Tattoo consent form template
A tattoo consent form records that your client is old enough, healthy enough and sober enough to be tattooed, that they approved the design and its placement, and that they know how to look after it. This one is written for studios and independent artists. Read it below, then have clients sign it on your tablet at the front desk.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 4 min read
The contract
Gray blanks are yours to fill in before you send. Each signer fills in the blanks in their color.
- You, before sending
- Client
- Artist
Tattoo Consent and Release
This Tattoo Consent and Release is between Studio name, license number Studio license number (the "Studio"), and Client's full name (the "Client").
1. Age and identification
The Client confirms they are 18 or older and has shown the Studio a valid government-issued photo ID. Date of birth: Client's date of birth
ID type: ID type Last four characters of the ID number: ID number last four
2. Health
The Client has answered these questions truthfully and will tell the artist before the session starts if anything changes.
- Are you pregnant or nursing? Pregnant or nursing
- Do you take blood thinners, aspirin or other medication that affects bleeding or healing? Medication affecting bleeding
- Do you have diabetes, a heart condition, hemophilia, epilepsy, an immune disorder, or a history of keloid scarring? If so, which? Medical conditions
- Do you have any allergies, including to latex, pigments, ointments or soaps? Allergies
- Is there a rash, sunburn, mole, cut or other skin condition where the tattoo will go? Skin condition at the site
The Client confirms they are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs that affect judgment, and that they have eaten in the hours before the session.
3. The design
Design: Design description
Placement: Placement on the body Approximate size: Approximate size
The Client has seen the final design and the stencil in place, and has checked the spelling of any words, names and dates. Client's initials to approve the design, spelling and placement: Initials: design approved
4. Risks
The Client understands that a tattoo is permanent and that removal is costly, painful and may not be complete. Risks include infection, allergic reaction to pigment, raised or keloid scarring, and blurring or fading over time. The final look depends on the Client's skin, healing and sun exposure, and colors may heal differently from how they look on the day. The Studio uses single-use needles and sterilized equipment, and follows the hygiene rules that apply to it.
5. Aftercare
The Client has received the Studio's written aftercare instructions and understands that healing depends on following them, including keeping the tattoo clean, not picking or scratching it, and staying out of pools, hot tubs, the sea and direct sun until it heals. The Client will contact the Studio or a doctor if they see signs of infection. Client's initials: Initials: aftercare received
6. Price, deposit and policy
Price for this tattoo: Tattoo price Deposit paid: Deposit paid
Studio policy on deposits, rescheduling, touch-ups and refunds: Deposit and refund policy
7. Consent and release
The Client consents to being tattooed by the artist who signs below. To the extent the law allows, the Client releases the Studio and its artists from claims arising from the normal risks described in section 4 and from the Client's failure to follow the aftercare instructions. This does not release claims caused by the Studio's negligence or willful misconduct.
8. Photos
The Studio may photograph the finished tattoo for its records. If the Client initials here, the Studio may also post those photos on its website and social media, without showing the Client's face: Initials: photo permission
9. General
This form is governed by the laws of the state of State. Electronic signatures count as original signatures.
Client phone: Client phone Email: Client email
I have read this form, my health answers are true, and I consent to the tattoo described in section 3.
By signing, the artist confirms they reviewed this form with the Client before starting and gave the Client written aftercare instructions.
Client
Artist
Opens it in SignMaster as a template you can edit and send.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review it for your state and situation.
On this page
Why every studio uses one
A tattoo is permanent and breaks the skin, so your client's consent has to be informed: about the risks, the healing, and what the design will actually look like on them. Most states and many local health departments regulate body art, and their rules commonly call for proof of age, a signed consent and written aftercare instructions for each client. Check what yours ask for.
The form also covers you on the awkward days: the client who misspelled their own child's name on the reference, the one who skipped aftercare and blamed the ink, the one who didn't mention the blood thinners.
What the template covers
- Age and ID: the client confirms they're 18 or older, gives their date of birth, and records the ID they showed.
- Health questions: pregnancy or nursing, blood thinners, diabetes, heart conditions, skin problems at the site, and allergies to latex, pigments or ointments.
- Sober and ready: no alcohol or drugs that affect judgment, and a meal in the hours before.
- Design and placement: a description, the placement and size, and the client's initials approving the design, spelling and stencil.
- Risks: infection, allergic reaction, scarring, and results that vary with skin, healing and sun.
- Aftercare: the client initials that they got your written instructions, and that healing depends on following them.
- Price, deposit and policy: your deposit, rescheduling, touch-up and refund terms in a blank you fill in.
- Photos: permission to post the finished piece, by separate initials, so it's never a condition of the tattoo.
Mistakes to avoid
- Accepting a parent's note for a minor. Some states ban tattooing anyone under 18 even with a parent's consent, and others require the parent to be there in person; check your state's rule first.
- Glancing at an ID without recording it. Note the ID type and the last digits of its number, or have the client upload a photo of it with the form.
- Skipping the health questions for regulars. Medications and pregnancies change; ask on every visit.
- Approving the stencil out loud. Initials next to the design and spelling line end the "that's not what I asked for" conversation before it starts.
- Keeping forms in a binder at the station. Paper picks up ink, water and worse, and you may need to produce a form years later.
Health answers are sensitive
The health section collects private medical information. Show it only to the artist doing the work, never post it anywhere, and check how long your state or county body art rules require you to keep client records.
How to use it at the front desk
- 1
Open the template
Choose Use this template above. It opens with two signers: the client, who signs first, and the artist, who countersigns.
- 2
Add your studio details
Fill the gray blanks with your studio name, license number, state, and your deposit and touch-up policy. Add an attachment field next to the ID section if you want a photo of the client's ID.
- 3
Fill in the piece
For each client, send an envelope from the template with the design, placement, size, price and deposit in the gray blanks, so the client approves exactly what you'll tattoo.
- 4
Hand over the tablet
Once the stencil is on and the client has checked it in the mirror, use Sign in person. They answer the health questions, initial the design and aftercare lines and sign.
- 5
Countersign before you start
Take the tablet back and sign as the artist. Client and studio each get the signed PDF by email with its certificate of completion, before the machine is switched on.
Clients who read Spanish or another language
The signing page, its buttons and the consent to sign electronically can appear in Spanish or any of 6 languages, while your form's wording stays as you wrote it. For consent that's truly informed, copy the text from the preview into your own document, have it translated, upload it as a second template, and use whichever version the client reads best. For walk-in days, a public link QR code at the desk lets people start the health questions on their own phones while they wait.
Questions? Answers.
How old do you have to be to sign a tattoo consent form?
18 in most places. Some states allow minors with a parent's written consent and presence, and some ban tattooing minors entirely. Your state's body art rules decide, not the form.
Can a client sign the consent form on their phone?
Yes, from a link you email or a QR code at the desk. The signed copy records their email, the time and the IP address, just as a tablet signature does.
Should the artist sign the consent form too?
Yes. Your signature confirms you went through the form with the client and gave them aftercare instructions, and it records which artist did the work.
How long should a studio keep tattoo consent forms?
Check your state or county body art rules, which often set a minimum. Signed PDFs don't fade or get lost in a drawer, so keeping them for years costs nothing.