Though South Carolina legalized tattooing four months ago, it likely will be six more before the first tattoo is legally inked.

Until then, prospective parlor owners are scouting locations, interviewing tattoo artists and drawing up business plans for what they say will be a lucrative business on the Grand Strand.

But they must wait for state health officials to issue regulations and for legislators to approve them. The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control hopes to submit the rules in mid-March 2005. It took legislators more than a year to approve regulations for body piercing, but many looking to open tattoo parlors hope the tattoo rules move more swiftly.

"Everybody is just waiting," said Stephen Rogers, manager of Pitbull Body Piercing. Pitbull hopes to open a tattoo parlor off of Myrtle Beach's Seaboard Street, near its piercing parlor and jewelry manufacturing center. Pitbull is looking for prospective artists and has sent one to tattoo school in California.

"We're ready," Rogers said. "I think by summertime, everything will be set to go."

That's just in time for the tourists, which likely will be the driving engine of the local tattoo trade. Already, several piercing parlors are looking to set up tattoo shops up and down the Strand -
many right on Seaboard.

Jackie Chattaj operates two piercing parlors on Seaboard and hopes to open a tattoo parlor there soon. She's found the office and hired the artist. Chattaj is a former registered nurse and has read early versions of the state's tattoo regulations.

Early drafts of the state regulations would prohibit parlor owners from operating out of existing businesses. That means body piercing parlors and other businesses looking to offer tattoos must open a separate office and apply for a second business license. The same rules also would prohibit parlors from selling anything.

"Now that [tattooing] has been approved, we want to make sure it goes through in a safe fashion," said Clair Boatwright of DHEC. "What's important is that we get good regulations in to protect everyone and do it right."

As soon as the state legalized tattooing, local governments moved to restrict where the parlors could open up. Horry County, Conway, North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach have or will adopt rules that prevent tattoo parlors from opening in most areas. Officials say they want to keep parlors away from neighborhoods, schools, churches and most other businesses.

On Tuesday, Horry County Council gave final approval to zoning rules that will restrict tattoo parlors to areas set aside for medical offices.

Myrtle Beach already relegated parlors to medical facilities and the semi-industrial area near Seaboard Street - the same area the city has set aside for strip clubs and body piercing parlors.

"There's not that much room left on Seaboard," Rogers said.

It's too early to know just how many parlors will open up on the Grand Strand. The licenses and permits don't exist yet but will be held by the tattoo artist, not the business. Already, besides Pitbull and Chattaj's future parlor, there are at least two other piercing companies working to open tattoo parlors.

Rogers said that several people walk into Pitbull's piercing parlor nearly every day to ask about tattoos.

"Have patience," he tells them.

"It took them 40 years to legalize it," he said. "It's going to happen."

At the earliest, late March 2005. The state is working on health and safety regulations for tattooing. Those rules, which are expected to be complete in March, must then be approved by state legislators.

The state's regulations are meant to keep tattooing clean and safe. The rules likely will include training requirements for artists and health codes for the parlors.

Most local governments already have adopted rules on where parlors can open. In Myrtle Beach, parlors will be allowed in the Seaboard Street area and in medical areas. In Horry County, the parlors will be allowed only in areas set aside for medical offices. North Myrtle Beach will limit parlors to light industrial areas.