Getting Pierced as a Teenager in Victoria, Parental Consent Guide

If you’re under 18 in Victoria and want to get pierced, there are rules. Not every piercing is allowed, parental consent isn’t always enough, and different studios interpret the law differently. Here’s the straight guide for teenagers and parents across the City of Casey.

The Victorian law in plain English

Victoria has specific rules for piercing under-18s, set out in the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019. The short version:

Under 16: You cannot be pierced in Victoria without written consent from a parent or legal guardian, and the parent needs to be present during the piercing.

Any age under 18: Intimate piercings (nipple, genital) are illegal regardless of parental consent. This is a hard legal line, not a studio preference.

16 and 17: Can consent to most piercings themselves, but studios often still prefer parental involvement or require written consent.

Some studios set stricter minimum ages than the law requires. That’s their call, and it’s usually about professional judgement, not legal necessity.

What’s allowed with parental consent

For under-16s with a parent present and consenting, most studios will do:

  • Earlobes (first and additional)
  • Standard cartilage (helix, tragus)
  • Nostril
  • Septum (some studios set this at 14+)

Studios often decline for under-16s:

  • More advanced cartilage (daith, rook, snug, industrial)
  • Lip, tongue, eyebrow (studio preference, not law)
  • Any piercing that requires significant aftercare judgement from the person

What’s never allowed under 18

Nipple, genital, and surface or dermal piercings in intimate areas. Illegal regardless of consent. Any studio offering these to a minor is breaking Victorian law.

What to bring on the day

If you’re under 18 and getting pierced in Victoria:

Photo ID for the minor. Learner’s permit, passport, Keypass, or school ID with photo.

Photo ID for the parent or guardian. Driver’s licence, passport, or similar government-issued photo ID.

Proof of relationship if names don’t match. Birth certificate, custody paperwork, or similar. Common for parents with different surnames to the child.

Written consent form. Some studios have their own, filled in at the studio. Others accept pre-prepared consent letters, but check first.

The parent in person. For under-16s, the parent needs to be in the room during the piercing, not just signing a form in advance. For 16 and 17, some studios still require this.

What stepparents, grandparents and other adults can and can’t do

Legal guardian: Can consent and sign.

Biological parent not living with the child: Can consent and sign if they have legal parental responsibility.

Stepparent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling: Cannot consent on behalf of a minor unless they are a legal guardian with paperwork to prove it.

One parent when the other has custody: Depends on the custody arrangement. If sole custody is held by one parent, only that parent can consent.

If there’s any complexity in your family situation, call the studio ahead of booking so there are no awkward conversations on the day.

For parents, what to expect

You’ll be in the studio for the whole appointment. Not out running errands. In the room, consenting in person, present throughout.

You’ll sign a consent form. Standard details. The studio keeps a copy for their records as required by law.

The piercer may ask your child questions too. Just to confirm the minor is making the decision willingly and understands aftercare. This is good practice, not an interrogation.

You may be asked to review the aftercare too. Especially for younger teens. The studio needs to be confident the piercing will be looked after properly during healing.

Aftercare for teens

Teenagers need the same aftercare as adults. Twice-daily cleaning with sterile saline, hands off, no swimming for a few weeks, no changing the jewellery for the full healing period (which can be months for cartilage).

Full breakdown in our piercing aftercare guide.

Parents, your main role in aftercare is making sure it actually happens. Teenagers are more likely to forget cleaning or fiddle with new piercings than adults are, which is the main reason teenage piercings sometimes don’t heal cleanly.

What Sam Ink offers for under-18s

We follow Victorian law exactly. Earlobes, standard cartilage, nostril and septum are available for under-18s with a parent present and consenting. We don’t do nipple, genital or intimate piercings on anyone under 18.

For specific piercings, ages, or situations, call (03) 8753 5359 before booking so we can confirm whether we can do it and what to bring.

From across Casey

Short trips for family visits to Sam Ink from:

  • Cranbourne, Cranbourne North, Botanic Ridge: 5 to 10 minutes
  • Hampton Park, Lynbrook, Hallam: 10 to 15 minutes
  • Berwick, Narre Warren: 15 to 20 minutes
  • Clyde, Clyde North: 10 to 15 minutes

On-site parking.

The honest version for teenagers

Studios aren’t trying to make it hard for you. The rules exist because piercings are a long-term commitment on a body that’s still growing. Having a parent involved means your piercing is more likely to heal cleanly and look how you want it in a few years.

Walking in without ID, without a parent, or trying to find somewhere that’ll ignore the rules usually ends with either a wasted trip or a piercing done somewhere that doesn’t follow proper hygiene. Not worth it.

Wait until you’re 18 for anything we can’t do, or come in with the right ID and your parent for what we can.

Booking

Enquire through the piercing page, or call (03) 8753 5359 to confirm what’s possible for your age and piercing choice before booking.

Doing it legally and properly means you walk out with a piercing that heals cleanly. That’s what you came for.