Legal Update: Legal Q&A - Piercings and tattoos

Is it legal for my child to get a body piercing or a tattoo?

There is no legal age of consent for a child to get a body piercing; as long as the child has consented to the piercing, it is permitted by law. Some local authorities have made suggestions about the age at which a child may decide to get a specific body piercing, but there are no plans to introduce an age of consent.

However, children under the age of 16 cannot give consent to a genital (or in the case of girls, nipple) piercing. The act of delivering such a piercing on someone under the age of 16 may be considered to be indecent assault, possibly resulting in the piercer receiving a fine, prison sentence, or even having to sign the sex offenders register. Female circumcision is always illegal, even if the circumcision takes place outside of the UK.

According to the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969, it is illegal for anyone to tattoo a person under the age of 18. The person who carries out the procedure is considered to be the offender, rather than the child who has been tattooed.

However, a possible defence for the person charged is to show that at the time the tattoo was performed, he had reasonable cause to believe that the person tattooed was over 18 and did in fact believe it to be the case.

Finally, if the tattoo is performed for medical reasons by a qualified medical practitioner, this will not be considered to be an offence.

Do you have any questions?
Email them to clc@essex.ac.uk
or call the Child Law Advice Line on 08088 020 008,
The National Education Line on 0845 345 4345,
Or visit www.childrenslegalcentre.com