Norwood Board of Health tightens body‑art rules: apprenticeships, immunizations and apprenticeship limits approved

The Town of Norwood Board of Health on May 27 approved a set of updates to the town’s body‑art regulations that establish apprenticeship standards, confirm immunization requirements and clarify training and supervision rules for practitioners.

Stacy, the health‑department staff member who presented the revisions, told the board the update clarifies requirements the prior regulation had not spelled out, including a maximum apprenticeship term of two years, a requirement that apprentices have hepatitis B immunization (with laboratory confirmation of immunity), and a limit of one apprentice per shop. The board set June 1, 2025, as the effective date for the new body‑art rules.

The revised rules require applicants to demonstrate anatomy and physiology training for procedures performed near the eye or on the face — a change staff said was added because the prior drafting could be read to omit that requirement. Stacy told the board: "If you're tattooing around or microblading around someone's eye, or on their face, you should really know anatomy and physiology." The board discussed permanent makeup as an anticipated service likely to prompt permit applications.

Board members also discussed a proposed fee schedule. Staff recommended an apprentice application fee lower than the practitioner fee; the board discussed using roughly half of the practitioner fee for apprentices. During the meeting board members recorded practitioner permit fees of $200 and an apprenticeship fee of $100 as the accepted schedule. The board moved to accept the fee schedule and the body‑art regulation amendments, and recorded the motion as approved by voice vote.

Additional changes include a requirement that apprentices meet the same immunization and laboratory‑confirmation standards as practitioners, and that apprentices be enrolled in an approved application process. Staff said the new rules will require applicants to include proof of hepatitis B immunization and that the office will require laboratory confirmation of immunity for individuals performing the same procedures as permitted practitioners.

The board directed staff to post the revised body‑art rules and the fee schedule on the town's website and to publish guidance for applicants and shops on apprenticeship applications and documentation.

The health office will also prepare an apprenticeship application form and a consolidated fee schedule for board review and public posting.