Self-Employed tattooist renting a studio chair

Individual clients who commission a custom piece or choose from your flash designs. Most find you through Instagram, word of mouth and walk-ins at the studio.

You charge per piece or per hour, and often take a deposit to secure the booking. You pay the studio weekly or monthly chair rent, or a percentage of each tattoo. Your income depends on how full your diary is.

• Strong drawing and design ability
• Steady hands and attention to detail
• Good listening skills to turn a client's idea into a design
• Building a portfolio and social media following

• Check whether you need personal registration with your local council as well as the studio's premises licence or registration. Rules differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Tattooing anyone under 18 is illegal in the UK, so check ID on every booking
• Public liability and professional indemnity insurance suited to tattooing
• Check that your inks and supplies comply with current UK and EU rules on tattoo ink ingredients
• Clinical waste and needle disposal must follow the rules, so check with the studio and your council
• Chair rent still has to be paid in a quiet week, so check the contract terms before you sign

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £5,000, depending on your machines, supplies and insurance. These are estimates, and chair rent still has to be paid in a quiet week, so check the contract terms before you sign.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how many hours you work, your prices and how well you build a client base. This is an estimate, and your chair rent and supplies come out of it.

Check whether you need personal registration with your local council as well as the studio's premises licence or registration, as rules differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Tattooing anyone under 18 is illegal, so check ID on every booking.