ARTICLES
How Much Should You Tip a Tattoo Artist?
How much to tip a tattoo artist: what working artists and shop owners say about percentages, cash, deposits, multi-session pieces and unhappy clients.
TL;DR: Tipping a tattoo artist is a convention, not a rule. The artists and shop owners we read mostly put a good tip at 15 to 25% of the total price, with 20% as a common middle. They also say a tip is never required. Cash gets mentioned most often. If something went wrong, talk to your artist first, and know that kind words and referrals count too.
The last line is done. The artist wipes the piece down, wraps it, runs through aftercare, and then you both end up at the counter. Your wallet is out. Your brain is doing math.
That is usually when people google how much to tip a tattoo artist, standing right there.
Short version: there is a convention, there is no rule, and the artists we read do not agree on everything. A lot of what turns up online is a shop or booking-software blog repeating one number. We went looking for people who do the work instead. A Chicago shop owner. The president of the Alliance of Professional Tattooists. Two New York artists. A Chicago studio that tells clients straight up that tips are never expected.
This post sticks to what they said, flags where they disagree, and says so when the only source was a studio blog. Some pieces are a few years old, so treat the numbers as a starting point.
Do you have to tip a tattoo artist?
No. Every artist we found who spoke on the record said a tip is appreciated, not required. It is a custom, and the strength of that custom depends on the artist, the shop and the city.
Pat Sinatra, president of the Alliance of Professional Tattooists, told U.S. News (as republished by WTOP in 2022) that a tip is never expected and is always graciously appreciated. Patrick Cornolo, who owns Speakeasy Custom Tattoo in Chicago, called tipping pretty normal in tattooing, but appreciated rather than expected.
Dim, a resident artist at Blindreason Tattoo, went further in a 2023 Yahoo Life piece (an InStyle story). He said it makes no difference if you skip the tip, even when you loved the tattoo. He still appreciates it when someone leaves one.
How much should you tip a tattoo artist?
Most of the artists we found land between 15 and 25% of the total price. Twenty percent is the number that keeps coming up as the middle. It is a range because the people quoting it say it varies by client.
Here is who said what.
| Source | What they said |
|---|---|
| Pablo Gomez, Brooklyn artist at Atelier Eva (Yahoo Life, 2023) | 15 to 25% of the total cost is a good tip, whatever type of tattoo |
| Dim, Blindreason Tattoo (Yahoo Life, 2023) | 20% is the average people tip, especially in New York City, but some people won't tip at all |
| Pat Sinatra, Alliance of Professional Tattooists (U.S. News via WTOP, 2022) | 20 to 25% is an accepted standard for personal services, but "whatever is affordable to you is welcome" |
| Patrick Cornolo, Speakeasy Custom Tattoo (U.S. News via WTOP, 2022) | 15 to 20%, and it really varies: some tip less, some are very generous |
| Logan Square Tattoo, Chicago (studio blog, 2024) | 10 to 20% is a standard practice, and the shop says tips are never expected |
That is a spread from 10% to 25%, and the honest read is that nobody agrees. The Chicago shop at the low end says it charges a fair price already.
If you want dollar figures, the U.S. News piece gave two examples. These are that source's suggestion, not a standard.
| Tattoo price | Suggested tip (U.S. News via WTOP, 2022) | Works out to |
|---|---|---|
| $100 touch-up or smaller piece | $15 to $25 | 15 to 25% |
| $500 tattoo | $75 to $125 | 15 to 25% |
The "works out to" column is our arithmetic. Building a budget? Our tattoo cost guide covers what the price itself tends to look like.
Is the tip about time, or about the experience?
Gomez says the tip should follow the service, not the clock. In the Yahoo Life piece, neither artist uses time spent or the type of art to gauge a tip. The question is how the experience felt to you.
Gomez's checklist: Did you feel heard in the consultation? Did your artist take feedback? Were you at ease during the session? Are you happy with the result?
One catch: if you tip a percentage, a bigger tattoo already costs more, so the tip rises with it. The article adds exceptions to the time idea, such as multiple sessions on large pieces, and says that when an artist goes above and beyond, tipping generously is right. Gomez gave his own example: an artist who was exceedingly patient while he made up his mind on a design, and he tipped generously for it.
Why do people tip tattoo artists at all?
Because the invoice is often not what the artist keeps. Sinatra said artists are often renting a chair or space and giving as much as 50% of their earnings to the shop owner. In her example, a $200 tattoo might net the artist about $100.
That is one person's description, not a rule for every shop. The other view comes from Gifford Kasen, owner of Logan Square Tattoo. He told that studio's blog he factors design time into his session rate, so he doesn't need to rely on tips. The same post says artists at walk-in shops often work for lower percentages and lean more on tips.
Do you tip on flash, walk-ins and custom work the same way?
Yes, according to the one working shop owner we found who addressed it. Cornolo said the tipping practice is the same whether it is a custom piece or a walk-in from a flash sheet on the wall. Tip a percentage of the total either way.
We did not find an artist-voiced source that deals with tipping on flash days specifically. One Los Angeles studio, Apollo Tattoo, says that if you got a flash event or friend rate, tip as if it were the full rate, or as close as you can. That is one shop's view. Heading to a flash event? Our post on flash tattoo sales has more.
Deposits? Same studio, same caveat: Apollo says to tip on the full total, not on what you paid in the chair that day, because a deposit is a prepayment, not a discount on the tip. We found no independent artist quote on this, so check with your artist.
How do you tip on a multi-session piece?
Either way works, according to Cornolo. His shop does a lot of large work over several sittings, and clients either tip per session or wait and tip when the piece is finished. He called it a personal choice.
Logan Square Tattoo and Apollo both lean toward per session. Both are shops, not independent artists. Logan Square also suggests asking your artist what they think about tipping before a multi-session piece, since a 20% expectation could add a few hundred dollars to a session.
Cash or card?
Cash gets named most often. Cornolo said cash tips are best in his experience. Sinatra said it is up to the individual artist and suggested you ask what they prefer.
The reason you will hear most is about money, not manners. Apollo says cash goes to the artist at full value, while a card tip goes through the studio's payment processor and, depending on house policy, may pass through the artist and studio split. That is one studio's explanation, so ask the shop how it handles card tips.
The U.S. News piece adds a practical point: find out before the appointment, so you have the right amount on hand. If you forget, Apollo says to send a tip within a few days with a thank-you note.
Do you tip the shop owner?
Sinatra's answer is yes. She said clients often feel they don't need to tip the owner, but if the owner works alongside others in the studio and their work is valued, a tip is greatly appreciated. Kasen's view, above, is the counterpoint: he builds design time into his rate.
Whoever you tip, Apollo says to hand it to the person who did the tattoo, not the desk.
What if the price already includes a tip?
Some studios do not want tips at all. Apollo says a small number publish no-tipping policies and price the tip into the base rate. Logan Square Tattoo says it charges a fair price, so tipping is never expected. Another studio blog, Certified Tattoo Studios, says some shops add a service charge or gratuity to the bill automatically.
We could not confirm how common either arrangement is. Check the shop's site or ask at booking, the same way you'd vet an artist before you commit.
What if you are unhappy with the tattoo?
Talk to your artist first. Gomez was blunt about it: if you weren't comfortable with the experience, or the tattoo doesn't match what you and your artist discussed, he doesn't think a large tip, or any tip, is necessary. He compared it to getting rudely treated while ordering coffee.
Certified Tattoo Studios, a studio blog, gives similar advice: speak up so the artist can fix it, since a tattoo is permanent, and bring up the problem before deciding to skip a tip. That is a shop blog, so weigh it lightly. But it lines up with Gomez.
Be fair about it. "Unhappy" should mean the work did not match the plan or the experience was bad, not that you now feel like paying less. And if the issue is bigger than a tip, our guide to tattoo cover-ups covers your options.
Can you say thanks without cash?
Yes, and the artists we read say it counts. Dim told Yahoo Life that gratitude can be expressed through kind words and gestures, not solely through tipping.
Cornolo said regular clients sometimes bring restaurant gift cards, theater tickets or doughnuts for the shop, and that those are appreciated. Logan Square suggests a sincere thank you, a positive review, a referral, snacks, a written note, or handmade art. If your budget is tight, it says to be honest with your artist and thank them that way instead.
The bottom line
Tipping a tattoo artist is a gesture, and the artists who spoke on the record treat it that way. Most put the usual range at 15 to 25%, many say 20%, and nobody we found called it mandatory.
If you are heading to your first session, our first tattoo guide covers the rest of the checklist. Decide your number before you walk in. Bring cash if you can, and ask the shop how it handles tips. Tell your artist if something is off before you leave the chair.
And if you are still choosing who to book, you can browse artists by style on Tatulogue.
FAQ
Do you have to tip a tattoo artist?
No. The artists and shop owners we found who spoke on the record said a tip is appreciated, not required. One Brooklyn artist said it makes no difference if you skip it, even when you love the tattoo. Tipping is a custom, not a rule.
How much should you tip for a $500 tattoo?
One U.S. News piece, republished by WTOP in 2022, suggested $75 to $125 for a $500 tattoo, which is 15 to 25%. A Brooklyn artist quoted by Yahoo Life gave the same 15 to 25% range. Other sources go lower, so treat it as a range, not a rule.
Should you tip a tattoo artist in cash?
Cash is mentioned most often. A Chicago shop owner said cash tips are best, while the president of the Alliance of Professional Tattooists said it is up to the artist and suggested you ask. One Los Angeles studio says card tips can lose a little to processing and the studio split. Ask before your appointment.
Do you tip the owner of the tattoo shop?
Opinions differ. The president of the Alliance of Professional Tattooists said a tip is greatly appreciated when the owner works alongside others in the studio and their work is valued. One Chicago shop owner said he builds design time into his rate and doesn't rely on tips.
What if you are unhappy with your tattoo?
Talk to your artist before you decide anything about the tip. A Brooklyn artist quoted by Yahoo Life said that if you weren't comfortable or the tattoo doesn't match what you discussed, a large tip or any tip isn't necessary. Raise the problem first so they have a chance to fix it.