Can I get a tattoo if I'm a minor?
It depends: a minor can get a tattoo or piercing, but only with a parent present and written consent. Under the Health Ministry decree (Δ1γ/Γ.Π/οικ.54327/2025, Gazette B' 6633/10 Dec 2025, replacing the 2003 rule), tattooing or piercing of people under 18 is done only with the parents present and their written consent. There's no lower hard age floor in the national rule — parental consent is necessary and sufficient. The studio must keep for 3 years the minor's ID, an information sheet and the consent. Earlobe piercing at a jewellery shop is exempt from studio rules. Inks must comply with REACH (EU 2020/2081). In short: yes, with a parent and written consent.
📋 The rules
- Under 18: only with a parent present and written consent
- No lower hard age floor in the national rule
- The studio keeps the documents 3 years
- Earlobe piercing at a jeweller: exempt
- Inks per REACH; jewellery biocompatible/sterile
🔓 Exceptions
- Earlobe piercing at a jeweller: outside studio rules
- Adults: no parental-consent requirement
- Studios: notification, not shared premises with salons/gyms
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Studios that breach the rules — e.g. tattooing a minor without a parent present/consent — face administrative fines under the relevant decision, and where public health is endangered, criminal sanctions. Beyond the legal side, the stake is health: tattoos/piercings in poor conditions can cause infections. Important clarification: the rule "banned under 16 / €5,000 fines / imprisonment" concerns Cyprus, not Greece. In Greece, a minor can get a tattoo with a parent present and written consent. To stay compliant: if you're under 18, go with a parent and sign the consent; as a studio, keep the documents 3 years and observe the hygiene rules.
📎 Official sources
- Health decree Δ1γ/Γ.Π/οικ.54327/2025 (Gazette B' 6633/2025) →
- Ministry of Health — public health →
- ELINYAE — tattoo studio hygiene →
❓ Frequently asked
Can a minor get a tattoo in Greece?
Yes, but only with the parents present and their written consent. The 2025 health decree explicitly allows tattooing and piercing of minors under these conditions. There's no lower hard age floor in the national rule; parental consent is necessary and sufficient.
Is parental consent enough?
Yes. In Greece, a parent's presence with written consent is a necessary and sufficient condition for a minor's tattoo or piercing. There's no absolute under-18 ban, contrary to some sources that confuse Greek with Cypriot law.
Does the under-16 ban apply?
Not in Greece. The rule "banned under 16, with consent 16–18, €5,000 fines and imprisonment" concerns Cyprus, not Greece. In Greece, a minor can get a tattoo with a parent present and written consent, with no absolute minimum age.
What about earlobe piercing?
Earlobe piercing at a jewellery shop is exempt from the notification rules that apply to tattoo and piercing studios. It's a simpler procedure, treated differently from body piercing and tattooing.
What duties does the studio have?
The studio must keep, for 3 years, the minor's ID, a signed information sheet and the parents' consent. It operates on a notification, can't share premises with hairdressers or gyms, and uses inks compliant with the EU REACH regulation.
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