PMU Licensing Requirements by State: What Every Permanent Makeup Artist Needs to Know
Permanent makeup is one of the fastest-growing corners of the beauty industry, but the rules for practicing it legally are anything but uniform. Depending on where a PMU artist sets up shop, the path to licensure might run through a state cosmetology board, a public health department, a county office, or — in a handful of states — no formal license at all. That patchwork makes it easy for even experienced artists to get tripped up by a requirement they didn’t know existed.
This guide breaks down how PMU licensing generally works across the United States, walks through what tends to be required, and gives a state-by-state snapshot of who regulates the industry where. Because rules shift as legislatures and health departments update their codes, always confirm current requirements with the specific agency listed for a state before enrolling in training or opening a business there.
Why PMU Licensing Rules Are So Different From State to State
There’s no single federal standard for permanent makeup, so each state has developed its own approach — and most fall into one of a few categories:
-
Regulated as tattooing. Many states fold PMU into their existing tattoo laws, requiring the same artist and facility licenses a traditional tattoo shop would need.
-
Regulated as cosmetology or esthetics. A smaller group of states — Colorado and Kansas among them — treat PMU as an extension of cosmetology, requiring a cosmetology or esthetician license plus specialized PMU training.
-
Regulated at the county or local level. States like Arizona, California, and Idaho leave the details to county health departments, so requirements can differ from one county to the next inside the same state.
-
Lightly regulated or unregulated at the state level. A number of states — North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Wyoming, and others — have little to no state-level oversight, though local rules may still apply.
Regulated as tattooing. Many states fold PMU into their existing tattoo laws, requiring the same artist and facility licenses a traditional tattoo shop would need.
Regulated as cosmetology or esthetics. A smaller group of states — Colorado and Kansas among them — treat PMU as an extension of cosmetology, requiring a cosmetology or esthetician license plus specialized PMU training.
Regulated at the county or local level. States like Arizona, California, and Idaho leave the details to county health departments, so requirements can differ from one county to the next inside the same state.
Lightly regulated or unregulated at the state level. A number of states — North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Wyoming, and others — have little to no state-level oversight, though local rules may still apply.
That variation is exactly why “what license do I need” doesn’t have one answer — it depends entirely on where the work is happening.
PMU Licensing Requirements by State
State
Licensing Requirements
Who Regulates It
Alabama
Body-art/tattoo artist license plus a body-art facility license. No cosmetology license required.
AL Dept. of Public Health (Body Art)
Alaska
Tattooist / permanent cosmetic colorist license; roughly 250 hours of board-approved training for the permanent-cosmetic standard.
AK Board of Barbers & Hairdressers
Arizona
No state PMU license; bloodborne pathogens training required; rules set locally.
Your county health department
Arkansas
State license plus a licensed establishment; roughly a 375-hour apprenticeship over 6 months and a practical exam.
AR Dept. of Health (Body Art)
California
No cosmetology/esthetician license needed. Register as a body-art practitioner with your county and pass a bloodborne pathogens exam (Safe Body Art Act).
Your county health department
Colorado
Among the strictest: an esthetician or cosmetology license plus a 132-hour state-approved PMU program.
CO DORA — Office of Barber & Cosmetology Licensure (303-894-7800)
Connecticut
Tattoo technician license. No esthetician/cosmetology license required.
CT Dept. of Public Health
Delaware
The state licenses body-art establishments, not individual artists — you must work out of a licensed establishment.
DE Division of Public Health
Florida
Tattoo artist license plus work in a licensed tattoo establishment; bloodborne pathogens course required.
FL Dept. of Health
Georgia
State and county tattoo/body-art license. No cosmetology/esthetician license required.
GA Dept. of Public Health + your county
Hawaii
Tattoo license.
HI Dept. of Health (Sanitation Branch)
Idaho
Largely unregulated at the state level; bloodborne pathogens training recommended; confirm county rules.
Your county health department
Illinois
State tattoo/PMU license plus a body-art establishment license; must work in a licensed facility.
IL Dept. of Public Health (Body Art)
Indiana
Local/county body-art permit through your local health department, under state guidance.
Your county health department
Iowa
Tattoo artist license plus work in a licensed tattoo establishment.
IA Dept. of Public Health
Kansas
Cosmetic tattooing is regulated by the Board of Cosmetology, requiring training and licensure.
KS Board of Cosmetology
Kentucky
Register with your local health department (902 KAR 45:065).
KY Dept. for Public Health + local
Louisiana
State regulates body art through the Food & Drug Program; facility permit plus practitioner registration.
LA Dept. of Health
Maine
Practitioner license (treated as micropigmentation) with training and supervision requirements.
ME Dept. of Health & Human Services
Maryland
Cosmetic tattooing is prohibited in salons; rules are set locally — confirm with your county or city.
MD Dept. of Health + local
Massachusetts
Body-art practitioner registration through your local board of health.
MA DPH — Community Sanitation (Body Art)
Michigan
Must work in a licensed body-art facility (MDHHS licenses facilities).
MI Dept. of Health & Human Services
Minnesota
Body-art technician license, which covers micropigmentation.
MN Dept. of Health (Body Art)
Mississippi
No cosmetology/esthetician license needed; tattoo license through the Health Dept. plus roughly 9 months under a licensed tattoo artist.
MS State Dept. of Health
Missouri
Tattoo license requiring bloodborne pathogens training and a 300-hour apprenticeship; specifics vary by county.
MO Office of Tattooing, Body Piercing & Branding
Montana
Body-art license; requirements vary by county.
MT DPHHS + local
Nebraska
“Permanent color technician” license covering both artists and facilities; certification plus bloodborne pathogens training required.
NE Dept. of Health & Human Services
Nevada
Body-art card issued through the county health district; some counties require apprentice hours.
Southern Nevada Health District / your county
New Hampshire
Microblading Certificate through DHHS: an accredited course (AAM or SPCP) plus sanitation/safety and bloodborne pathogens training.
NH Dept. of Health & Human Services
New Jersey
Roughly 40+ hours of PMU training (AAM/SPCP certified) plus a body-art establishment license; varies by county.
Your local health department
New Mexico
Body-art practitioner license requiring an apprenticeship, 100 hours of theory, a jurisprudence exam, and CPR/first aid/bloodborne pathogens certification.
NM Regulation & Licensing (Barbers & Cosmetologists)
New York
County-determined. NYC requires a tattoo license plus the DOHMH infection-control course; other counties vary.
NYC DOHMH / your county health dept.
North Carolina
Tattoo license at the state level, with additional county-level requirements common.
NC Dept. of Health & Human Services + your county
North Dakota
Not regulated at the state level; some cities and counties set their own rules.
Your local health department
Ohio
Tattoo license plus training/certification; body art falls under OAC 3701-9 and is licensed by local health departments.
Your local health department
Oklahoma
PMU license through the State Dept. of Health; artists work as a licensed Specialist.
OK State Dept. of Health
Oregon
License requiring approved training/apprenticeship hours; specifics vary by county.
OR Health Licensing Office (Body Art)
Pennsylvania
Unregulated at the state level; check your county or city.
Your local county/city offices
Rhode Island
Artist license plus an establishment license; sanitation and bloodborne pathogens training required.
RI Dept. of Health
South Carolina
Unusually strict — treated as a structural alteration of facial tissue, so it may only be performed under a physician’s direction. Confirm carefully.
SC DHEC + state medical board
South Dakota
Minimal state regulation; mainly governed by local health-department rules.
Your local health department
Tennessee
License required for both artists and establishments; microblading is treated as tattooing.
TN Dept. of Health — Environmental Health
Texas
Must be performed in a registered tattoo studio; bloodborne pathogens training required; varies by county.
TX Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS)
Utah
Largely unregulated at the state level; some counties have their own body-art rules.
Your local health department
Vermont
License (tattooist / permanent cosmetics) through the Office of Professional Regulation; must work in a licensed or registered shop.
VT Office of Professional Regulation
Virginia
Permanent-cosmetic tattooing license and exam through the Board for Barbers & Cosmetology.
VA Dept. of Professional & Occupational Regulation
Washington
“Permanent cosmetics” artist license plus a shop license; bloodborne pathogens certificate required.
WA Dept. of Licensing
West Virginia
Regulated at the state level, including licensing and facility inspection. Confirm the current practitioner requirement.
WV Dept. of Health & Human Resources
Wisconsin
Separate artist and establishment licenses; PMU falls under tattooing rules (DHS 173 / SPS 221). No set training-hour requirement.
WI Dept. of Safety & Professional Services
Wyoming
Not regulated at the state level; some counties and cities have their own rules.
Your local health department
Washington, D.C.
Not regulated at the district level; confirm any local requirements.
DC Dept. of Health
Common Threads Worth Noting
Even with all that variation, a few requirements show up again and again:
-
Bloodborne pathogens training. This is close to universal, whether or not the state requires a formal PMU license — it’s a baseline expected almost everywhere PMU is performed.
-
Facility or establishment licensing. Many states license the space itself, separate from the artist, which means the shop and the practitioner both need to be in good standing.
-
Minimum training or apprenticeship hours. States that do license PMU artists directly (Arkansas, Alaska, Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, and others) frequently attach a specific hour requirement to that license.
-
County-level authority. Even in states without a dedicated PMU statute, county or city health departments often step in to fill the gap — so “no state license” rarely means “no rules.”
Bloodborne pathogens training. This is close to universal, whether or not the state requires a formal PMU license — it’s a baseline expected almost everywhere PMU is performed.
Facility or establishment licensing. Many states license the space itself, separate from the artist, which means the shop and the practitioner both need to be in good standing.
Minimum training or apprenticeship hours. States that do license PMU artists directly (Arkansas, Alaska, Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, and others) frequently attach a specific hour requirement to that license.
County-level authority. Even in states without a dedicated PMU statute, county or city health departments often step in to fill the gap — so “no state license” rarely means “no rules.”
Getting Licensed: The General Path
While the details differ by state, most artists follow a similar sequence to get licensed:
-
Confirm the right regulatory body. Start with the state agency listed above, then check whether the county or city adds its own requirements.
-
Complete bloodborne pathogens certification. This is typically required regardless of state, and it’s often the fastest box to check.
-
Complete PMU-specific training. Hours and curriculum requirements vary widely, from none to 250+ hours, so choose a program that meets or exceeds the strictest requirement in the state where you plan to work.
-
Apply for the applicable license(s). This may mean an artist license, a facility license, or both — and possibly a jurisprudence or practical exam.
-
Keep certifications current. Bloodborne pathogens training and some licenses require periodic renewal, so build that into an ongoing business routine rather than a one-time task.
Confirm the right regulatory body. Start with the state agency listed above, then check whether the county or city adds its own requirements.
Complete bloodborne pathogens certification. This is typically required regardless of state, and it’s often the fastest box to check.
Complete PMU-specific training. Hours and curriculum requirements vary widely, from none to 250+ hours, so choose a program that meets or exceeds the strictest requirement in the state where you plan to work.
Apply for the applicable license(s). This may mean an artist license, a facility license, or both — and possibly a jurisprudence or practical exam.
Keep certifications current. Bloodborne pathogens training and some licenses require periodic renewal, so build that into an ongoing business routine rather than a one-time task.
A Note on Staying Compliant
Licensing rules aren’t static — states update health codes, boards adjust hour requirements, and counties revise local ordinances. Before enrolling in a training program or opening a PMU business in any state, it’s worth a quick call to the listed regulatory agency to confirm current requirements, since the details above can change over time.