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Guidelines for hosting a body art event

Requirements for tattoo, body piercing, and permanent cosmetics at a special event such as a fair or festival.

Special events

Special events like fairs or festivals must be temporary. The event must be 7 days or less in a 90 day period.

Before the event, make sure to submit:

  • A permit application at least 30 days before the event
  • An exposure control plan including sterilization procedures
  • Copies of each practitioner's:
    • Body art license
    • Bloodborne Pathogen Certificate

Each practitioner must have a license to practice body art. If body art practitioners do not have a license to practice body art in San Francisco, they can get a temporary license. Students can also get a registration card from their local enforcement agency.

Booths

Body art practitioners must be able to wash their hands at a demonstration booth.

The booth must:

  • Be in a building where practitioners have access to
    • Hand washing facilities
    • Hot and cold running water
    • Liquid soap pump
    • Single-use paper towels
  • Have a partition at least 3 feet high separating the procedure area from the public
  • Have at least 50 square feet of floor space for each practitioner
  • Be free of insect or rodent infestation
  • Be only for performing body art
  • Have enough light where the practitioner is performing body art

1 booth

If you have 1 body art booth at your event, make sure:

  • It has hand washing equipment
  • It has soap and paper towels
  • It has a five-gallon container of potable water with a spigot
  • It has a waste water collection tank of the corresponding size
  • You refill potable water
  • You empty the waste water tank so it doesn't interrupt use

2 or more booths

If you have 2 or more body art booths at your event, make sure:

  • There are hand wash areas for practitioners throughout the event
  • The hand wash areas are within a booth with partitions at least 3 feet high separating the hand wash area from the public

Venue

The venue must have:

  • A commercial, self-contained hand wash station with at least 5 gallons of portable water
  • A trash receptacle
  • 1 wash area for every 2 demonstration booths at the event
  • Smooth, cleanable flooring
  • No food, drink, or smoking or tobacco products at the demonstration booth
  • No animals