I promise — it comes from a place of care.
I completely understand the spontaneity of it. You are out with your child, the moment feels right, you walk into the studio excited and ready — and then I ask for a birth certificate you do not have on you. I know that is frustrating. I am genuinely sorry for the inconvenience. But “I’m the parent” is not something I can accept in place of documentation, and I want to explain why.
A piercing is a body modification. I am changing your child’s body. Even a simple lobe piercing carries real responsibility: piercings can have complications, they require consistent aftercare, and they need to be placed thoughtfully in anatomy that is still developing. Oregon takes licensing requirements for piercing minors seriously, and so do I.
What the Law Requires — and Why It Matters
Under Oregon state law, before I pierce a minor I need to verify three things: that the adult present is legally authorized to make decisions for the child, that the child has been fully informed about what is going to happen, and that enough consideration has gone into this decision to produce the required documentation.
That last point is not bureaucracy for its own sake. The time it takes to locate a birth certificate is time for everyone to think. It gives the child a chance to sit with the decision. It gives parents a chance to prepare. And it gives me confidence that when we get to the appointment, we are all there because we genuinely want to be.
Last Names Don’t Tell Me Enough
My daughter and I have different last names. I say that not as a footnote but as the whole point: last names tell me nothing about legal guardianship. A matching surname is not documentation. A birth certificate is.
I have seen situations that made this requirement feel very necessary. A step-parent who provided documentation with matching names and signed the forms — and the biological mother arrived days later, furious, because she had not given permission. That was years ago and in a different state with different requirements, but it is exactly the kind of situation studios now have documentation policies to prevent. I have had grandparents bring grandchildren without parental approval. Siblings ask to sign for each other. Once, a young woman asked if her boyfriend could sign her consent form. The documentation requirement exists because of real situations, not hypothetical ones.
Consent Goes Both Ways
There is something else I want to be clear about: I will not pierce a child who cannot verbally tell me they want to be pierced. That is non-negotiable for me, both as a piercer and as a mom.
If your child freezes up in the moment, that is okay. We slow down. If they change their mind after one ear, they are free to leave. No means no, and that goes for children too. The goal is never to get the piercing done — it is to make sure that if and when it happens, it happens because the child genuinely wanted it.
Getting pierced takes courage. I want to celebrate that, not rush past it.
What to Bring
To keep your appointment running smoothly, please bring a valid birth certificate for your child. A parent or legal guardian must be present for the full appointment. That is it. Come with those two things and we will take care of the rest.
These requirements are not here to make your day harder. They are here to protect your child, protect our studio, protect our piercers — and honestly, to protect you too. I care about the experience your child has here, and that care starts before they ever sit in the chair.
See you soon.
— Sasha, Lead Piercer at Stacked
