Let’s get one thing straight from the start – if you’ve ever found yourself wondering “what’s going on with tattoos in Australia?” you’re not alone in that. Between council red tape, health regulations, and licensing requirements for tattoo artists, there’s a fair chunk of rules and regulations that kick in before that first line of ink even touches your skin. As a tattoo artist myself, in Brisbane – Uliana Kasperska here and with the rest of my team, I see daily how these rules shape the tattoo industry – keeping clients protected and studios held to account.
Tattooing—whether it’s body art or something more like cosmetic tattooing (like your brows, lips, or lash lift )—all falls under Australia’s laws for skin penetration and personal appearance services. These laws are there to keep clients safe from serious bloodborne diseases, prevent infections from germs, and ensure that every tattoo parlour follows strict hygiene and sterilisation procedures.
So, here’s what really needs to be on your radar before you book in for a session or start thinking about setting up a tattooing business in Australia.
Let’s start with the basics. Across the board in every single state and territory, the legal age for a tattoo is 18, and that applies to both body art and cosmetic tattooing services.
In Queensland and New South Wales, it’s flat-out illegal to tattoo anyone under 18 – not even with some sort of parental override. South Australia‘s a bit more flexible, allowing minors aged 16-17 to get tattooed if they’ve got written consent from their parents, but the parent has to be right there in the studio with them. Proof of age is always needed – a licence or a proof of age card.
Our studio, Face Figurati, never tattoos anyone under 18 – it’s not just because of the law, but because younger skin is still developing. Its maturity, hormones and long-term healing matter way more than some short-term look that might not even last five years.
You can’t just open up a tattoo parlour off the bat in Australia. All tattoo artists and studio owners need the right licensing and council approvals before they can do any tattooing.
Studio owners have to submit plans, proof of sterilisation, and proof of public liability and professional insurance just to get approved. The local health department has to give the nod, and that includes making sure ventilation’s good, and there are proper procedures for getting rid of all the biohazard waste.
And if you ever need to check if a studio’s legit, just ask – they’re supposed to display their licence and infection control certificate right in the public area in plain sight.
Tattooing is a form of skin penetration, which means it carries the same infection risks as minor surgical procedures. Bloodborne viruses like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV can spread through unhygienic practices, so health and safety standards are non-negotiable.
Studios must also keep written client consent forms and maintain hygiene logs to comply with council rules. During inspections, officers from the Department of Health and Community Services check sterilisation records, disinfection products, and waste disposal areas.
At our Brisbane studio, we’ve built our reputation on hygiene excellence — because prevention is always better than treating a blood-borne disease.
People often assume cosmetic tattooing follows lighter rules, but that’s not the case. Cosmetic tattoo artists are bound by the same infection control standards and council registration as body tattooists.
Both are legally defined as skin penetration procedures. That means the same standards apply for sterilisation, hygiene approvals, infection prevention, and bloodborne virus control.
We use only certified tattoo inks and pigments that meet AICIS and EU safety requirements — never unregistered or imported products of unknown origin.
Every pigment and tattoo ink used in Australia must comply with the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). Artists are legally responsible for ensuring that their tattoo products don’t contain harmful or banned ingredients like lead, cadmium, or azo compounds.
| Pigment Type | Oversight Authority | Safety Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic Pigments | AICIS + EU REACH | Low-metal, hypoallergenic compounds |
| Traditional Body Art Inks | AICIS | Long-term pigment stability, traceability |
| Unregistered Pigments | — | Illegal for professional tattooing services |
Clients should always feel comfortable asking about pigment brands — it’s your right to know what’s going into your skin.
Every clean tattoo studio has a mountain of paperwork and hygiene records. Local councils conduct regular and random inspections to check compliance.
Studios that breach hygiene or licensing rules can be fined, shut down or prosecuted. Queensland alone conducted over 1,200 studio audits in 2024.
If something feels off — trust your gut. Professional studios are proud to show how they protect their clients.
With professional experience since 2016, Anastasia is a certified and licensed cosmetic tattooing specialist with advanced expertise in fine line tattooing. She holds all required licenses and qualifications for permanent makeup in both Europe and Australia, ensuring precise, safe, and high-quality results.
Short answer, no. Only South Australia allows 16 and 17-year-olds with parental consent.
Depends on where you live in Australia. In some states, like Queensland, they need a special operator and tattooist license to do some skin penetration works like eyeliner tattooing.
Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV are the most serious risks.
Artist licence, council approval, insurance and a signed client consent form.
Yes, you can donate your blood after tattoo after 4 months if done in a licensed studio, or 12 months if not.
