Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s the perfect time to get that piercing or tattoo you’ve been daydreaming about to complete your aura of confidence.

We sifted through D.C.’s tattoo and piercing shops so you don’t have to. Be wary of limited hours and appointment requirements as most of these stores have altered their policies since the pandemic began. 

Here’s a rundown of D.C.’s tattoo and piercing shops, so you don’t have an excuse to not make that appointment:

Fatty’s Tattoos & Piercings
With two locations in D.C. and one in Maryland, nine tattoo artists and four professional piercers, Fatty’s is the largest tattoo and piercing chain in D.C. You can search through each tattoo artist’s sample works on the artists’ profiles on the website to find the best person to execute your ideal tattoo. 

Dupont Circle location at 1333 Connecticut Ave. NW, 3rd floor. Open daily noon to 8 p.m. Appointment only. Find more information here. 

Jinx Proof Tattoos
Jinx’s five tattoo artists specialize in a range of styles and can be specifically requested in the appointment request form, which also gives customers space to describe what they envision their tattoo looking like and to add inspiration pictures for the artists to look at ahead of time. For piercings, Jinx only services customers ages 18 and older, even if you have parental consent. 

3285 ½ M St. NW. Open daily noon to 9:30 p.m. Tattoos by appointment only. Piercing services available daily by call-ahead. Find more information here.

Tattoo Paradise
This shop is located in the heart of Adams Morgan, making it an ideal spot to hit after coffee at Tryst or music at Songbyrd Cafe. The store has 13 tattoo artists, so you have plenty of artistic avenues to choose from. They also offer microblading, which is a technique used to add semi-permanent pigment to the skin for cosmetic purposes, and graphic printed t-shirt merch. To make an appointment, email the shop at [email protected].

2444 18th St. NW. Open Sunday through Thursday noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday noon to midnight. Walk-ins available as time allows for tattoos and are encouraged for piercings. Find more information here. 

Embassy Tattoo
Fill out this form to get your tattoo process kicked off. The shop encourages you to note if you are flexible with which artist tattoos you because the shop only has four artists and appointment slots are limited for each. The artists’ profiles are packed with well-executed realism pieces, so if you want a portrait or photo replication, this could be the spot for you.

1762 Columbia Road. NW. Open Monday through Saturday noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 8 p.m. Find more information here. 

Electric Cat Scratch Tattoos & Piercings
Electric Cat Scratch is currently strictly open by appointment only for tattoos and is not offering piercings. They recommend emailing one of their four tattoo artists individually with a request for the fastest response. Email addresses can be found under each artist’s profile. Include specifications like color scheme, size, location and budget for your tattoo. 

505 Florida Ave. NW. Open Thursday through Monday 1 to 8 p.m. Strictly appointment only. Find more information here.

Wasteland Tattoos
Wasteland Tattoos, located in Columbia Heights, has a western vibe but the artists can do a range of artistic styles when it comes to tattoos including minimalist, bohemian, classic Americana and new school. The store is open by appointment only. You can book by emailing the store at [email protected].

Near the Columbia Heights Metro station at 3423 14th St. NW. Open 1 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesday. Appointment only. Find more information here.

Globe Electric
If you’re looking for a more private, personalized tattoo experience than usual, check out Globe Electric. The shop is owned and run by husband and wife duo Susan Behney-Doyle and Eric Doyle who previously worked as tattoo artists at Jinx Proof Tattoos. You can book an appointment through the shop’s website or by emailing [email protected].

3821 14th St. NW, unit C. Open by appointment only. Find more information here. 

Piercing Connect and Tattoos
For a quick and budget-friendly piercing deal, check out this shop for its “Two for $65 Tuesdays” offer. Customers can use the deal to receive a nostril, tragus, navel, flat, helix rook, conch, nipple and surface piercings. Book an appointment for a piercing through its website. 

2851 Georgia Ave. NW. Open Monday through Thursday noon to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 10 p.m. and closed Sunday. Find more information here.