How to Become a Licensed Tattoo Artist in Hawaii
How do you become a licensed tattoo artist in Hawaii?
Becoming a licensed tattoo artist in Hawaii takes more than mastering the craft. It means understanding state regulations, meeting strict health standards, and honoring the cultural weight tattooing carries across the islands. The good news: the path is clear, and this guide walks you through every step, from your Bloodborne Pathogens certification to the medical reports Hawaii is known for requiring.
Hawaii runs a state-license model overseen by the Department of Health, Sanitation Branch, under Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 321-13. That means the rules are consistent statewide, so you can focus your energy on building real skill and getting job-ready rather than decoding a patchwork of county codes.
At a glance: tattoo licensing in Hawaii
Note: Hawaii is one of the only states that requires both TB and Syphilis medical screening before you can be licensed. Budget time for the medical appointment and lab results early in the process.
Why get licensed before you tattoo?
A Tattoo Artist License is your legal permission to perform tattoo procedures in Hawaii, and it signals credibility to shops and clients alike. Working licensed keeps you inside the law, protects your clients’ health, and marks you as a professional who takes the craft seriously. It is the foundation every serious career in the industry is built on.
What are the steps to get a Hawaii tattoo license?
Complete a Bloodborne Pathogens course
Take a Bloodborne Pathogen course built for the tattoo industry through one of the Department-approved providers listed below. Fees vary by provider. Pass the course before moving on.
Complete your TB and Syphilis medical reports
Get tested for Tuberculosis and Syphilis, then have a licensed medical provider complete and sign the Tuberculosis and Syphilis Report Form. Provide a copy of the form to the Hawaii shop where you will work.
Address Hepatitis B
Vaccination is strongly recommended. You can get vaccinated at a pharmacy or through your healthcare provider, and it may be covered by insurance. Provide your Hepatitis B vaccination record, or a signed declination form with a valid reason if you choose not to be vaccinated.
Pass the written exam
Sit and pass the required written exam covering health, safety, and Hawaii’s body art rules.
Fill out the license application
Print and complete the Tattoo Artist License Application, including all required personal details.
Pay the application fee
Submit the non-refundable application fee of $75. Make checks payable to State of Hawaii, with the bank account name and address printed on the check.
Submit your application
Deliver your completed application to the Department of Health, Sanitation Branch for review, along with your supporting documents.
Which Bloodborne Pathogens courses does Hawaii approve?
The Hawaii Department of Health approves BBP training from the following providers. Each offers an online option, and fees vary, so compare before you enroll.
- Above Training: Bloodborne Pathogens Training Course for Body Artists, available at abovetraining.com
- Biologix Solutions LLC: Bloodborne Pathogens and Infection Control for Tattoo & Piercing Artists, available at blxtraining.com
- Body Art Training Group: Bloodborne Pathogens Training and Infection Control for Body Art Professionals (Course BBP300, Nationwide), available at yourtrainingplace.com
- Cathy Montie Body Art Training Company: USA/International Blood Borne Pathogen Class, available at cathymontie.com
- Compliance Training Online: Tattoo Artists and Body Piercers OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen and Needlestick Prevention Certification, available at compliancetrainingonline.com
- ICE Training Institute: Blood Borne Pathogen and Communicable Diseases for Tattoo Artist, available at icetraininginstitute.com
- Pacific Medical Training: Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) for non-medical persons, available at pacificmedicaltraining.com
- ProTrainings: Bloodborne for Body Art, available at tattoo.probloodborne.com
How do you keep your Hawaii license current?
In Hawaii, licenses typically expire at the end of even-numbered years, so track your expiration date and renew on time. Submit your renewal to the Department of Health in writing before your license lapses. Renewing on schedule costs far less than letting the license expire, and it keeps you working without interruption. Staying current is the simplest way to protect the career you have built.
Tip: Set a reminder well ahead of your expiration date. Because Hawaii’s cycle lands on even-numbered years, it is easy to lose track between renewals.
What does a tattoo career in Hawaii really look like?
Tattooing is one of the few creative careers that cannot be automated away. It is hands-on, personal, and built on trust between artist and client, work an algorithm cannot replicate. It also pays: a Professional Tattoo Artist can earn over $106,000 per year, according to ZipRecruiter. For career-changers, that combination of creative freedom and real income makes it a serious alternative to a traditional college path.
The license gets you legal. What gets you great is training under a working Mentor who can teach you line work, shading, sanitation, and the business of a real studio. That is where a proper apprenticeship comes in.
Learn to tattoo with Ink Different
Tattooing is an AI-proof, hands-on creative career, and a real apprenticeship in a licensed studio is how you actually build it. Rather than a tattoo apprenticeship lecture hall, you learn by doing: alongside a working Mentor, with the guidance and licensing support to become job-ready. Think of it as the Juilliard of tattoo education, a focused alternative to a four-year degree.
The Traditional Apprenticeship
The Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship runs 18 to 24 months across four phases and starts remote, so you can begin building foundations wherever you are. It welcomes complete beginners, and Ink Different now has 50+ locations across the United States. Seats are limited, but the path is designed to take you from first sketch to confident, working Tattoo Artist.
If you are ready to change careers and put in the work, connect with a Mentor near one of our 50+ locations and take the first real step toward your future in tattooing.
