Restricts minors’ access to tanning facilities (n=18) No laws related to minors’ access (n=33)

Source: National Cancer Institute: State Cancer Legislative Database Program, Bethesda, MD, 2007

Building 31, Room 10A48 • 31 Center Drive, MSC 2580 • Bethesda, Maryland 20892-2580 • 301 496 5217 • 301 402 1225 fax • http://www.scld-nci.net

The SCLD contains information synthesized from state-level laws. The SCLD does not contain state-level regulations; measures implemented by counties, cities, 

or other localities; case law; Attorneys General opinions; or data addressing the implementation of state laws—all of which may vary significantly from the 

laws reported herein. 

Long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays, either from tanning 

beds or from the sun, increases the risk of developing skin 

cancer. A recent study indicated that there is an increased 

risk for melanoma in people who first used tanning beds 

in their teens and twenties.1 Melanoma, the deadliest and 

most serious form of skin cancer, is expected to cause 

8,110 of the almost 10,110 predicted deaths attributed to 

skin cancer in 2007.2,3 Despite these risks, 8.7 percent of 

teens ages 14 to 17 use indoor tanning devices, and girls 

in this age group are seven times more likely than their 

male counterparts to use such devices.4 The World Health 

Organization recommends that access to tanning beds be 

restricted for those under age 18.5 Some state lawmakers 

have responded to this recommendation. Currently, 

18 states have enacted laws related to minors’ access 

to tanning facilities. Of these states, four have enacted 

bans. California, New Jersey, and New York prohibit 

minors under age 14 from using tanning facilities, while 

Wisconsin prohibits use by minors under age 16. 

Three states restrict minors’ access to tanning facilities 

to those with physician authorization. North Carolina 

law prohibits persons under age 13 from using tanning 

equipment without a written prescription from the 

person’s physician that specifies the nature of the 

condition requiring treatment. Laws in New Hampshire 

and Texas prohibit the use of tanning facilities by minors 

under ages 14 and 13, respectively, unless a written 

medical order is provided and a parent or guardian 

accompanies the minor. 

Nine states have laws that restrict the use of tanning 

facilities by minors at specified ages unless the minor

is accompanied by a parent or guardian. Seventeen 

states have provisions authorizing the use of tanning 

facilities by minors in specified age ranges with a written 

statement of parental or guardian consent. Of these 

states, seven—Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, 

New Hampshire, New York, and Utah—require that 

the consent statement be signed at the tanning facility 

and/or in the presence of the tanning facility operator. 

New Hampshire and Utah law also requires the parent 

or guardian to be present during the minor’s first use. 

Tennessee requires either an in‐person signature by the 

parent or guardian or, in lieu of parental accompaniment, 

a notarized consent statement.

Fourteen states require the posting of a warning sign in 

the facility. Twelve states require that a warning statement 

be given to any individual (or, in the case of a minor, to 

the parent or guardian) before use of a tanning device; of 

these states, 10 require explicit mention that exposure to 

ultraviolet light or radiation can result in skin cancer. 

New Hampshire law requires that the warning statement 

be read aloud to the customer. 

1 World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer. 

Sunbed use in youth unequivocally associated with skin cancer. http://

www.iarc.fr/ENG/Press_Releases/pr171a.html

2 National Cancer Institute. Skin Cancer. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/

types/skin

3 National Cancer Institute. Melanoma. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/

types/melanoma

4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Quickstats: percentage of teens 

aged 14-17 years who used indoor tanning devices during the preceding 

12 months, by sex and age–United States, 2005. MMWR 2006;55(40):1101 

5 World Health Organization, Artificial Tanning Sunbeds Risks and Guidance. 

www.who.int/entity/uv/publications/en/sunbeds.pdf

National Cancer Institute

U.S. DEPARTMENT 

OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes 

of Health

Skin Cancer 

State Cancer Legislative Database Fact Sheet July 2007

Office of Government and Congressional Relations

States with Laws Addressing Minors’ Access to Tanning Facilities 

(as of March 31, 2007)
State Laws Addressing Minors’ Access to Tanning Facilities (as of March 31, 2007)

State

Age at 

which 

tanning is 

prohibited

Age at which tanning is 

allowed/Conditions

Posting of 

warning sign 

required

Written 

warning 

statement 

required

Penalty to tanning facility for 

violation

License 

penalty

Provides for 

promulgation of 

regulations for 

enforcement/

implementation 

Parental 

accompaniment

Physician 

authorizationParental 

consent

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California Under 14 – – 14 to 18 Y Y

Infraction for first violation; misdemeanor for subsequent violations; 

civil penalty of up to $2,500 per day

N

Colorado

Connecticut – – – Under 16 N N Fine of up to $100 N

Delaware

District of Colombia

Florida – Under 14 – 14 to 18 Y Y

Second degree misdemeanor; 

administrative fine of up to $1,000 

per violation per day

Y Y

Georgia – – – Under 18* Y N

Misdemeanor; penalty fee of at 

least $1,000, punitive damages, and 

court costs

N

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana – Under 16 – Under 18* Y Y Class C misdemeanor; fine of up to 

$1,000 per day Y Y

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky – Under 14 – 14 to 17 N Y Not specified N Y

Louisiana – Under 14 – 14 to 18* Y Y Injunctive relief Y Y

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts – Under 14 – 14 to 17 Y Y Fine of $200 to $2,000 Y Y

Michigan – Under 14 – Under 18 N N Not specified N

Minnesota – – – Under 16* Y Y Petty misdemeanor N

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire† – Under 14▲ Under 14 Under 18* N Y Fine of up to $250 per day Y Y

New Jersey Under 14 – – 14 to 17 Y N Fine of $100 for first offense; fine of 

$200 for subsequent offenses N Y

New Mexico

New York Under 14 – – 14 to 18* Y Y Civil penalty of up to $250 (in lieu of 

license penalty) Y Y

North Carolina – – Under 13 – N Y Not specified N Y

North Dakota

Ohio – – – Under 18 Y N

Fine of up to $100 for first violation; 

up to $500 for second violation; and 

up to $1,000 for subsequent violations

Y Y

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee – Under 14 – 14 to 18* Y Y Class B misdemeanor; fine of up to 

$500 per day N

Texas† – 13 to 15▲ Under 13▲ 16 or 17 Y Y

Class A misdemeanor; civil penalty 

of up to $25,000 per violation per 

day; injunctive relief

Y Y

Utah Under 18* Y Class C misdemeanor; possible 

revocation of permit

Vermont

Virginia Y Y‡ Class C misdemeanor

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin Under 16 – – – Y N Fine of $50 to $250 Y Y

Wyoming

Key:

* Parental consent form must be signed at the tanning facility and/or in the presence of the tanning facility operator. NH and UT law also requires parent or legal guardian to be 

physically present at the time of initial use. TN law allows a notarized statement signed by the parent or legal guardian in lieu of parental accompaniment.

† NH and TX require both parental accompaniment and physician authorization for minors under the ages of 14 and 13, respectively. 

‡ VA requires signature of parent or legal guardian on warning statement for minors under age 15. 

Source: National Cancer Institute: State Cancer Legislative Database Program, Bethesda, MD, 2007.