Tattooing of Minors (Northern Ireland) Order 1979

• Citation: S.I. 1979/926 (N.I.)
• Sections: 4

Section 1 Title and commencement

This Order may be cited as the Tattooing of Minors (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 … Commencement …

Section 2 Interpretation

(1) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to Article 1 and the following provisions of this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(2) In this Order—

“medical practitioner” means a fully registered person within the meaning of section 54(1) of the Medical Act 1956 ;

“minor” means a person under the age of 18;

“tattoo” means the insertion into the skin of any colouring material designed to leave a permanent mark.

Section 3 Prohibition of tattooing of minors

(1) Subject to Article 4, any person who tattoos a minor shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred pounds .

Section 4 Defences

A person shall not be guilty of an offence under Article 3—

(a) if he reasonably believes that the minor is not under the age of 18; or

(b) if, being a medical practitioner or working under the direction of a medical practitioner, he performs the tattoo for medical reasons.