• The state of New York prohibits tattooing a person under 18 years of age.tattoo image by FXTW from Fotolia.com
  
  Permanent tattoos involve using needles to inject ink under the surface of the skin. Unsterilized needles can spread infections, and tattoo inks can cause skin reactions. A person who is not mature enough might not fully understand the effects of having a permanent tattoo. As of July 2010, New York is still developing state-wide health regulations for tattooing, and county or city regulations might apply.
  
  

Minimum Age

• In New York, a person under the age of 18 cannot get a tattoo, regardless of whether they have the consent of a parent. According to section 260.21 of New York State Penal Law, "a person is guilty of unlawfully dealing with a child in the second degree" when he "marks the body of a child less than eighteen years old with indelible ink or pigments by means of tattooing."
  
  

Permit

• A tattooist has to obtain a permit from the New York State Department of Health before operating a tattoo studio. The permit is valid for two years, and cannot be assigned or transferred to another person. If the Department of Health intends to reject the application for a permit, it will send a notification detailing the reasons. The applicant can make a written request for a hearing within 30 days of receiving the notification.
  
  

Compliance

• The tattooist has to display his permit in a conspicuous place in his tattoo studio. He also has to follow the rules and regulations set by both the commissioner of health and his city, town, village or county.