• 70 questions

Oregon Tattoo License Study Guide

Seventy questions in the seven domains of Oregon's written tattoo exam, each answered from a rule you can open.

How many times may an Oregon temporary tattoo license be renewed in a 12-month period?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

Print covers the next 60 questions. Share this set copies a link to the same questions in the same order.

Exam mode: 60 questions, 60 minutes, 45 right to pass (75%).

More options

Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Oregon Health Licensing Office. Bank checked October 16, 2026.

The real exam, as the Health Licensing Office publishes it

Questions
100
To pass
75 of 100 right (75%)
Time limit
100 minutes
Minimum age
18
Retakes
Seven calendar days after a first or second failed attempt. After a third: 30 days, the fees again and 100 more hours of theory.
Valid for
A tattoo license is good for one year.
Domains
Laws and rules 25, safety and infection control 23, equipment and supplies 19, skin 16, machines 10, color and pigments 5, client services 2.
Where and when
Walk-in at the Health Licensing Office in Salem, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Bring
Two forms of original government identification, one with a photograph, in matching names.
Before the test
A 360-hour course at an Oregon licensed tattoo career school with 50 completed procedures, or the reciprocity pathway.
After passing
The license is issued the same day, once all fees are paid.

Checked October 16, 2026 against The Health Licensing Office's Tattoo Examination Information Bulletin (revised July 25, 2023) and tattoo license page. Rules change, so confirm with the agency itself before your test.

The Office's tattoo license page

Next step Another Oregon licensing exam: esthetician testAnother tattoo exam: Virginia practice test

All 70 questions

Oregon laws and rules 17

  • After a first failed attempt at Oregon's written tattoo examination, how long must an applicant wait to retake it? OAR 331-915-0040(1)(a)
  • An Oregon tattoo facility moves to a new address. What must the license holder do? OAR 331-925-0000(4)
  • For how long may an Oregon temporary tattoo license run? OAR 331-915-0020(1)
  • How does ORS 690.350 define tattooing? ORS 690.350(9)
  • How is an approved Oregon tattooing course of study split between theory and practice? OAR 331-915-0005(1)
  • How long may an Oregon tattoo license stay inactive before it is expired? OAR 331-915-0050(4)
  • How many completed procedures must practical tattooing include to qualify for an Oregon license? OAR 331-915-0005(2)
  • How many hours of continuing education must an Oregon tattoo license holder complete every year? OAR 331-915-0055(1)
  • How many members of Oregon's Board of Electrologists and Body Art Practitioners must be licensed to perform tattooing? ORS 690.401(2)(c)
  • How many times may an Oregon temporary tattoo license be renewed in a 12-month period? OAR 331-915-0020(1)(a)
  • How often must the Health Licensing Office offer the licensing examination for each field of practice? ORS 690.370
  • May a 17-year-old be tattooed in Oregon with a parent's consent? OAR 331-915-0065(6)(c)
  • What class of crime is a violation of ORS 690.360, such as tattooing without a license? ORS 690.992(2)
  • What must an applicant submit after a third failed attempt at Oregon's written tattoo examination? OAR 331-915-0040(1)(c)
  • Where may a licensed artist perform tattooing under ORS 690.360? ORS 690.360(1)(b)
  • Which two body art services are prohibited in Oregon until education and training programs can be implemented? OAR 331-920-0005
  • Who may hold an Oregon body art facility license? OAR 331-925-0000(2)
Show all 70 questions (53 more)

Safety and infection control 15

  • A spore test comes back positive in an Oregon facility. What must the licensee do with that sterilizer? OAR 331-915-0080(15)
  • After a positive spore test, what must an Oregon licensee or facility do for clients? OAR 331-915-0080(17)
  • For which of these stages must an Oregon tattoo licensee use at least one pair of disposable gloves? OAR 331-915-0075(1)
  • How do Oregon's tattoo rules define a sharps container? OAR 331-915-0000
  • How do Oregon's tattoo rules describe the process of hand washing? OAR 331-915-0075(2)
  • How must waste from a service be handled after a client in an Oregon tattoo facility? OAR 331-915-0070(2)(h)
  • How often must an Oregon tattoo facility run a biological spore test on its sterilizer? OAR 331-915-0080(6)
  • What does OAR 331-915-0075 say about antibacterial hand sanitizer before and after a tattoo service? OAR 331-915-0075(3)
  • What does Oregon require between service areas in a tattoo facility that is not an event facility? OAR 331-915-0070(7)
  • What is a "high-level disinfectant" in Oregon's tattoo rules? OAR 331-915-0000
  • When must an Oregon tattoo licensee wear eye goggles, shields or a mask? OAR 331-915-0070(3)
  • Which activities does 29 CFR 1910.1030 prohibit in work areas with a reasonable likelihood of occupational exposure? 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(2)(ix)
  • Which animals may be on the premises of an Oregon body art facility? OAR 331-915-0070(2)(l)
  • Which federal standard does OAR 331-925-0050 tell Oregon body art facilities to comply with for blood? OAR 331-925-0050(3)(c)
  • Which towels and linens may an Oregon tattoo licensee use on clients? OAR 331-915-0070(2)(e)

Client services 3

  • How long must client records stay on the premises of an Oregon tattoo facility? OAR 331-915-0085(5)
  • What must an Oregon licensee obtain as proof of age and include in the client record? OAR 331-915-0085(3)
  • Which of these must an Oregon tattoo client record include? OAR 331-915-0085(1)

Skin 11

  • How long does complete cell turnover of the stratum corneum take in young adults? NCI SEER Training Modules, Layers of the Skin
  • Keratinocytes in the squamous cell layer of the epidermis make which tough, protective protein? NCI SEER Training Modules, Layers of the Skin
  • On which skin does Oregon prohibit tattooing? OAR 331-915-0065(6)(b)
  • What are granulomas, which the FDA lists among the complications of tattooing? FDA, Tattoos & Permanent Makeup: Fact Sheet
  • What is another name for the subcutis, the innermost layer of the skin? NCI SEER Training Modules, Layers of the Skin
  • Where is the epidermis thinnest, at about .05 mm? NCI SEER Training Modules, Layers of the Skin
  • Where on the body are apocrine sweat glands found? NCI SEER Training Modules, Layers of the Skin
  • Where on the body are there no sebaceous (oil) glands? NCI SEER Training Modules, Layers of the Skin
  • Which cells in the squamous cell layer attach themselves to antigens that invade damaged skin and alert the immune system? NCI SEER Training Modules, Layers of the Skin
  • Which other name is given to the basal cell layer of the epidermis? NCI SEER Training Modules, Layers of the Skin
  • Which sublayer of the dermis is the upper one, with a thin arrangement of collagen fibers? NCI SEER Training Modules, Layers of the Skin

Tattoo machines 7

  • Compared with coil machines, what do rotary tattoo machines typically produce less of? Wikipedia, Tattoo machine
  • How are coil tattoo machines usually set up? Wikipedia, Tattoo machine
  • What does the power supply of a coil tattoo machine do? Wikipedia, Tattoo machine
  • What drives the needles in a rotary tattoo machine? Wikipedia, Tattoo machine
  • Which frame materials reduce vibration in a coil tattoo machine? Wikipedia, Tattoo machine
  • Which of these is a part of a rotary tattoo machine? Wikipedia, Tattoo machine
  • Which type of tattoo machine is multifunctional, taking any size or type of needle or cartridge needle? Wikipedia, Tattoo machine

Equipment and supplies 13

  • At what frequency must the ultrasonic unit in an Oregon tattoo facility operate? OAR 331-915-0080(5)(a)
  • Before a tattoo procedure begins in Oregon, with what must the client's skin be thoroughly cleaned? OAR 331-915-0065(3)
  • Does ultrasonic cleaning sterilize a reusable instrument? Wikipedia, Ultrasonic cleaning
  • How long must steam sterilization integrators be kept in Oregon? OAR 331-915-0080(5)(e)
  • What does Oregon require of the ultrasonic cleaner while it is in use? OAR 331-915-0080(5)(a)
  • What happens to a tattoo needle after it has been used on one client in Oregon? OAR 331-915-0080(1)
  • What may an Oregon licensee do with a plastic or acetate stencil that is reused? OAR 331-915-0065(2)
  • What monitors each autoclave cycle in an Oregon tattoo facility, with the results recorded in a log book? OAR 331-915-0080(5)(e)
  • What must an Oregon sterilization pouch include? OAR 331-915-0080(5)(c)
  • What must fill the bottles used for rinsing tattoos in Oregon? OAR 331-915-0070(2)(q)
  • When do sterilized instruments expire under Oregon's tattoo rules, if the package stays intact? OAR 331-915-0080(12)
  • Which items must be covered during a tattoo procedure in Oregon and sterilized or disinfected after each client? OAR 331-915-0070(2)(p)
  • With which agency must an autoclave used in an Oregon tattoo facility be registered and listed? OAR 331-915-0080(5)(d)

Color theory and pigments 4

  • How many color additives has the FDA approved for injection into the skin? FDA, Tattoos & Permanent Makeup: Fact Sheet
  • In the traditional red, yellow and blue color model, which color is the complement of red? Wikipedia, Complementary colors
  • Where must the inks, dyes and pigments used in an Oregon tattoo facility come from? OAR 331-915-0065(1)
  • With what may an Oregon tattoo artist dilute inks, dyes and pigments? OAR 331-915-0070(2)(r)

How this list was compiled: Outline: the Health Licensing Office's Tattoo Examination Information Bulletin, revised July 25, 2023 (https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HLO/Documents/EBAP-TA-Examination_Information_Bulletin.pdf), linked from the Office's tattoo license page (https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HLO/Pages/Board-Body-Art-Practitioners-Tattoo-Artists-License.aspx). Facts: Oregon Administrative Rules chapter 331, divisions 915, 920 and 925, in the copy the Office posts (permanent rules effective June 17, 2025; https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HLO/Rules/EBAP-Rules.pdf); Oregon Revised Statutes 690.350 to 690.410, 690.992 and 676.992 in the Office's copy of the 2025 edition (https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HLO/Laws/EBAP-Statutes.pdf); the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, in the eCFR, which OAR 331-925-0050 tells facilities to follow; the NCI SEER training module on the layers of the skin; the FDA fact sheet on tattoos and permanent makeup; and the Wikipedia articles on the tattoo machine, ultrasonic cleaning and complementary colors. Each question names its rule, section or page and links to it. Read 2026-10-16. Licence: Own work. Every question, wrong choice and explanation was written for this site from the rules, statutes and public pages named. Nothing comes from the examination, from a textbook, a prep course or a question pool.

How it works

This unofficial Oregon tattoo license study guide asks our own practice questions in the seven domains of the state's written examination. It is not affiliated with the Oregon Health Licensing Office or its Board of Electrologists and Body Art Practitioners.

Read the full guide

What the Oregon tattoo exam covers

The Health Licensing Office's examination bulletin (revised July 25, 2023; opened October 16, 2026) names the topics in each domain. Laws and rules: definitions, tattoo and facility licensure, posting and notification requirements, standards and prohibitions. Safety and infection control: standard precautions, facility cleaning, sanitation, sterilization, sharps, storage, client protection. Equipment and supplies: gloves, shields and barriers, paper products, soaps, antiseptics, disinfectants, tubes, tips and grips, ultrasonic units, sterilizers. Skin: anatomy and physiology, diseases and disorders.

What to study from

The bulletin's references are ORS 690.350 to 690.410, OAR chapter 331 and Oregon OSHA's bloodborne pathogens rules, with books on anatomy, skin disorders and machine tuning. Every law question here names its rule; skin and machine questions name a public page.

  • A positive spore test takes the autoclave out of use until it is serviced and tests negative, and clients are told in writing (OAR 331-915-0080).
  • Under 18 means no tattoo, even with a parent's consent, unless a physician's statement prescribes it (OAR 331-915-0065).
  • Client records stay on the premises 90 days and are kept three years (OAR 331-915-0085).

Questions and answers

How many questions are on the Oregon tattoo license exam?

One hundred multiple-choice questions with a time limit of 100 minutes, the Health Licensing Office's tattoo license page says. The bulletin splits them over seven domains, from Oregon laws and rules (25) to client services (2).

What score do you need to pass the Oregon tattoo exam?

At least 75 percent, the examination bulletin says: 75 of the 100 questions.

Where do you take the Oregon tattoo exam?

At the Health Licensing Office in Salem, on a walk-in basis from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday to Friday. Bring two forms of original government identification, one of them with a photograph.

What happens if you fail the Oregon tattoo exam?

You wait seven calendar days after a first or second failed attempt. After a third, OAR 331-915-0040 asks 30 days, the fees again and a transcript for 100 more hours of theory.

Are these the real Oregon tattoo exam questions?

No. Each was written for this page from Oregon's rules and statutes and the public pages named under each answer. Nothing comes from the examination or from the bulletin's reference books.

More tests

Show 6 more

Browse Safety and Trades