Is there a law that keeps you from buying a tattoo matchine and tattooing yourself or your friends?

I purchased a tattoo matchine kit. A bunch of single use needles tube and tips, ink caps... everything you would need to do safe tattooing. But now my question is can I practice and not be breaking the law? Can I accept money for the tattooes that I do? What are my limitations?

There's no law against purchasing equipment and tattooing yourself with said equipment without any special training or certifications/licenses. There may be laws against tattooing others, however.

In any case, just because you CAN do it doesn't mean you SHOULD do it. Tattooing others is a very bad idea unless you know what you're doing. If you want to learn how, you can purchase synthetic tattooing skin to practice on. It doesn't cost that much. Once you get good at it, get the proper certifications and licenses, and open your own shop.

Actually in Missouri there is a proposed rule change that requires ALL tattooers to have either 600 hour apprenticeship or 300 hours of licensed tattoo schooling so you would be operating illegally. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/accuse_write?qid=20080612222927AA34zZ3&kid=EJV7WTbuVWWUrUD_FHa5C1ASelci3kMS_nxku0f0kjx3OVa6mu5g&s=comm&date=2008-06-13+14%3A03%3A45&.crumb=

You would be operating illegally if you were in Illinois, for instance. As of July 2007, you have to work out of a registered facility. Never mind that is completely unethical to be permanently marking someone's skin without proper training or knowledge of how to prevent cross contamination.

As far as I'm aware, this is the law: you have to be a licensed tattoo artist to do anything.

No law against buying them, you can get them on eBay easily.

Not so sure about tattooing others...