State regulations covering tattoos and tattoo parlors went into effect Friday, a key development that will allow the first legal parlor to be open within two weeks, state officials said.

The new rules were posted by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control and come after the Legislature in 2004 lifted a ban on tattooing.

It is the first time South Carolina has recognized the popular art of dyeing the skin.

DHEC, which will license and inspect the parlors, began accepting applications Friday. A license will cost $400 a year. Parlors with more than eight chairs will pay another $50 for each chair.

One of the first applications processed came from a Myrtle Beach business, Express Body Piercing. Agency spokesman Thom Berry said it could be approved to open in as little as two weeks.

The owner has applied for a tattooing license next door to his body-piercing business.

The new laws prevent body piercing and tattooing in the same building, so businesses looking to capitalize on both expressive practices will have to establish separate locations.

“That’s kinda crazy,” said David Rash, owner of The Voodoo Den in Rosewood, who said he’s been waiting for the regulations.

“The same courses I take every year for body piercing are the same courses that cover tattooing, so that doesn’t make sense.”

Tattoo parlors only can operate in locales where government zoning laws permit the practice. A few locations, such as Forest Acres, have passed rules to accommodate tattooing.

But many others, including Columbia and Lexington, have not. Columbia Mayor Bob Coble said the city still is working on guidelines for locating the businesses within the city.

While few applied Friday, there is apparent interest.

“We plan to do it, but we’re not in a rush,” said Shannon Purvis-McKenzie, owner of Body Rites in Five Points.

“So, if it takes a year, it’s all right.”

That will give DHEC an opportunity to work out any kinks in the system and McKenzie a chance to continue searching out a suitable location, she said.

In most cases, Berry said it could take several weeks to a couple of months to open a legal tattoo parlor, the time it could take the agency to rifle through a thick checklist of must-dos.

Among the physical limitations, for instance, are that parlors cannot open within 1,000 feet of a church, school or playground.

Tattoos only can be performed on people 21 years of age or older, though individuals who are at least 18 can be tattooed with parental consent. Parlor operators must check for proper picture identification.

South Carolina does not permit tattooing on the face, head, or neck. The parlors, tattoo artists, and artists in training also must meet a host of health standards before opening.

For instance, DHEC must certify tattoo artists are trained in blood-borne pathogens, approved tattoo infection control, Red Cross first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Tattoo artists are required to have a valid license from a state that regulates tattooing, or at least 1,000 hours performing licensed tattoo procedures in the past three years.

The parlors also will be required to keep records on their clients.