Can You Get A Tattoo With a Birth Certificate?
Let me admit, getting a tattoo comes with some risks and you have to be of a certain age to get it. Without being of a certain age, you cannot get a tattoo and you need some sort of identification to verify your age. So, is a birth certificate a legitimate way of verification? Can you get a tattoo with a birth certificate?
Yes, You can get a tattoo with a birth certificate. Tattooing requires you to present a photo id to verify your age and the birth certificate does just that. Other valid photo ids include driving license, passport, military id, and state or country-issued id.
If you are a minor, then the rules state that a parent must give their consent and must be present at the procedure. Also, there are some people who can’t get a tattoo due to medical and spiritual reasons.
This article will discuss the valid photo ids that can be used to get a tattoo. We will also talk about who shouldn’t get a tattoo and the legal age to get tattoos all around the world. Let’s just dive into it!
Can You Get A Tattoo With a Birth Certificate
Yes, a birth certificate is a legitimate and valid way to verify your age and identity. Every tattoo artist asks for a document that verifies the tattoo owner’s age and proves that he/she is an adult. If you are not of legal age, you need parental consent to get a tattoo.
To get a tattoo, the first and foremost requirement is to be of legal age. The tattooing procedure comes with a number of health risks. After all, you are injecting a foreign chemical into your body with a needle that will last almost a lifetime. Naturally, it comes with a number of risks such as infections, allergic reactions, swelling, redness, and itchiness. It can even cause serious issues such as skin cancer and death!
So, it’s completely logical that your tattoo artist will want to verify that you are old enough to understand the risks associated with the procedure and mature enough to give consent.
A birth certificate does just that. Your birth certificate is a government-issued photo verification method. It helps to identify your nationality and your legal age. It also helps your tattoo artist to understand that you are mature enough to comprehend the danger and competent enough to give the green light.
But, what happens when you have a birth certificate but are not of legal age to get a tattoo? The answer is quite simple.
If you are not of legal age to get a tattoo, then you need parental consent to get a tattoo. Also, one or both parents must be present during the procedure and oversee the whole procedure.
Other IDs that Can Substitute Birth Certificates
In the absence of a birth certificate, you can use other documents for verification. These include-
- Military ID
- School ID
- Driving license
- Passport
- State or Country-issued ID
- Yearbook with photo and name of the customer printed underneath.
Who Should Not Get A Tattoo?
After becoming of a certain age, you can get your tattoo without any parental permission. But, there are certain people who should not get a tattoo.
The reasons can vary from medical ones to religious ones. But, Most people should not get tattoos if they have any medical condition that may prolong their healing.
- If you’re pregnent or breastfeeding, then it’s best to avoid getting tattooed. There is always a risk of getting infected while getting tattooed. While the infections might not be severe for the mother, the baby might suffer horrendous damage due to it having a weak immune system.
- If you’re diabetic, then avoid getting tattooed. Diabetes compromises your immune system. Any wound that you receive will take a long time to heal. You may develop an infection easier if you are diabetic.
- People who suffer from eczema should avoid getting tattooed. Eczema makes your skin more sensitive. The tattoo Inkpen punctures your skin more than a hundred times and injects the cells with ink. This process alone has the chance to flare up your skin and eczema makes it worse. It slows down the healing and irritates your skin.
- People who suffer from blood disorders should refrain from getting tattooed. Some of these disorders cause excessive bleeding or issues with clotting which is not good for tattooing. Blood disorders also cause the skin to heal poorly or over a long period of time.
- Certain medications such as blood thinners, blood pressure tablet and heart medicines slows down the tattooing process. The medications dissolve themselves in the bloodstream and prevent the clotting process. The clotting process is the main way the body heals. So, if you are on any of the above medications, then don’t get tattooed.
Legal Age To Get Tattoos Around The World
We have already established that a person has to be of a certain age to be considered eligible about getting a tattoo. The legal age varies from country to country and even differs from continent to continent.
| Country | Age |
| Thailand | 20 |
| Canada | 16 |
| South Korea | 20 |
| England | 18 |
| Scotland | 20 |
| Italy | 18 |
| France | 16 |
| Spain | 14-16 |
| Russia | 18 |
| China | 18 |
From the above table, we can see that the average age of getting a tattoo is around 18 years old around the world. In Europe, We see that the average age of getting a tattoo is 16 years while in Asia the age is 18-19 years. The legal age differs due to a lot of cultural and societal reasons.
Legal Age To Tattoos around the US
The United States is a huge country with more than 50 states. Each state has their own rules and regulations that have developed independently without any central influence. The legal age to get a tattoo is different from state to state.
| State | Age |
| Florida | 16 |
| California | 18 |
| Alabama | 16 |
| Mississippi | 21 |
| New York | 21 |
| Arizona | Not specified ( Parent must be present for minors) |
Final Thoughts
We think now you know what to answer when someone asks ‘can you get a tattoo with a birth certificate’.
A birth certificate can be a legitimate way of proving your age. The tattooing procedure needs you to produce photo identification to establish your age, which the birth certificate does. Driving licenses, passports, military identification, and state or country-issued identification are all acceptable forms of photo identification.
We hope that this article helped you with your quarries and cleared any doubts that you had in your mind. Now, get on the phone and book your appointment to get all inked up!
