Government, public health, consumer and body art representatives discussing draft safety standards around a shared table

For Authorities & Regulators

Free, adaptable body art regulation resources for governments, states, provinces, districts, municipalities, councils and public-health teams. Start with a model framework, then complete local legal review, evidence assessment and consultation.

Independent public decision-making: these resources are non-binding and are not legal advice. BAQA membership is voluntary, is not a government licence and is not required to use the toolkit.
Government, public health, consumer and body art representatives discussing draft safety standards around a shared table
Good regulation is developed transparently with public-health, legal, industry and community participation.
Public health officer and body art practitioner walking through a clean professional studio together
Requirements should be clear enough to support constructive and consistent inspection.

Choose the resource you need

Model Body Art Regulation

A modular legal-policy starting point covering scope, authorisation, hygiene, products, consent, records, inspection and review.

Review and download

Discipline annexes

Additional regulatory questions for tattooing, piercing, permanent makeup, microblading, SMP, removal and temporary or mobile work.

Choose relevant annexes

Inspection toolkit

A risk-classification framework, control-point checklist and corrective-action record for adaptation to adopted local law.

Review and download

Adoption and consultation

A transparent sequence from legal mandate and baseline assessment through consultation, implementation and evaluation.

Plan the process

Evidence and governance

Source control, conflicts, review cycles, attribution, licensing and the boundary between BAQA and public authority.

Review safeguards

Existing licensing guide

Use BAQA’s source navigator to locate current official requirements where body art work takes place.

Find official sources

Five principles for a defensible local framework

  1. Confirm legal power.Identify the enabling law, decision maker, rights, limits and other agencies before drafting.
  2. Define the local problem.Use available service, incident, complaint and enforcement information without overstating incomplete data.
  3. Use proportionate controls.Connect every enforceable requirement to a material risk, objective and lawful power.
  4. Consult openly.Include public health, legal, inspectors, practitioners, clients and affected communities and publish declared interests.
  5. Review outcomes.Plan inspector training, transition, measurement, correction and scheduled revision before commencement.

Selected precedent: the NEHA Body Art Model Code Adoption Toolkit demonstrates how a model code may support local adoption without becoming federal law. The US FDA also distinguishes product oversight from state and local regulation of tattooing practice.

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