Your body comes equipped with several built-in safeguards against bloodborne pathogens, from the physical shield of your skin and mucous membranes to the immune responses working inside you. Some activities, though, can open the door to disease spread unless extra precautions are in place to protect public health and safety.
Body modification is one of those areas. In New Hampshire, anyone working as a microblader, tattoo artist, or piercer needs a license issued by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC).
Since all of these services break the skin, keeping your license active means keeping your health and safety training current. In practice, that means finishing continuing education (CE) on disease transmission prevention and bloodborne pathogens before you can renew. Here at Exam Insiders, we’ve broken down what you need to know.
How CE and Renewal Work in New Hampshire
Body art licenses in New Hampshire run on a two-year cycle. Your license expires on the final day of your birth month in the renewal year, which falls two years after the license was issued. For example, if your license was issued in 2026 and your birthday is May 10, it will expire on May 31, 2028.
The OPLC must send you a renewal reminder no later than two months before your expiration date. Even so, finishing your requirements and filing your application on time is entirely up to you, so plan ahead to avoid a gap in your licensure. Keep your mailing address current with the OPLC so those reminders actually reach you.
To qualify for renewal, you need to complete a 3-hour CE course specific to your profession. Expect the course to cover subjects such as:
- Sterilization
- Disease transmission prevention
- Bloodborne pathogens
- Skin diseases
- First aid and CPR
Before your license expires, send the OPLC your renewal application, the renewal fee, and proof that you finished the course.
What If You Miss Your CE Deadline?
Performing tattooing, piercing, or microblading without a valid license is against the law, and continuing to work on an expired license can bring legal penalties.
If you turn in a complete application along with your CE within 30 days after expiration, you may avoid late fees. You still cannot take clients, however, until the renewal goes through.
Once those 30 days pass, renewal is still possible, but you’ll need to file paperwork for both renewal and reinstatement and pay extra reinstatement fees.
A license that has been expired for a year or longer is considered lapsed and can no longer be renewed. At that point, you must apply for a brand-new license and satisfy every qualification that applies.
Picking the Right CE Course
Your best bet is an approved program that lets you learn at your own pace with round-the-clock online access, so you can fit coursework around appointments and the rest of your life. It also helps to choose a provider that issues your certificate of completion instantly, making it easy to attach proof to your renewal application.
If your New Hampshire tattoo, body piercing, or microblading license is coming up for renewal, now is the time to find an approved course and get your 3 hours done well ahead of your deadline.