Tattoo law in Netherlands

Is this studio licensed?

Licensed nationally

The Netherlands is one of the few places where "is this studio licensed?" is a real question with a checkable answer. A tattoo or piercing business needs a vergunning (permit), and it is not a formality: it is granted only after an inspection, it is tied to the specific premises where the work is done, and it runs for three years before it must be renewed. Someone who only pierces earlobes does not need one, though the hygiene rules still apply to them. Best of all, you do not have to take the studio's word for it — the NVWA (the food and consumer product safety authority) and the RIVM's national centre for hygiene and safety run a public database of every licence holder, and you can search it yourself before you book. If a Dutch studio is not in that database, that is a concrete warning sign, in a way it simply would not be in Germany, where no such licence exists to look up. Breaking the hygiene rules or the age limits can cost a studio its permit.

Warenwetbesluit tatoeëren en piercen, art. 3 (vergunning); Warenwetregeling tatoeëren en piercen

How old do you have to be?

The Netherlands sets three age bands rather than one threshold, and it is the most detailed set of rules we have recorded anywhere. Under 12, tattoos and piercings are not allowed at all — the single exception is piercing the earlobes. Between 12 and 16, a tattoo or piercing is possible, but only with the consent of a parent or guardian AND with that parent or guardian present while it is done. On top of that, certain work is off the table entirely for that age group no matter who agrees to it: no tattoos on the head, neck, wrists or hands, no genital piercings, and no nipple piercings on girls. The law achieves this by removing those specific procedures from the consent route altogether, so there is no permission a parent can give that makes them lawful. From 16 you decide for yourself and no parental consent is required — which means a 16-year-old can legally be tattooed in the Netherlands but not in the United Kingdom, where the ban runs to 18 with no exceptions.

Warenwetbesluit tatoeëren en piercen, art. 10, in conjunction with art. 24 Warenwet

What inks are legal here?

Dutch tattoo inks are covered by the EU-wide rules. Ink is separately governed by the EU REACH restriction: non-compliant inks left the market on 5 January 2022, and Pigment Blue 15:3 and Pigment Green 7 became unusable on 4 January 2023, which removed a large part of many artists' colour range.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/2081, amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH), entry 75

Inspections, and what to do if something goes wrong

The GGD inspects before a permit is issued and thereafter; the NVWA enforces. A studio that breaches hygiene rules or the age limits can be fined or lose its permit.

Hygiene concerns and suspected unlicensed operation go to the GGD for the municipality, with the NVWA as the national enforcement authority.

Sources

• Warenwetbesluit tatoeëren en piercen (BWBR0021605) — retrieved 2026-07-21
• Warenwetregeling tatoeëren en piercen (BWBR0021915) — retrieved 2026-07-21
• Rijksoverheid — Welke regels gelden er bij het laten zetten van een piercing of tatoeage? — retrieved 2026-07-21
• Veilig tatoeëren en piercen — public register of licence holders (NVWA / RIVM-LCHV) — retrieved 2026-07-21
• Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/2081 — REACH Annex XVII entry 75 — retrieved 2026-07-21
• BfR (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) — FAQ on tattoo inks, describing the EU-wide REACH restriction — retrieved 2026-07-21

This is general information about the law, not legal advice, and it can go out of date. Every source above is linked so you can check the current position yourself.