1. (a) The Department of Health shall regulate:

   1. (1) [Repealed].
   2. (2) [Repealed].
2. (b) The Department of Health shall regulate body art establishments to ensure that such establishments have adequate health, sanitization, sterilization and safety methods, procedures, equipment, and supplies by establishing minimum sterilization, sanitation, health, and safety standards for the operation of such establishments as may be necessary to prevent infection and contamination of equipment, supplies, or work surfaces with pathogenic organisms and by establishing and imposing operational licensing, registration requirements, and associated fee schedules.

3. (c)

   1. (1) All body art establishments offering tattooing procedures shall conspicuously post a written disclosure that states the following:

      "The United States Food and Drug Administration has not approved any pigment color additive for injectable use as tattoo ink. There may be a risk of carcinogenic decomposition associated with certain pigments when the pigments are subsequently exposed to concentrated ultra-violet light or laser irradiation."

   2. (2) All body art establishments offering tattooing procedures shall maintain documentation on the premises containing the following information and shall disclose such information to customers upon request:

      1. (A) The components of the pigments used in the body art establishment;
      2. (B) The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the suppliers and manufacturers of pigments used in the body art establishment for the past 3 years; and
      3. (C) Identification of any recalled pigments used in the establishment for the past 3 years and the supplier and manufacturer of each pigment.
   3. (3) All body art establishments shall maintain and use regularly calibrated autoclave equipment for the sterilization of any non-disposable body art equipment at a frequency to be established by the Department of Health.
   4. (4) Only single-use disposable sharps, pigments, gloves, and cleansing products shall be used in connection with body art procedures in body art establishments, in accordance with rules established by the Department of Health pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
   5. (5) A body art establishment that is in violation of this subsection shall be subject to license suspension or revocation and a maximum fine of $2,500.

4. (d)

   1. (1) No person shall operate a body art establishment or perform body art procedures in a body art establishment unless that establishment has obtained a valid body art establishment license issued by the Mayor.
   2. (2) No body art establishment shall employ or permit body artists to perform body art procedures in the body art establishment unless the body artist holds a valid body art license issued by the Mayor.
   3. (3) Any person violating paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be punished by a fine not exceeding $2,500, imprisonment for not more than 3 months, or both.

History

Oct. 23, 2012, D.C. Law 19-193, § 3(g), 59 DCR 10388

Apr. 5, 2021, D.C. Law 23-269, § 501(bb)(10)

Mar. 22, 2023, D.C. Law 24-333, § 5(d)(3)

Dec. 6, 2025, D.C. Law 26-55, § 5232

Editor's Notes

This section was enacted as subsection (a), but has no subsection (b).

Applicability

Applicability of D.C. Law 24-333: § 9 of D.C. Law 24-333 provided that the change made to this section by § 5(d)(3) of D.C. Law 24-333 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.

Section 7286 of D.C. Law 25-217 provided that the amendments made to this section by Section 5(d)(3) of D.C. Law 24-333 shall apply as of October 1, 2025. Therefore those amendments have been implemented.

Section 7286 of D.C. Law 25-217 amended section 9 of D.C. Law 24-333 making the amendment of this section by section 5(d)(3) of D.C. Law 24-333 applicable as of October 1, 2025.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5232 of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-146, Sept. 3, 2025, 72 DCR 9623).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5232 of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-210, Nov. 24, 2025, 72 DCR 13514).