Can You Donate Blood If You Have a Tattoo?
The quick answer is yes, you can donate blood if you have one or multiple tattoos.
How soon after a tattoo can you donate blood?
You can donate after 7 days as long as you received your tattoo in a state-regulated, licensed parlor using sterile needles and non-reusable ink.
If these requirements aren’t met, it will be a 4-month deferral for donating blood.
Why can’t you donate blood after getting a tattoo?
The only reason you would not be able to donate blood 7 days from when you received your tattoo would be if you got the tattoo in a non-state-regulated tattoo parlor, the artist used unsterile needles, and/or the ink used was reused.
Check with your local tattoo parlor to see if they are state-regulated facilities. Many tattoo parlors in California are state regulated.
Currently, the only states that DO NOT regulate tattoo facilities are:
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Utah
- and Wyoming.
Where can I schedule my next donation appointment?
The easiest way to schedule your next blood donation appointment is by going to www.hcbb.com/schedule or clicking here.
We recommend checking our Medicine Deferral List before scheduling your appointment.