He also pays very strict detail to keeping the chair and arms rest and equipment in very clean conditions
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In Halifax, the best tattoo studio for you is one whose work you love and that follows Nova Scotia’s safety rules.
Free consultation. No deposit yet.
This checklist explains what the province requires from tattoo and piercing studios, what to look for in a portfolio, and the red flags to walk away from. We’ve based it on Nova Scotia’s Safe Body Art Regulations and Standard, with links to every source.
Use them at any studio, in this order. The foot of each tile is how Tattoo Lab answers it.
In Nova Scotia, businesses that offer tattooing, piercing and other body art services need a Body Art Facility Permit under the Safe Body Art Act. The regulations require the operator to post the permit somewhere you can see it before any service begins.
If you can’t see a permit, ask. A professional studio will happily show you.
Tattoo Lab Tattoo Lab holds a Nova Scotia Body Art Facility Permit.
Nova Scotia’s regulations require every operator and staff member at a body art facility to complete infection prevention training recognised by the province, and to follow the studio’s written infection prevention plan.
A Canadian review of infection risks in personal service settings found that inadequate training and poor infection-prevention practice were the main risk factors behind infections.
Tattoo Lab At Tattoo Lab, the whole team holds bloodborne pathogens certification.
Under Nova Scotia’s regulations, anything designed to break the skin must be bought disposable, single-use and pre-sterilised. You should see needles and cartridges come out of sealed packaging for your appointment, and the artist should wear fresh gloves.
Tattoo Lab Tattoo Lab uses sterile, single-use needles and cartridges, plus single-use products and supplies wherever applicable.
In Canada, tattoo inks are regulated as cosmetics under the Food and Drugs Act, and Nova Scotia’s Safe Body Art Standard requires studios to use inks that meet those federal rules. Health Canada also issues recalls when a tattoo ink is found to be contaminated.
Ask which brands a studio uses.
Tattoo Lab Tattoo Lab uses professional inks from well-known, established brands, including Dynamic, World Famous Ink and Kwadron.
Nova Scotia requires studios to have each client sign a client awareness form and to give aftercare instructions. Under the Standard, the written information includes aftercare for your procedure, approximate healing times, activity restrictions such as swimming, a note that some medicines or health conditions can affect healing, a note that removal may not be possible or may scar, and advice to seek medical care if problems develop.
If a studio skips the paperwork, that’s a warning sign.
Tattoo Lab You can read our own tattoo aftercare guide before you book.
The Standard doesn’t allow body art on skin that shows infection, sunburn, a rash, acne, moles or open wounds. Dermatologists at the American Academy of Dermatology also suggest keeping tattoos away from moles, so changes can still be spotted early.
A good artist will check the area and suggest moving or adjusting the design if needed.
Safety comes first, but the art matters too. When you look at a portfolio:
Tattoo Lab Browse our tattoo portfolio and meet our artists.
A trustworthy studio is clear about deposits, rescheduling, age rules and ID before you pay anything. Read recent reviews too, especially comments about cleanliness, communication and how tattoos healed.
Tattoo Lab At Tattoo Lab, deposits vary by tattoo and appointment and go toward your final price, rescheduling needs at least 7 days’ notice, tattoos are 16+ with a parent or guardian present for clients aged 16–17, and tattoo clients bring government-issued photo ID. See how booking works. Read our reviews on Google.
He also pays very strict detail to keeping the chair and arms rest and equipment in very clean conditions
The Government of Canada’s travel health advice makes the same point for anywhere in the world: only get tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health rules.
Safety comes first. These questions show how a studio treats your money and your time, and they work at any studio, this one included.
A published hourly rate or price list lets you plan a budget before the consultation.
You should be able to talk the idea through and leave to think it over.
Ask for the notice period, and whether the deposit goes toward your final price, before you pay it.
Ask which payment methods are accepted, for the deposit and on the day, so nothing surprises you at the end.
Ask what metal the jewellery is, and whether aftercare is included or sold separately.
Ask who to contact if something looks wrong a week or two later, and how.
How Tattoo Lab answers them
Prices exclude tax.
The same checks apply to piercing. Nova Scotia’s Standard requires jewellery for new piercings to meet the Association of Professional Piercers’ jewellery standards. Cleveland Clinic advice prefers needles over piercing guns, which aren’t always sterilised between uses.
One detail surprises many people: earlobe-only piercing with a pre-sterilised, single-use cartridge system is exempt from Nova Scotia’s body art regulations. Tattoo Lab uses implant-grade titanium jewellery for piercings, and you can meet Prerna Peru, body piercer at Tattoo Lab. The titanium is ASTM F136, with mill certificates on request, and it arrives pre-sterilised from a reputable supplier in Canada. See body piercing in Halifax.
This guide is general information, not legal or medical advice. Rules can change, so check the Province of Nova Scotia’s website for the current regulations.
Yes. Nova Scotia’s Safe Body Art Act requires a Body Art Facility Permit to operate a body art business, and the permit must be posted where you can see it before services are carried out.
Look for a posted permit, artists with infection prevention training, needles opened from sterile packaging, fresh gloves, a consent form and written aftercare instructions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Work in the style you want, healed photos as well as fresh ones, clean and consistent lines, and smooth shading. Custom designs show an artist can plan a piece around your idea.
Yes. Tattoo Lab holds a Nova Scotia Body Art Facility Permit, the whole team holds bloodborne pathogens certification, and we use sterile, single-use needles and cartridges.
Body art facilities are regulated by the Province of Nova Scotia under the Safe Body Art Act, its regulations and the Nova Scotia Safe Body Art Standard. The province’s environmental health program handles permits.
Send us your idea, ask any safety questions you have, and we’ll match you with the right artist.
