Pennsylvania microblading and permanent makeup rules

Do you need a license to do microblading in Pennsylvania?

Q: Do you need a license to do microblading in Pennsylvania?

Not stated at the state level. Pennsylvania has no state license for permanent makeup or microblading artists on the official pages we read; the State Board of Cosmetology says the work is outside its scope. Philadelphia certifies body artists itself. Ask your county or city health department before you start.

Q: Is microblading considered tattooing or permanent makeup in Pennsylvania?

Yes, by name. The State Board of Cosmetology says microblading is outside the scope of cosmetology and may not be done in a cosmetology salon.

Q: Does a permanent makeup studio need a license in Pennsylvania?

Not stated. Pennsylvania has no state license for a permanent makeup studio on the official pages we read, and the State Board of Cosmetology says permanent makeup and microblading may not be done inside a cosmetology salon. Ask your county or city health department.

Not stated at the state level. Pennsylvania has no state license for permanent makeup or microblading artists on the official pages we read; the State Board of Cosmetology says the work is outside its scope. Philadelphia certifies body artists itself. Ask your county or city health department before you start. Below: the studio license, who licenses the work, local rules and what Pennsylvania says about microblading itself, each answered from Pennsylvania's own statutes, rules or agency pages, read on October 24, 2026.

Artist license: Not stated
Studio license: Not stated
Artist fee: Not stated
Local rules: County or city too

No state agency licenses the work; counties or cities do.The state's own words

The artist

Do you need a license to do permanent makeup in Pennsylvania?

Not stated at the state level. Pennsylvania has no state license for permanent makeup or microblading artists on the official pages we read; the State Board of Cosmetology says the work is outside its scope. Philadelphia certifies body artists itself. Ask your county or city health department before you start.

License needed: Not stated

The studio

Does a microblading studio need a license in Pennsylvania?

Not stated. Pennsylvania has no state license for a permanent makeup studio on the official pages we read, and the State Board of Cosmetology says permanent makeup and microblading may not be done inside a cosmetology salon. Ask your county or city health department.

License needed: Not stated

Microblading by name

Is microblading considered tattooing in Pennsylvania?

Yes, by name. The State Board of Cosmetology says microblading is outside the scope of cosmetology and may not be done in a cosmetology salon.

Local rules

Do counties or cities license permanent makeup in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Philadelphia certifies body artists and body art establishments itself; elsewhere, ask your county or city.

Good to know

What else Pennsylvania asks of permanent makeup artists

Performing permanent makeup inside a cosmetology salon is a violation of the Board's salon-use rule.
In Philadelphia, anyone working as a body artist or apprentice must be certified by the city, and artists must provide a blood-borne pathogen certification.
No part of a salon may be used for other purposes, so a salon cannot host permanent makeup or microblading work.

Sources

What Pennsylvania's official pages say

Each answer above, in the words of Pennsylvania's own statutes, rules or agency pages, read on October 24, 2026. Rules change, and counties can add their own: confirm with your county or city health department before you start.

Local rules: “Anyone who wants to work as a body artist or body art apprentice in Philadelphia must be certified.”
phila.gov
Microblading by name: “the practices of microblading and dermaplaning are outside of the scope of cosmetology and that performing microblading or dermaplaning within a cosmetology salon is a violation of 49 Pa. Code § 7.77”
dos.pa.gov
Also good to know: “applying permanent makeup within a cosmetology salon is a violation of 49 Pa. Code § 7.77”
dos.pa.gov
Also good to know: “No part of a salon, including lavatories and laundry facilities, may be used for other purposes.”
pacodeandbulletin.gov

Questions

Pennsylvania microblading licenses, answered

Do you need a license to do microblading in Pennsylvania?

Not stated at the state level. Pennsylvania has no state license for permanent makeup or microblading artists on the official pages we read; the State Board of Cosmetology says the work is outside its scope. Philadelphia certifies body artists itself. Ask your county or city health department before you start.

Is microblading considered tattooing or permanent makeup in Pennsylvania?

Yes, by name. The State Board of Cosmetology says microblading is outside the scope of cosmetology and may not be done in a cosmetology salon.

Does a permanent makeup studio need a license in Pennsylvania?

Not stated. Pennsylvania has no state license for a permanent makeup studio on the official pages we read, and the State Board of Cosmetology says permanent makeup and microblading may not be done inside a cosmetology salon. Ask your county or city health department.

Does a cosmetology or esthetician license cover microblading in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has no state license for permanent makeup or microblading artists on the official pages we read; the State Board of Cosmetology says the work is outside its scope. Philadelphia certifies body artists itself. A certificate from a microblading course is not a state license; ask your county or city health department.

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