All body artists (i.e., those who would like to tattoo, pierce, etc. at the BTC) must apply for a Temporary Body Art Practitioner License with Wilmington Board of Health (WBOH). The Application can be downloaded here. Please note the WBOH does not accept apprentice licenses to tattoo for this event.

Required Documents

Permit Fee: $50 permit fee

All complete applications must be received by at least 5 business days in advance of the Boston Tattoo Convention to ensure they are processed prior to the convention. Applications that are incomplete or that are not received will not be processed.

Body Art Convention Inspection Checklist:

This list is not exhaustive, but it is a guide to the most common issues for booth inspection during the tattoo convention.

__All working artists have their Temporary Body Artist Practitioner’s License visible
__No food at work station/in booth and no beverages present except bottled water
__Bottled water is capped when not in use and artists change gloves before returning to client after taking a drink
__A labeled sharps container and a biohazard container are present and used. Both containers are emptied regularly and not over full.
__Artist(s) are wearing new disposable gloves during practice and change them regularly – between clients, after touching a non-sanitized surface before returning to the client, etc.
__Tattoo machine bodies and power cords are covered with new plastic wraps before each client
__New clean barrier covering (plastic wrap, pad, etc.) placed on the work surface, rinse cups, and other equipment for each client
__All inks and similar products are dispensed into single-use cups for each client – no drawing directly from the storage bottle/jar
__All products applied to the skin, such as but not limited to, stencils, applicators, gauze and razors, shall be single use and disposable
__Ensure all tattoo and or piercing needles and other reusable equipment are cleaned and sterilized in an autoclave prior to use. Accurate records of sterilization monitoring will be kept on site and presented to Health Department for review.
__Open all single use disposable products and needles for tattooing in front of clients.
__Each client must sign a consent form and provide a photo ID prior to performing body art.
__The area of the clients skin to be tattooed or pierced must be cleaned and sanitized using an alcohol soak
__Artists must thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water and dry them before each client. Use an alcohol based hand sanitation gel to clean hands if soap and water are not available. Artists should inspect their hands for small cuts or abrasions, and apply any skin sealant if necessary.
__All clients must receive proper after-care instructions. Completed tattoos and piercings must be covered/wrapped to prevent infection.
__All exposure accidents (i.e., needlestick/sharps accident) shall immediately be reported to the Wilmington Board of Health. An Exposure Incident Record shall be maintained on site.