Tattoo age requirement in Colorado: Why Our Tattoo Shop Has an 18+ Policy
- stephiroth2000
- 18 hours ago
- 5 min read
Colorado law allows a minor to receive a tattoo when the tattoo artist has obtained express consent from the minor’s parent or legal guardian. That means tattooing someone under 18 is not automatically illegal in our state.
At West Side Tattoo, however, our shop policy is simple: you must be at least 18 years old to get tattooed.
We did not make that decision because we think every teenager has terrible ideas. Plenty of adults have terrible ideas, too. Age does not prevent someone from requesting their partner’s name across their forehead after dating for three weeks.
Our policy comes from experience.
We Used to Tattoo Minors tattoo age requirement in Colorado
Once upon a time, West Side Tattoo did accept certain clients under 18 with parental consent. Everything was done legally, with the appropriate parent or guardian involved.
Over time, though, we began noticing a pattern.
The tattoo appointment often became less about what the young client wanted and more about what their parent wanted them to get. Even when everyone had good intentions, the design could start feeling like a group project:
The client wanted one thing
Mom wanted it smaller.
Dad wanted it somewhere easier to cover
Someone wanted a Bible verse added
Someone else thought it needed a flower
Suddenly, five people were designing one tattoo on one person’s body.
The finished tattoo rarely felt completely like the client’s. It felt more like a shared tattoo that only one person had to wear.
A Tattoo Should Belong to the Person Wearing It
Parents naturally want to protect their children. They may want to make sure the tattoo is tasteful, meaningful, appropriately placed and unlikely to interfere with future employment.
Those concerns are understandable. However, they can also make it difficult to determine whether the person being tattooed genuinely loves the idea or is simply choosing the version everyone else will approve of.
A tattoo is permanent artwork placed on an individual person’s body. The design, placement, size and meaning should reflect that person—not a committee of well-meaning family members.
When the person getting tattooed is under 18, the parent is legally required to be part of the decision. That creates an unusual situation: the client is the person receiving the tattoo, but the parent is the person with the authority to approve it.
Even when everyone agrees, that dynamic can make it harder for a young client to speak honestly. They may not feel comfortable saying:
“That isn’t actually what I want.”
“I changed my mind.”
“I don’t like that placement.”
“I only agreed because my parent likes it.”
Tattoo appointments should give clients room to make confident decisions about their own bodies. We eventually realized that our shop could best protect that experience by waiting until each client was legally able to make the decision independently.
We Have Seen Clients Outgrow Their Minor Tattoos
Another reason we changed our policy was what happened after some of those clients turned 18.
We had people return to the shop as adults asking us to change, rework or completely cover the tattoo they received as a minor. In some cases, their style had changed. In others, the original tattoo no longer represented them—or never fully had.
Of course, adults change their minds about tattoos, too. Tattoo artists would have considerably less work if nobody ever wanted a cover-up.
But there was something especially telling about clients coming back shortly after reaching adulthood and wanting to replace a tattoo that had been approved, influenced or partially designed by someone else.
Those experiences reinforced what we had already begun to feel: waiting was usually the better choice.
Turning 18 does not magically give someone perfect taste, flawless judgment or the ability to predict what they will love at 40. It does, however, allow them to make the decision as an adult and take full ownership of it.
Why We Prefer One-on-One Consultations
This philosophy also influences how we approach tattoo consultations.
Whenever possible, we prefer to speak directly with the person who will be wearing the tattoo. Parents, partners, siblings and best friends can be incredibly supportive, but too many opinions can quickly drown out the client’s voice.
It often happens innocently. tattoo age requirement in Colorado
A client begins explaining their idea, and someone accompanying them jumps in:
“What they actually want is…”
We promise, we want to hear what the client actually wants—from the client.
During a consultation, our artists may ask personal questions about the meaning of the tattoo, what elements matter most, how visible the client wants it to be and what they definitely do not want included. Clients are often more honest when they do not feel like they need to defend their choices to an audience.
That does not mean you cannot discuss your tattoo with people you trust before your appointment. It simply means that when it is time to design the tattoo, the loudest voice in the room should belong to the person getting it.
Matching tattoos are an obvious exception because the entire point is making the decision together. We are not going to separate matching-tattoo clients and interrogate them individually under a desk lamp.
But for an individual custom tattoo, we want the design process to stay centered on the individual.
Waiting Is Not a Rejection
We understand that being told to wait can be disappointing, especially when someone has spent months researching artists, saving money and developing an idea they genuinely care about.
Our 18-and-older policy is not meant to dismiss younger clients or suggest that their ideas are not meaningful. It is meant to give those ideas time and protect the client’s ability to make the final decision independently.
A strong tattoo idea will still be there when the client turns 18. It may become more refined, more personal or better suited to their long-term style. They may also discover a completely different idea they love even more.
There is no prize for getting tattooed as early as legally possible. Your skin is not a concert ticket that sells out when you turn 19.
Our Policy Is About Ownership
Colorado law permits tattooing a minor when express parental or guardian consent is obtained, but individual tattoo studios may establish stricter age policies. At West Side Tattoo, we have chosen to tattoo adults only.
We want every client to be able to say:
“I chose this design.”
“I chose this placement.”
“I understand the commitment.”
“This tattoo belongs to me.”
Your family and friends are welcome to be excited for you. They can celebrate the finished tattoo, compliment your excellent decisions and pretend they were never worried about it.
But the tattoo itself should be yours.
That is why West Side Tattoo only tattoos clients who are 18 or older—and why, when it comes time to design your piece, we want to hear your ideas directly from you.
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