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What’s The Age Requirement For Getting A Belly Button Piercing?

Whether it’s because of a friend or a celebrity, there are a number of reasons why a teenager might suddenly have the urge to get their belly button pierced, however, it can be difficult to know whether or not a teenager is able to legally able to get a belly button piercing in states, and many parents don’t even realize that there is actually a legal age for navel piercings. 

So, if your teenager has mentioned wanting to get a belly button piercing, but you’re unsure whether or not they meet the required legal age to get the piercing, then this guide will help you. 

What's The Age Requirement For Getting A Belly Button Piercing?

How Old Do You Need To Be To Get A Belly Button Piercing?

What causes the most confusion about the legal age for a belly button piercing is that it can actually vary from state to state, which means that you should always check what the law says in your state before agreeing for your teen to go ahead and get pierced.

As a general rule, any minors (those who are under the age of 18) will be able to get their belly button pierced so long as they have proof of parental consent.

Although it is worth noting that some states will require the parents to be present during the piercing process itself. 

There are some exceptions to this law worth nothing though. For example, minors under the age of 14 in Idaho are unable to get belly button piercings.

Similarly, Wisconsin requires children to be 16 years old or older in order to get their belly button pierced. 

The other exceptions to this are Mississippi and North Carolina, where it is completely illegal to pierce a minor to begin with. 

States With No Age Limits On Body Piercings

Iowa, Massachusetts, Washington, West Virginia, Nevada, and Hawaii 

States Where Written Parental Proof Is Required For A Minor To Be Pierced

Colorado, Alabama, Delaware, Connecticut, Maine, Georgia, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont. 

States Where Written Parental Proof And Physical Parental Parent Is Required For A Minor To Be Pierced

Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming. 

Although these are the state laws, it’s always worth checking out what the rules are of the place where your teen is intended to get their piercing done too, as they are completely allowed to set their own guidelines when it comes to who they pierce. 

Some places may even refuse to pierce a minor entirely, even with parental permission. 

It’s also extremely important to remember that you will need to bring a form of ID with you in order to prove your teen’s age when you arrive as well as proof of legal guardianship.

If notarized consent is required, you might need to sign it at the piercing location in order to prevent suspicion of forged permission too. 

How Old Do You Need To Be To Get A Belly Button Piercing Without Any Parental Consent?

In most states across the country, you’ll need to be 18 before you’re able to go and get a belly button piercing. 

Those who are under 18 are seen as minors, which means that they’ll need written permission from either a parent or legal guardian if they want to get their belly button pierced. 

It’s also a good idea to bring along a legal form of ID in order to prove their age too. This can be anything from a driver’s license, to a passport, or even a state-issued ID will work.

It’s also possible that the parent or guardian will need to be there during the procedure too. 

Is It Possible For A 12 Year Old To Get A Belly Button Piercing? 

If your 12 year old is looking to get their belly button pierced, then they’ll be glad to hear that in most states throughout the country, they’ll be able to get it done, provided that they have parental consent to do so. 

Of course, this is aside from Idaho, where you need to be 14 before you can get body piercings with parental consent, Wisconsin, where you need to be 16 or older before you can get a body piercing with parental consent, and North Carolina or Mississippi, where it is completely illegal to pierce a minor. 

However, there is one issue – the guidelines of piercing establishments.

Many reputable piercing places will put into place their own guidelines which the law is unable to override, and chances are they’ll probably decline to pierce a child’s navel. 

So, if your 12 year old wants a belly piercing, they’ll likely need to wait until they’re a little bit older before they’re actually able to get it. 

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing however, as piercings can require a lot of dedication and effort to look after, especially if you want them to heal properly and to look good.

Navel piercings also take much longer to fully heal than other piercings do, and require much more aftercare too, so they’re not particularly suitable for 12 year olds! 

Is It Possible For A 13 Year Old To Get A Belly Button Piercing? 

Is It Possible For A 13 Year Old To Get A Belly Button Piercing? 

Navel Piercings are difficult to look after, which is why they’re typically not recommended for 13 year olds, especially with the large amount of aftercare and cleaning they need on a regular basis. 

Most states will allow you to get a body piercing at 13 so long as you have a legal ID and parental or legal guardian permission, although since you are still developing and growing, it’s perhaps best to wait until you’re older before you go ahead and get your navel pierced. 

Of course, you can’t get your navel pierced if you’re 13 and live in Idaho, Wisconsin, North Carolina, or Mississippi, so you’ll definitely have to wait a while if you live in any of these states. 

In addition to this, many establishments will simply refuse to pierce a 13 year old’s navel, so you’ll need to check first. 

Is It Possible For A 14 Year Old To Get A Belly Button Piercing? 

At 14, many of the states will allow you to get a body piercing, provided that you have an acceptable form of legal ID as well as parental or legal guardian permission.

However, this still excludes Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Mississippi, so you’ll need to wait longer for a navel piercing if you live in those states. 

You should always check whether the piercing establishment you want to visit accepts 14 year olds for body piercings before you book too. 

Is It Possible For A 15 Year Old To Get A Belly Button Piercing

At 15, you are able to get a body piercing in most of the states in the country, aside from Wisconsin, where you are required to be 16, as well as North Carolina and Mississippi, where you need to be over 18. 

Of course, you’ll still need an acceptable legal form of ID to prove your age, as well as permission from your parents or legal guardian, and they might be required to come to the piercing establishment too. 

You will also need to ensure that the piercing establishment allows 15 year olds for body piercings too. 

Is It Possible For A 16 Year Old To Get A Belly Button Piercing? 

16 year olds are more than capable of getting navel piercings, and it’s a sensible age to get one too.

However, since they’re still under 18, and are therefore a minor, they will still need to provide a form of legal ID, as well as written permission from a parent or guardian if they want to get the piercing done. 

The exception to this is North Carolina and Mississippi, where you need to be 18 or older in order to get a body piercing. 

Most piercing establishments will be willing to pierce a 16 year old, however, it’s still worth checking in advance to avoid disappointment. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Need An ID In Order To Get A Belly Piercing?

If you’re going to get a navel piercing, then you’ll need to bring an ID along with you, especially if you’re under 18, as you’ll need to prove that you’re old enough in your state in order to get the piercing, so make sure that you bring along your driver’s license, passport, or state ID. 

If you’re a minor, then you’ll also need parental permission in writing, and sometimes will even require their presence during the entirety of the procedure too. 

Some establishments won’t pierce those who are under 18 so it’s worth checking out where you can get pierced locally to you first. 

What Age Is Best To Get A Belly Button Piercing? 

Although almost all states will allow a minor to get a belly button piercing so long as they have parental consent, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s right for them to do so.

Ultimately, it depends on how mature that teenager is, especially since navel piercings are difficult to heal properly, and require plenty of attention and care. 

Sixteen is a good age for those wanting to get a navel piercing, as they’re likely to be mature enough to be able to take good care of it. 

How Much Does A Belly Button Piercing Cost?

The price of a navel piercing can vary depending on different piercing establishments, however, you can typically expect to pay somewhere between $40 and $70 for both the jewelry and the procedure, but you should also make sure you have enough for a 10-20% tip for your piercer if they do a good job. 

Do Belly Button Piercings Hurt At All? 

Surprisingly, belly button piercings don’t hurt as much as you might initially think, however there’s a good reason for this.

See, unlike piercings which go through cartilage (think helix piercings in your ear), navel piercings don’t go through any cartilage so hurt a lot less, and some even compare it to the amount of pain as when you get your ear lobe pierced. 

Can You Get A Belly Button Piercing If You’re Fat?

Whilst it is possible for you to get a navel piercing if you’re overweight, there is a good chance that your skin will cover the piercing, which will lead the surrounding area to become sweaty, which could lead to bacterial growth, and in turn, a nasty infection.

So unfortunately, a belly button piercing is one to avoid if you’re overweight. 

Can You Get A Belly Button Piercing If You Have An Outie? 

Unfortunately getting your belly button pierced is a bad idea if you have an outie, as it usually involves piercing the inner part of your navel, so if there’s an infection, it can potentially lead back to the internal organs in your abdomen, which could lead to health problems. 

Piercers will always check whether or not your navel is suitable for piercing, so don’t worry, as they won’t take the risk! 

Conclusion

We hope that this guide to belly button piercings has helped you, and hopefully you’ll be able to get your own navel piercing soon! 

Simon Lewis

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