Virginia Law

A. Any person desiring to enroll in a tattooing or permanent cosmetic tattooing school will be required to provide documentation of satisfactory completion of board-approved health education to include (i) bloodborne disease, sterilization, and aseptic techniques related to tattooing and (ii) first aid.

B. Each tattoo or permanent cosmetic tattoo school must submit with its application a curriculum, including a course syllabus, a detailed course content outline, a copy of any course text, a sample of five lesson plans, a sample of evaluation methods to be used, days and hours of instruction, program length, a sample of a final transcript, a breakdown of hours and performances for all courses to be taught that will lead to licensure , and a sample test of at least 25 questions that will be administered to students, including answer key.

C. The outline for tattooing must include the following:

1. Microbiology - minimum of 100 hours of instruction.

a. Microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, fungus;

b. Transmission cycle of infectious diseases; and

c. Characteristics of antimicrobial agents.

2. Immunization - minimum of 50 hours of instruction.

a. Types of immunizations;

b. Hepatitis A through G transmission and immunization;

c. HIV/AIDS;

d. Tetanus, streptococcal, zoonotic, tuberculosis, pneumococcal, and influenza;

e. Measles, mumps, and rubella;

f. Vaccines and immunization; and

g. General preventative measures to be taken to protect the tattooer and client.

3. Sanitation and disinfection - minimum of 150 hours of instruction.

a. Definition of terms:

(1) Sterilization;

(2) Disinfection and disinfectant;

(3) Sterilizer or sterilant;

(4) Antiseptic;

(5) Germicide;

(6) Decontamination; and

(7) Sanitation;

b. The use of steam sterilization equipment and techniques;

c. The use of chemical agents, antiseptics, disinfectants, and fumigants;

d. The use of sanitation equipment;

e. Preservice sanitation procedure; and

f. Postservice sanitation procedure.

4. Safety - minimum of 50 hours of instruction.

a. Proper needle handling and disposal;

b. How to avoid overexposure to chemicals;

c. The use of Safety Data Sheets;

d. Blood spill procedures;

e. Equipment and instrument storage; and

f. First aid.

5. Bloodborne pathogen standards - minimum of 50 hours of instruction.

a. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bloodborne pathogen standards;

b. Control plan for bloodborne pathogens;

c. Exposure control plan for tattooers;

d. Overview of compliance requirements; and

e. Disorders and when not to service a client.

6. Professional standards - minimum of 30 hours of instruction.

a. History of tattooing;

b. Ethics;

c. Recordkeeping:

(1) Client health history;

(2) Consent forms; and

(3) HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 Privacy Rule) Standards;

d. Preparing station, making appointments, parlor ethics:

(1) Maintaining professional appearance, notifying clients of schedule changes; and

(2) Promoting services of the parlor and establishing clientele;

e. Parlor management:

(1) Licensing requirements; and

(2) Taxes; and

f. Supplies:

(1) Usages;

(2) Ordering; and

(3) Storage.

7. Tattooing - minimum of 500 hours of instruction.

a. Client consultation;

b. Client health form;

c. Client disclosure form;

d. Client preparation;

e. Sanitation and safety precautions;

f. Implement selection and use;

g. Proper use of equipment;

h. Material selection and use;

i. Needles:

(1) Groupings;

(2) Properties; and

(3) Making;

j. Ink;

k. Machine:

(1) Construction;

(2) Adjustment; and

(3) Power supply;

l. Art, drawing; and

m. Portfolio.

8. Anatomy - minimum of 60 hours of instruction.

a. Understanding of skin; and

b. Parts and functions of skin.

9. Virginia tattooing laws and regulations - minimum of 10 hours of instruction.

D. The outline for permanent cosmetic tattooing must include the following:

1. Virginia tattooing laws and regulations - minimum of five hours of instruction.

2. Machines and devices - minimum of 15 hours of instruction:

a. Coil or rotary machine;

b. Hand device; and

c. Other devices.

3. Needles and cartridges - minimum of 10 hours of instruction:

a. Types;

b. Uses; and

c. Application.

4. Anatomy - minimum of 10 hours of instruction:

a. Layers of skin;

b. Parts and functions of skin; and

c. Diseases.

5. Color theory - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. Skin and pigment color; and

b. Handling and storage of pigments.

6. Transmission cycle of infectious diseases - minimum of five hours of instruction.

7. Immunization - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. Types of immunizations; and

b. General preventative measures to be taken to protect the tattooer and client.

8. Sanitation and disinfection - minimum of 15 hours of instruction:

a. Definition of terms:

(1) Sterilization;

(2) Disinfection and disinfectant;

(3) Sterilizer or sterilant;

(4) Antiseptic;

(5) Germicide;

(6) Decontamination; and

(7) Sanitation;

b. The use of steam sterilization equipment and techniques;

c. The use of chemical agents, antiseptics, and disinfectants;

d. The use of sanitation equipment;

e. Preservice sanitation procedure; and

f. Postservice sanitation procedure.

9. Safety - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. Proper needle handling and disposal;

b. Blood spill procedures;

c. Equipment and instrument storage; and

d. First aid.

10. Bloodborne pathogen standards - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. OSHA and CDC bloodborne pathogen standards;

b. Overview of compliance requirements; and

c. Disorders and when not to service a client.

11. Anesthetics - minimum of 10 hours of instruction:

a. Use;

b. Types;

c. Application; and

d. Removal.

12. Equipment - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. Gloves;

b. Masks;

c. Apron;

d. Chair;

e. Lighting; and

f. Work table.

13. Professional standards - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. History of permanent cosmetic tattooing;

b. Ethics;

c. Recordkeeping:

(1) Client health history; and

(2) Consent forms;

d. Preparing station, making appointments, and salon ethics:

(1) Maintaining professional appearance and notifying clients of schedule changes; and

(2) Promoting services of the salon and establishing clientele; and

e. Salon management:

(1) Licensing requirements; and

(2) Taxes.

14. Permanent cosmetic tattooing - minimum of 100 hours of instruction:

a. Client consultation;

b. Client health form;

c. Client disclosure form;

d. Client preparation;

e. Drawing and mapping;

f. Sanitation and safety precautions;

g. Implement selection and use;

h. Proper use of equipment;

i. Material selection and use;

j. Eyebrows;

k. Microblading;

l. Eyeliner;

m. Lip coloring;

n. Lip liners; and

o. Scalp micropigmentation.

E. The outline for master permanent cosmetic tattooing must include the following:

1. Virginia tattooing laws and regulations - minimum of five hours of instruction.

2. Machines and devices - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. Coil or rotary machine;

b. Hand device; and

c. Other devices.

3. Needles and cartridges - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. Types;

b. Uses; and

c. Application.

4. Advanced practical clinical anatomy - minimum of 10 hours of instruction:

a. Eyelid anatomy;

b. Lip anatomy; and

c. Breast anatomy.

5. Advanced color theory - minimum of 10 hours of instruction.

6. Organic and inorganic pigment - minimum of five hours of instruction.

7. Understanding the surgical process - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. The latissimus dorsi flap procedure;

b. Abdominoplasty and breast reconstruction;

c. Other reconstruction procedures:

(1) Deep inferior epigastric artery (perforator DIEP) flap; and

(2) Superior gluteal artery (perforator DIEP) flap;

d. Flap size versus areola size; and

e. Implant reconstruction:

(1) Tissue expansion;

(2) Placing the implant;

(3) Implant versus flap reconstruction;

(4) Saline versus silicone;

(5) Radiation therapy; and

(6) Lymphedema.

8. Client consultation - minimum of 10 hours of instruction.

9. Breast areolar pigmentation - minimum of 10 hours of instruction:

a. Chart notes;

b. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA);

c. Room setup;

d. Anesthetic for breast procedures;

e. Color selection;

f. Needle selection;

g. Design and placement:

(1) Position of the areola or nipple complex;

(2) The Penn Triangle;

(3) Diameter of the areola; and

(4) Nipple reconstruction;

h. Creating three-dimensional nipple or areola:

(1) Understanding and creating a reflection of light; and

(2) The value of color;

i. Covering scar tissue and periareolar scar blending;

j. Aftercare:

(1) Tegaderm aftercare instructions; and

(2) Follow up; and

k. Precautions and contraindications.

10. Skin cancer - minimum of five hours of instruction:

a. Basal cell carcinomas;

b. Squamous cell carcinomas; and

c. Melanoma.

11. The art of camouflage - minimum of 10 hours of instruction:

a. Client or patient selection and handling;

b. Contraindications and when not to perform services;

c. Skin tones;

d. Color selection and skin tone matching;

e. Scars;

f. Burn scars; and

g. Common needle configurations used for camouflage.

12. Side effects - minimum of five hours of instruction.

13. Insurance - minimum of five hours of instruction.

14. Master permanent cosmetic tattooing procedures - minimum of 110 hours of instruction:

a. Lip;

b. Areola;

c. Blush;

d. Camouflage; and

e. Eyeshadow.

F. A licensed tattoo or permanent cosmetic tattoo school may conduct an assessment of a transfer student's competence in the respective profession and, based on the assessment, give credit toward the hours requirements specified in this section and 18VAC41-50-290. A licensed tattooing or permanent cosmetic tattooing school with an approved master permanent cosmetic tattooing program may conduct an assessment of a transfer student's competence in master permanent cosmetic tattooing and, based on the assessment, give credit toward the requirements specified in subsection E of this section and 18VAC41-50-290 D.

The school must make the assessment based on a review of the student's transcript, documentation of hours and performances provided to the student by the school from where the student is transferring, and the successful completion of a competency examination administered by the school. The school may also request a copy of a catalog or bulletin giving the full course description when making the evaluation. The number of credit hours awarded must not exceed the actual hours of instruction verified on the transcript or the number of hours specified in the board-approved curriculum for a specific topic.