Every person being pierced has 13 specific rights, according to the Association of Professional Piercers: a sterile single-use needle, a piercer who explains every risk before you commit, jewelry suited to your anatomy and healing, and the right to simply stand up and leave at any point if something feels wrong. APP calls this its "Know Your Rights" standard, and it's meant to be read before you sit down for a piercing, not after something's already gone wrong.
In this article
- What are the 13 rights, in plain terms?
- Why does a list like this exist at all?
- How do I actually use this before getting pierced?
- What are the clearest red flags?
- FAQ
What are the 13 rights, in plain terms?
APP's full list, condensed here but worth reading in full on APP's own site, covers:
- A clean, sober piercer working in a hygienic space, wearing fresh gloves.
- A brand-new, fully sterilized, single-use needle, discarded after one use in a sharps container.
- Any reusable tools properly sterilized and handled before touching anyone else.
- The knowledge that a piercing gun is never appropriate, including on an earlobe.
- Confidence that the studio follows the highest hygiene and sterilization standards.
- A piercer who evaluates what placement and jewelry actually suit your anatomy, not just what you asked for.
- Full, honest information about risks and possible complications before you decide anything.
- The right to get a second opinion, from someone else in the studio or an entirely different one.
- Initial jewelry that's actually suited to healing. APP states this directly: gold-plated, gold-filled, or sterling silver jewelry is never appropriate for a fresh or unhealed piercing.
- A tour of the studio, photos of past work, and every question answered before you commit to anything.
- Complete aftercare instructions, verbal and written, plus continued access to your piercer during healing.
- Respectful, knowledgeable treatment, regardless of who you are or what you're getting pierced.
- The right to change your mind and walk out at any point, if anything about the situation feels wrong.
Solid 14K gold, never plated or filled, the exact standard APP's Bill of Rights describes for fresh jewelry.
Why does a list like this exist at all?
Because piercing, unlike most licensed personal services, is regulated inconsistently from state to state and sometimes not meaningfully at all. APP is a nonprofit professional association, not a government body, and it wrote this list specifically to give customers a consistent standard to hold any studio to, regardless of what their local regulations do or don't require. It's also, deliberately, written in plain language rather than legal or medical jargon, so it's something you can actually read in the waiting area before your appointment.
How do I actually use this before getting pierced?
Read through the list before you book, and treat it as a set of direct questions rather than passive reading. Ask to see the needle package opened in front of you. Ask what the jewelry is actually made of, not just what it looks like, our guide to safe piercing metals covers exactly what to listen for. Ask what the healing timeline looks like for your specific placement, which our healing time chart covers placement by placement. A studio that's genuinely following APP's standard will welcome every one of these questions instead of treating them as an inconvenience.
Solid 10K gold, made to be worn through the full navel healing period without wearing through.
What are the clearest red flags?
A few signs cover most of the list at once. A piercer who can't or won't show you a sterile needle package before using it. A studio that reaches for a piercing gun for anything beyond a standard earlobe, or at all. Jewelry a seller can't describe in specific material terms (karat, alloy, grade) when you ask. Any pressure to decide immediately rather than take a second opinion or walk away. Any one of these is reason enough to look elsewhere, and APP's list exists precisely so you don't have to guess at where the line is.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Piercee's Bill of Rights legally enforceable?
No, it's a professional standard published by APP, a nonprofit association, not a law. Its value is as a clear, specific checklist you can hold any studio to, regardless of what your state's regulations do or don't require.
What's the single most important right on the list?
They're not ranked, but the needle-and-sterilization rights (1 through 3) and the right to leave at any time (13) cover the most direct safety ground, since they address the two biggest sources of real harm: unsterile tools and feeling pressured to continue.
Can I ask to see a piercer's sterilization logs?
Yes, and a reputable studio keeps and will show them. Autoclave sterilization is typically verified with regular spore tests, and a studio following APP's standard should have no hesitation showing you that record.
What should I do if a studio refuses a second opinion?
Treat it as a clear signal and look elsewhere. A confident, professional piercer has no reason to discourage you from getting a second opinion, since the right one is explicitly part of APP's own published standard.
Does the Bill of Rights apply the same way to a minor's piercing?
Yes, and arguably more. A parent or guardian consenting on a minor's behalf is still entitled to every one of these 13 rights on the child's behalf, including full information about risks, a second opinion, and the right to stop at any point. Our guide to safe piercings for kids covers what else to check for a minor specifically.
Know your rights. Then shop with confidence.
Every Zahav piece meets the exact material standard APP's Bill of Rights describes.
Shop Solid Gold Jewelry →Solid gold, always. Made in New York.