Wisconsin microblading and permanent makeup rules
Do you need a license to do microblading in Wisconsin?
Yes. Anyone who tattoos another person, including permanent cosmetics such as microblading, must hold a DSPS tattooist license, which is renewed each year by June 30 for a $60 renewal fee. Below: the studio license, the agency that issues them, local rules and what Wisconsin says about microblading itself, each answered from Wisconsin's own statutes, rules or agency pages, read on October 24, 2026.
- Artist license
- License needed
- Studio license
- License needed
- Artist fee
- $60
- Local rules
- County or city too
Licensed by Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS).The agency's page The state's own words
The artist
Do you need a license to do permanent makeup in Wisconsin?
Yes. Anyone who tattoos another person, including permanent cosmetics such as microblading, must hold a DSPS tattooist license, which is renewed each year by June 30 for a $60 renewal fee.
- License needed
- License needed
- License name
- Tattooist license
- Training hours
- Not stated
- State fee
- $60
The studio
Does a microblading studio need a license in Wisconsin?
Yes. Any premises where a tattooist applies a tattoo must hold a tattoo establishment license, issued by DSPS or by a delegated city, county or local health department.
- License needed
- License needed
- License name
- Tattoo establishment license
- State fee
- Not stated
Microblading by name
Is microblading considered tattooing in Wisconsin?
Yes, by name. Wisconsin's cosmetology rule Cos 2.01(4) defines microblading as a permanent makeup technique, and Cos 2.03(8)(b) lists permanent cosmetics under tattooing, which DSPS regulates under SPS 221.
Local rules
Do counties or cities license permanent makeup in Wisconsin?
Yes. Some Wisconsin cities and counties have been delegated authority to license tattoo and body-piercing establishments, so the local agency may issue the studio license instead of DSPS.
Good to know
What else Wisconsin asks of permanent makeup artists
- A cosmetologist may not do tattooing, including permanent cosmetics, unless both the licensee and the establishment are licensed by DSPS.
- No one under 18 may be tattooed, except by a physician acting in a professional practice.
- Practitioners must keep a patron record, which must be retained for at least 2 years after the procedure.
Sources
What Wisconsin's official pages say
Each answer above, in the words of Wisconsin's own statutes, rules or agency pages, read on October 24, 2026. Rules change, and counties can add their own: confirm with DSPS before you start.
- The artist's license
“No person may tattoo or body pierce another person, use or assume the title of tattooist or body piercer, or designate or represent himself or herself as a body piercer unless the person has obtained a license from the department”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov “means to insert pigment under the surface of the skin of a person, by pricking with a needle or otherwise, so as to produce an indelible mark or figure through the skin.”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov “Tattooing, including permanent cosmetics.”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov “This page contains all information required for the Tattooist credential.”
dsps.wi.gov “use or assume the title of tattooist or body piercer”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov “Tattooist licenses must be renewed annually by June 30 for a $60 renewal fee.”
dsps.wi.gov - The studio's license
“A license is required to operate any premises where a tattooist applies a tattoo to another person”
dsps.wi.gov “No person may operate an establishment until the person has obtained a license from the department or its agent”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov “This page contains all information required for a tattoo, body piercing, or combined tattoo and body piercing establishment license.”
dsps.wi.gov - Local rules
“Some Wisconsin cities and counties have been delegated administration of licensure of tattoo and/or body piercing establishments.”
dsps.wi.gov “means a local health department serving a population greater than 5,000 which is designated by the department”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov - Microblading by name
“Microblading” means a permanent makeup technique in which a handheld tool made of several tiny needles is used to cut into the skin”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov - Also good to know
“A licensee may not provide the following services unless both the licensee and the establishment are properly licensed by the department of safety and professional services”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov - Also good to know
“No person under 18 years of age may be tattooed except by a physician”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov - Also good to know
“shall be retained for a minimum of 2 years following completion of the procedure”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Questions
Wisconsin microblading licenses, answered
Do you need a license to do microblading in Wisconsin?
Is microblading considered tattooing or permanent makeup in Wisconsin?
Does a permanent makeup studio need a license in Wisconsin?
Who licenses permanent makeup artists in Wisconsin?
How much does a permanent makeup license cost in Wisconsin?
Does a cosmetology or esthetician license cover microblading in Wisconsin?
Plan the rest
Licensed and ready to book clients
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Microblading rules in other states
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