Wis. Stat. § 463.10 — WI Code / Chapter 463 / Section 463.10
Regulation of tattooists and tattooing establishments.
Status: in_force

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Tattoo” has the meaning given in s. 948.70 (1) (b) .

(b) “Tattoo establishment” means the premises where a tattooist performs tattoos.

(c) “Tattooist” means a person who tattoos another.

(2) Department; duty. Except as provided in s. 463.14 , the department shall provide uniform, statewide licensing and regulation of tattooists and uniform, statewide licensing and regulation of tattoo establishments under this section. The department shall inspect a tattoo establishment once before issuing a license for the tattoo establishment under this section and may make additional inspections that the department determines are necessary.

(3) License required. Except as provided in sub. (5) , no person may tattoo or attempt to tattoo another, designate or represent himself or herself as a tattooist or use or assume the title “tattooist” and no tattoo establishment may be operated unless the person and the establishment are licensed by the department under this section or by a local health department that is designated as the department’s agent under s. 463.16 . Except as provided in s. 463.16 , fees for licenses issued under this section shall be as determined under s. 440.03 (9) .

(4) Rule making. The department shall promulgate all of the following as rules:

(a) Except as provided in s. 463.14 and subject to sub. (4m) , standards and procedures for the annual issuance of licenses as tattooists or as tattoo establishments to applicants under this section.

(b) Standards for the performance of tattoos by a licensed tattooist and for the maintenance of a licensed tattoo establishment, which will promote safe and adequate care and treatment for individuals who receive tattoos and eliminate or greatly reduce the danger of exposure by these individuals to communicable disease or infection.

(4m) Military experience. Any relevant education, training, instruction, or other experience that an applicant has obtained in connection with military service, as defined in s. 111.32 (12g) , counts toward satisfying standards related to education, training, instruction, or other experience for issuing a license as a tattooist if the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the education, training, instruction, or other experience that the applicant obtained in connection with his or her military service is substantially equivalent to the education, training, instruction, or other experience that is required for the issuance of a license for a tattooist.

(5) Exception. Subsections (2) to (4m) do not apply to a dentist, dental therapist, or physician who tattoos or offers to tattoo a person in the course of the dentist’s, dental therapist’s, or physician’s professional practice.

(6) Local regulation. No city, village, town, or county may enact or enforce an ordinance that does any of the following:

(a) Regulates tattoo establishments or the practice of tattooing, except as permitted under s. 463.16 (6) .

(b) Requires local licenses, other than licenses issued by local health departments designated as the department’s agent under s. 463.16 , for tattoo establishments or for the practice of tattooing.

History: 1995 a. 468 ; 1997 a. 191 , 237 ; 2011 a. 120 , 165 ; 2015 a. 55 s. 4041 ; Stats. 2015 s. 463.10; 2017 a. 329 ; 2017 a. 365 s. 111 ; 2023 a. 87 , 88 ; 2025 a. 128 .