Piercing a Minor at Empress:

What You Need to Know

We love piercing minors when it’s done right, and Tennessee law is strict about how we do it. Please read this whole page before you book. If you show up without everything listed here, we will not be able to do the piercing that day.
 

WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING
The parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian must come in person. No exceptions. A note from a parent who isn’t there does not count.
 

You’ll need:

* Your own government issued photo ID (the parent or guardian’s ID, not the minor’s)

* Proof that you are the legal parent, guardian, or custodian of this specific minor. This can be the minor’s birth certificate showing your name, or a custody order or
guardianship order with your name on it

* The minor’s ID or other proof of age, if they have one.

If you bring the birth certificate but not your own ID, or your ID but not proof of
guardianship, we cannot move forward. We know that’s frustrating if you made the trip, but this isn’t a policy we can bend. It protects your family and our studio, and it’s required by law.

If your last name is different from the minor’s, bring documentation that connects you legally to them, not just an explanation.

** Only the minor being pierced and the parent(s) are allowed at the piercing appointment. Please do not bring siblings, friends, or other family members. This helps us keep the environment calm for the minor being pierced.


OUR AGE POLICY
We don’t have one hard age cutoff for every piercing. Here’s our real standard: the minor has to be able to understand what’s happening and say yes for themselves, in the moment, in front of us. If a child is too young to be asked “do you want this piercing today?” and answer that question themselves, we will not do it, even with a parent’s consent.

Parental permission is required, but it is not enough on its own. The minor has to want it too, and has to be old enough to tell us so. This means we’re happy to pierce simple earlobes on a young child, but we may decline
other piercings on an older child if they can’t clearly tell us they want it done. It depends on the individual child and the individual piercing. If you’re not sure where your child falls, text us before you book.

IF YOU’RE MISSING SOMETHING
We will not perform the piercing, and we can’t make an exception in the moment. Please double check everything above before you come in so we’re not sending you home disappointed.

QUESTIONS
Text us before booking if anything here is unclear, especially around custody situations or which piercings we consider age appropriate for your child. We’d rather sort it out ahead of time than at the front counter.

After you've read this through and are ready to book, you can message the shop to book your minor piercing appointment. (Please do not book this online. Appointments for minors are only booked through the shop.)  423-427-6642