How old in SC do you have to be to legally get a tattoo? Here’s what the law says

Up until 15 years ago, South Carolina was the only state in the country to make it illegal for someone younger than 21 to get a tattoo.

Now, the age is 18, but South Carolina still has the distinction of standing alone on one aspect of tattoo regulation. No tattoos on the head, neck, or face.

Stephanie Melora, the owner of Southern Cypress Tattoo in Five Points, said that is not necessarily a bad thing. Heads can’t be covered up easily with clothing.

In her business such tattoos are called job stoppers.

“It’s a big deal,” she said.

She said she rarely gets underage people in her shop and she is a stickler for seeing identification. Even if it wasn’t against the law, she would not tattoo someone younger than 18.

“That is a permanent change to your body,” she said.

What has happened is a tattooed parent asking her to ink their child. Her answer is no to that, too.

More of a concern, she said, is the law saying tattoo shops must be 1,000 feet from a church.

“This is the South,” she said. “There’s a church on every corner.”

Also, Columbia’s zoning law requires tattoo shops must be 1,000 feet apart. That rule tripped her up a few years ago when she wanted to open another shop across Greene Street, where there was already a shop.

Melora has been tattooing for 13 years and has owned her shop since 2019. Now she has three artists, including herself and an apprentice. South Carolina requires 1,000 hours as an apprentice before an artist can be licensed.

It usually turns out to be much more time than that, she said.

South Carolina outlawed tattooing in SC in 1960 due to fears of hepatitis. The law was not rescinded until 2004.

Now there are about 155 shops all over the state. About two dozen are in the Columbia area.

“We’re not scary,” Melora said. “The human body is our canvas. It’s a sacred and healing art for a lot of people, just like church.”

This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 6:00 AM.