Section 20. General requirements

Part II. Entry

A. In order to receive a license as a body piercer in compliance with § 54.1-703 of the Code of Virginia, an applicant must meet the following qualifications:

1. The applicant shall be in good standing as a body piercer in every jurisdiction where licensed, certified, or registered. The applicant shall disclose to the board at the time of application for licensure any disciplinary action taken in another jurisdiction in connection with the applicant's practice as a body piercer. The applicant shall disclose to the board at the time of application for licensure whether he has been previously licensed in Virginia as a body piercer.

2. The applicant shall disclose his physical address. A post office box is not acceptable.

3. The applicant shall sign, as part of the application, a statement certifying that the applicant has read and understands the Virginia body-piercing license laws and the board's body-piercing regulations.

4. In accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia, each applicant shall disclose a conviction, in any jurisdiction, of any misdemeanor or felony. Any plea of nolo contendere shall be considered a conviction for this purpose of this section. The record of a conviction certified or authenticated in such form as to be admissible in evidence under the laws of the jurisdiction where convicted shall be admissible as prima facie evidence of such guilt. The board, at its discretion, may deny licensure or certification to any applicant in accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia.

5. The applicant shall provide evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant has passed the board-approved examination, administered either by the board or by a designated testing service.

6. Persons who (i) make application between April 1, 2007, and March 31, 2008; (ii) have completed three years of documented work experience within the preceding five years as a body piercer; and (iii) have completed a minimum of five hours of health education including but not limited to blood borne disease, sterilization, and aseptic techniques related to body piercing and first aid and CPR that is acceptable to the board are not required to complete subdivision 5 of this subsection.

B. Eligibility to sit for board-approved body-piercer examination.

1. Training in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Any person completing an approved body-piercing apprenticeship program in a Virginia licensed body-piercing salon shall be eligible to sit for the examination.

2. Training outside of the Commonwealth of Virginia, but within the United States and its territories. Any person completing a body-piercing training or apprenticeship program that is substantially equivalent to the Virginia program but is outside of the Commonwealth of Virginia must submit to the board documentation of the successful completion of training or apprenticeship to be eligible for examination. If less than required hours of body-piercing training or body-piercing apprenticeship was completed, an applicant must submit (i) documentation acceptable to the board verifying the completion of a substantially equivalent body-piercing training or body-piercing apprenticeship or documentation of three years of work experience within the preceding five years as a body piercer and (ii) documentation of completion of a minimum of five hours of health education to include but not limited to blood borne disease, sterilization, and aseptic techniques related to body piercing and first aid and CPR that is acceptable to the board in order to be eligible for examination.

C. In order to receive a license as a body piercer ear only, an applicant must meet the following qualifications:

1. The applicant shall have completed a minimum of three hours of health education to include but not limited to blood borne disease and first aid that is acceptable to the board and provide verification of training on a mechanized, presterilized ear-piercing system that penetrates the outer perimeter or lobe of the ear or both and aftercare of piercing.

2. The applicant shall be in good standing in every jurisdiction where licensed, certified, or registered. The applicant shall disclose to the board at the time of application for licensure any disciplinary action taken in another jurisdiction in connection with the applicant's licensed, certified, or registered practice. The applicant shall disclose to the board at the time of application for licensure whether he has been previously licensed in Virginia in any profession regulated by the board.

3. The applicant shall disclose his physical address. A post office box is not acceptable.

4. The applicant shall sign, as part of the application, a statement certifying that the applicant has read and understands the Virginia body-piercing license laws and the board's body-piercing regulations.

5. In accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia, each applicant shall disclose a conviction, in any jurisdiction, of any misdemeanor or felony. Any plea of nolo contendere shall be considered a conviction for this purpose of this section. The record of a conviction certified or authenticated in such form as to be admissible in evidence under the laws of the jurisdiction where convicted shall be admissible as prima facie evidence of such guilt. The board, at its discretion, may deny licensure or certification to any applicant in accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 23, Issue 12, eff. April 1, 2007.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.