to comply. Body Artist Certification is issued by the DPH Body Art Program - you sit the exam through your county environmental health office, and DPH processes the certificate and annual renewal. Studios file a Body Art Studio Application with a plan review checklist. Bloodborne pathogen, First Aid, and CPR training must be current and must not expire within six months of a renewal.

   Official government source

   Rule 511-3-8-.20 caps the certification examination fee at $50 payable to the Health Authority, plus Department certification fees under the DPH fee schedule (Rule 511-3-8-.24). Studio permit fees are set by the county Health Authority.·DPH reviews certification applications within 20 business days; studio permits also require plan review and inspection.

   Rule 511-3-8-.20 caps the certification examination fee at $50 payable to the Health Authority, plus Department certification fees under the DPH fee schedule (Rule 511-3-8-.24). Studio permit fees are set by the county Health Authority.

   DPH reviews certification applications within 20 business days; studio permits also require plan review and inspection.

1. Fulton County Board of Health — Body Art Studio Permit

   All tattoo/body-art studios in Fulton County (including the City of Atlanta) must obtain a Body Art Studio Permit administered through the Fulton County Board of Health under Georgia's statewide Body Art Rules (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 511-3-8), which took effect October 6, 2023, with compliance transition deadlines running into 2024 (Fulton County required studios to hold a Georgia DPH studio permit by December 31, 2024). The studio must pass a DPH plan review and inspection confirming compliance with the Body Art Rules. Submit a completed Body Art Establishment Permit Application with the applicable fee to the Fulton County Environmental Health Office.

   Official government source

   Contact Fulton County Board of Health for current studio permit fee·4–8 weeks (includes facility inspection)

   Contact Fulton County Board of Health for current studio permit fee

   4–8 weeks (includes facility inspection)

2. Georgia DPH Body Artist Certification (per artist) + Fulton County Body Art Establishment Permit

   Each individual tattoo artist must hold a current, valid DPH Body Artist Certification (issued under Georgia Department of Public Health rules, administered through the Fulton County Board of Health locally), demonstrating training in infection control and bloodborne pathogen safety. The studio/establishment separately needs a valid Fulton County Board of Health body-art establishment permit. Exact certification, exam, and permit fees are not published online -- Fulton County's page refers applicants to a separate fee schedule.

   Official government source

   Fees not published online -- confirm exact per-artist and establishment fees with Fulton County Board of Health·2–6 weeks

   Fees not published online -- confirm exact per-artist and establishment fees with Fulton County Board of Health

   2–6 weeks

3. City of Atlanta Occupational Tax Certificate (Business License)

   All businesses operating within the City of Atlanta must obtain an Occupational Tax Certificate from the City of Atlanta Department of Finance, Office of Revenue. The annual registration fee is $191 for tax year 2026 (it was $75 for 2025 and prior), plus $25 per employee (first employee exempt), plus a flat $50 tax on the first $10,000 of gross receipts and a gross-receipts tax at your NAICS-based tax-class rate (Atlanta Municipal Code Sec. 30-62). Apply online through the ATLBIZ Occupational Tax and Permitting Portal, which replaced ATLCORE in September 2025. Zoning confirmation may also be required from the Atlanta Department of City Planning.

   Official government source

   $191 annual registration fee for tax year 2026 ($75 for tax year 2025 and prior), plus a flat $50 tax on the first $10,000 of gross receipts, plus a gross-receipts tax at the NAICS-based tax-class rate (e.g. 1.88 per $1,000 for tax class 5 in 2026), plus $25 per employee (first employee exempt)·1–2 weeks

   $191 annual registration fee for tax year 2026 ($75 for tax year 2025 and prior), plus a flat $50 tax on the first $10,000 of gross receipts, plus a gross-receipts tax at the NAICS-based tax-class rate (e.g. 1.88 per $1,000 for tax class 5 in 2026), plus $25 per employee (first employee exempt)

   1–2 weeks

Official Sources

• Fulton County Board of Health — Body Art
• Georgia DPH — Body Art
• Georgia DPH Body Art Rules — Chapter 511-3-8
• City of Atlanta — Apply for a Business License
• Fulton County — Tattoo Inspection

Related Guides