Visiting Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and want a tattoo or piercing to remember your trip? Tattoo Lab is a tattoo and piercing studio at 221 Herring Cove Rd, Halifax, about ten minutes from downtown.
Free consultation. No deposit yet. 5.0 from 490+ Google reviews
You can send your idea before you travel, book a date that fits your plans, or ask about walk-ins once you’re here. This guide covers booking from abroad, what to bring, how to fit a new tattoo around beach days and flights, and how to reach the studio.
Send your idea before your trip through the Book Now form.
Plan your tattoo near the end of your stay. A new tattoo needs to stay out of pools, the sea and hot tubs, and out of direct sun, while it heals.
Bring valid government-issued photo ID showing your date of birth. A passport works.
Tattoos are 16+. Clients aged 16–17 need a parent or legal guardian present for the entire session.
Walk-ins depend on availability. Piercings are usually easier to fit in.
I got the Elden Ring on my forearm with a few personal touches on a visit to Nova Scotia, and am very grateful to have had Kiran as my artist. They were very helpful and accommodating to my specific wants for the final design on the tattoo, and very patient as I kept asking for specific minor changes up to the moment the appointment was set for.
The best way to get the tattoo you want on a short visit is to plan it before you land. Use the Book Now form, and include:
See how booking works for every step.
We came to see Vivek for a 30th anniversary tatoo for our trip to Nova Scotia after 30 years together. The first thing you notice is how spotlessly clean the shop is, and next how open and friendly everyone is. …
Halifax summers are made for beaches, boat tours and whale watching, and a fresh tattoo doesn’t mix well with any of them. While it heals:
Our tattoo aftercare guide asks you to avoid swimming, bathtubs, hot tubs and the ocean for at least 2–3 weeks. Dermatology advice from Cleveland Clinic is not to soak a tattoo until it has fully healed.
Healing skin is sensitive to sunlight. Once your tattoo has healed, protect it with a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, as the American Academy of Dermatology recommends.
Wash it gently, moisturise lightly and wear loose clothing over it.
That’s why many visitors book their tattoo for the last days of their stay, after the beach and boat trips.
Flying home soon after? No health authority publishes an official rule about flying after a tattoo. Keep it clean, wear loose clothing over it and pack your aftercare products. Read our full guide to travelling with a new tattoo.
Every tattoo client must bring valid government-issued photo ID showing their date of birth. For most international visitors, that’s a passport.
The minimum age for tattoos is 16. Clients aged 16–17 need consent from a parent or legal guardian, who must be present for the entire session. Piercing ages depend on the placement: see ages for each piercing.
Prices are in Canadian dollars. We accept debit, credit cards including American Express, Apple Pay and tap, e-Transfer, PayPal and cash. We don’t offer payment plans. Tipping is your choice and never expected. If you tip, cash, card or e-Transfer all work, and all of it goes to the person who did your tattoo or piercing.
See what a tattoo costs and prices for ear, nose and body piercings.
Decided on a tattoo once you arrived? Walk-ins are possible depending on artist availability, and piercings are usually easier to fit in. Call or text 902-448-2211 before you come in, and we’ll tell you who’s available. Small, simple designs work best on short notice.
Read more about walk-in tattoos and piercings in Halifax, or browse Nova Scotia and ocean tattoo ideas for a souvenir of your trip.
Address: 221 Herring Cove Rd, Halifax, NS B3P 1L3. Open every day, 11 AM to 10 PM; your artist or piercer confirms your time.
The studio is a short drive from downtown Halifax and the cruise terminals. Uber and Lyft both operate in Halifax, including pickups at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
Halifax Transit routes 9A, 9B and 24 run along Herring Cove Road past the studio, with stops a short walk away near Mont Street and McMullen Road. Routes 9A and 9B connect with downtown at Scotia Square.
Halifax Transit Route 320 links the airport with downtown Halifax (Scotia Square).
Parking at the studio is free but limited. Public parking is nearby, but availability varies, so please allow extra time.
Arriving by cruise ship? Read getting a tattoo during your Halifax cruise stop.
If an area heals unevenly or doesn’t hold ink, your artist checks it and offers a complimentary touch-up when it’s genuinely necessary. Touch-ups aren’t guaranteed, have no fixed time window, and don’t cover natural fading or damage from picking or scratching. Fingers, hands and feet fade easily, so touch-ups aren’t guaranteed there.
A touch-up means another visit to the studio, so if you’re only in Halifax for a short time, following your aftercare closely matters even more. If you’re worried about how your tattoo is healing after you’ve gone home, text us a photo.
Most European visitors, including citizens of the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and France, don’t need a visa for a short visit, but they need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to Canada. Travellers arriving by land or sea, such as on a cruise ship, don’t need an eTA but still need a valid passport. Rules can change, so check the official Government of Canada website before you book your flights, and apply only through that site.
This page is general information, not medical or immigration advice. Always follow your artist’s aftercare instructions, check official travel rules before you go, and see a doctor or pharmacist if you’re worried about healing.
Yes. Use the Book Now form with your idea, size, placement and travel dates. Your artist plans the design with you before you arrive, and a deposit secures your date.
Valid government-issued photo ID showing your date of birth. For most international visitors, that’s a passport. ID is required for every tattoo client.
No health authority publishes an official rule about flying after a tattoo. What matters is keeping up your aftercare during the trip: keep it clean, wear loose clothing over it and pack your aftercare products. If you have a medical condition, ask your doctor before you travel.
Our aftercare guide asks you to avoid swimming, bathtubs, hot tubs and the ocean for at least 2–3 weeks, and Cleveland Clinic dermatology advice is not to soak a tattoo until it has fully healed. That’s why we suggest booking your tattoo near the end of your stay.
No. The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo is a separate music and performance event held in Halifax. Tattoo Lab is a tattoo and piercing studio at 221 Herring Cove Rd.
Yes, depending on artist availability. Piercings are usually easier to fit in. Please call or text 902-448-2211 before you come in.
Complimentary touch-ups are offered when genuinely necessary, as assessed by your artist, and they need a visit to the studio. They aren’t guaranteed and have no fixed time window. If you’re worried about healing, text us a photo.
Send your idea and travel dates, and we’ll match you with the right artist before you arrive.
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