general questions

Where are you located?
The studio is located at 8227 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda. We're directly across the street from the Woodmont-Rugby parking garage on Woodmont Ave.

When are you open?
We are open for business seven days a week. You can reach us by phone between 12pm and 6pm daily.
Walk-ins are accepted based on availability. Please call or email the studio ahead of time to confirm availability.

Do you accept credit cards or checks?
We accept all credit cards including Amex, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa. We also accept Apple Pay. Sorry, no checks.

Can I get tattooed or pierced if I am under 18?
Yes, we will provide some services for those who are16 years of age and older. Anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent/guardian and provide each of the following:

Birth certificate for the minor (in the case of legal guardianship, the court guardianship document is also required).
Valid photo ID for the minor (i.e., driver’s license/permit, state ID, military ID, passport, or student ID).
Valid government-issued photo ID for the parent/guardian (i.e., driver’s license, military ID, or passport).

All identification documents must be original; no photocopies accepted in person. There are no exceptions to our ID policy. If you have questions, call the studio prior to your visit.

My child is under 18 and doesn’t have photo ID.
For clients under 18 who do not have a valid photo ID, we suggest getting a non-driver state identification card. The process is simple; more information can be found at the following links:

Do I have to make an appointment for a tattoo or piercing?
While some of our artists are appointment only, other artists will take walk-ins depending on availability. For walk-ins, please call the studio ahead of time to confirm availability. For appointments, please contact the artist you’d like to work with. You may also email us at bethesdatattoo@gmail.com if you do not have an artist preference and would like to be set up with first available artist. All tattoo appointments require a deposit. Piercing appointments can be booked online.

Can I make an appointment over the phone?
To schedule a tattoo appointment, please contact your tattoo artist directly and follow the auto-reply where applicable. If you do not have a preferred artist, please call or email us to be scheduled with the first available tattoo artist. All tattoo appointments require a deposit. NO EXCEPTIONS. Deposits are deducted from the final price of your tattoo.

We are unable to provide price quotes for tattoos over the phone. To receive an estimate, send an email to bethesdatattoo@gmail.com and include the following: what you want to get; where on your body you want it to go; what size (in inches) you want it to be. Attach images/references to the email.

Piercing appointments can be booked online. All piercing appointments require the piercing fee to be paid in advance.

Do you sell gift cards?
Yes, gift cards are available for purchase at the studio and online.

What is your refund policy?
Bethesda Tattoo does not offer refunds for any service or product.

tattooing

Does getting a tattoo hurt?
Yep, getting tattooed does hurt. The amount of pain involved is dependent on the area of the body being tattooed, and the pain tolerance and mindset of the individual.

Do you reuse your tattoo needles or inks?
No! All needles are single-use only. All needles and tubes are sealed and autoclaved in sterile bags prior to use. Needles are immediately discarded into a sharps container after a tattoo is finished. All ink is poured into disposable caps, which are discarded after use.

Can I bring in my own designs?
Absolutely. Although we have a wide variety of designs on hand to choose from, you are more than welcome to bring in your own designs and references. Our tattoo artists are experienced in doing high-quality custom work; if you need creative help to design your tattoo, we can do that!

How much does getting a tattoo cost?
There are several factors involved with the pricing of a tattoo, including the size of the design, the amount of detail, and the area of the body being tattooed. The minimum price for a tattoo is $185. Single-session tattoos are individually priced. Multiple-session work is typically priced at an hourly rate which varies by artist.

Do I need to make an appointment to get a tattoo?
While some of our artists are appointment only, other artists will take walk-ins depending on availability. For walk-ins, please call the studio ahead of time to confirm availability. All tattoo appointments require a deposit.

Deposits go toward the final price of your tattoo. In order for a tattoo artist to provide an estimate, they must be able see the design and area of the body to be tattooed. If you have left a deposit with an open appointment date, contact the studio to schedule.

What is your cancellation policy?
Bethesda Tattoo has a strict 48-hour policy for rescheduling. If you would like to reschedule your appointment, we require 48 hours prior to the time of your appointment for your deposit to remain valid. (While 48 hours’ notice is required, we request more notice if possible.)

Deposits are non-refundable; cancellations will result in forfeit of your deposit. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to our cancellation policy. If you can't make your appointment and don't show up, your deposit is forfeited and any future appointments will have to be paid in full.

Can I have a consultation with an artist before putting down a deposit for my tattoo?
Absolutely! We encourage our patrons to set up consultations with the artist of their choice before setting up the tattoo appointment. Contact the studio to book your consultation.

How should I prepare before I get tattooed?
Get a good night’s sleep and have something to eat before coming in. Do not drink alcohol, take illegal drugs, or ingest aspirin prior to your tattoo. Alcohol, aspirin, and NSAIDs are blood thinners that will promote excessive bleeding during your tattoo. We will not tattoo you if you are drunk, high, or evidently hungover.

Can I use numbing cream?
This varies by artist; please contact your artist or the studio before your appointment. Please don’t use numbing cream without your artist’s approval.

Can I have an old/poor tattoo reworked or covered up?
Generally, an old/poor tattoo can be reworked or covered up. Please set up a consultation to speak with one of our tattoo artists about what you would like to have done.

Do y'all do tattoo parties?
We do not do tattoo parties, in or out of the studio. None of our artists do house calls in any situation.

Should I tip my tattoo artist?
Tips are not expected, but are always appreciated. Tips can be made in cash, and via Venmo, CashApp, and PayPal. Ask for your artist’s QR code at the counter.

How should I care for my new tattoo?
We will provide precise aftercare instructions at the end of your session. The artist will explain aftercare verbally and we will email a document explaining the process in detail.

body piercing

How painful is getting a piercing?
The amount of pain involved in getting pierced is dependent on the area of the body being pierced, and the pain tolerance and mindset of the individual. The actual piercing process is relatively quick, so while it may hurt, it will usually only hurt for the moment that you are being pierced.

Do you reuse your piercing needles?
No! All needles are single-use only. All needles and piercing equipment are processed and sterilized in sealed pouches prior to use; jewelry is sterilized immediately prior to piercing. Needles are immediately discarded into a sharps container after the procedure.

Do I need to make an appointment to get a piercing?
Piercings are done on by appointment and can be scheduled online. Be sure to check out the ID requirements before booking.

Can I bring my own jewelry to be pierced with?
For quality control, we cannot pierce with jewelry that is purchased outside of our studio. All jewelry we carry is implant-grade and of the highest quality and standards for your safety. We will change out healed piercings with jewelry purchased outside of our studio provided the jewelry is of acceptable quality. Call us with any questions about this.

How should I prepare before I get pierced?
Get a good night’s sleep and have something to eat before coming in. Do not drink alcohol, take illegal drugs, or ingest aspirin prior to your piercing. Alcohol, aspirin, and NSAIDs are blood thinners that will promote excessive bleeding during your piercing. We will not pierce you if you are drunk, high, or evidently hungover.

What should I bring with me?
Provide your government-issued photo ID (i.e., driver's license, military ID, or passport).

Piercing clients under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian and provide each of the following:

Birth certificate for the minor (in the case of legal guardianship, the court guardianship document is also required).
Valid photo ID for the minor (i.e., driver’s license/permit, state ID, military ID, passport, or student ID).
Valid government-issued photo ID (i.e., drivers’s license, military ID, or passport) for the parent/guardian.

All identification documents must be original; no photocopies accepted in person. There are no exceptions to our ID policy. If you have questions, call the studio prior to your visit.

Can I bring my other child/children with me to the piercing appointment?
If you are bringing your child to get pierced, please do not bring additional children that are not getting pierced. We allow one parent/adult the piercing room with the child. If you are bringing more than one child to get pierced, please make sure there is another parent/adult to watch the child waiting to be pierced; our staff cannot do so.

Should I tip my piercer?
Tips are not expected, but are always appreciated.

How should I care for my new piercing?
The piercer will provide both verbal and written aftercare instructions during your appointment. Aftercare varies depending on the type of piercing. Aftercare solution is available for purchase at the studio.

How is my piercing fee handled when I book online? What is your cancellation policy?
The fee you pay when booking an appointment online goes directly toward your piercing service. If you need to reschedule or cancel, please contact us at least one hour before the start of your appointment or the piercing fee will be forfeited.

If you do not reschedule or cancel at least one hour before the beginning of your appointment, and fail to be present at the time of your appointment, the piercing fee will NOT be refunded.
If you are late to your appointment, the piercing fee will NOT be refunded.
If you do not bring the required identification to your appointment, we will reschedule it for another time. The piercing fee will NOT be refunded.

If you believe you are entitled to a refund of your piercing fee and have not received it, please contact us at bethesdatattoo@gmail.com or 301.652.0494.