ID + document Policies

We require all proper identification present before all piercing and jewelry changing procedures, even for returning clients.

If you have created an appointment but do not arrive with the proper IDs, we will regretfully be unable to pierce you, and you be charged a full cancellation fee (most often, a cancellation fee is the full fee for the service for which you booked; for more details, see Appointment + Cancellation Policies below.).

No individual requiring supervision and/or under 13 years of age will be allowed inside the studio (unless the minor is the one being pierced).

  • We accept: passport, driver's license/permits, state non-driver ID with photo, U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), Tribal Cards/Native American tribal IDs

    We cannot accept: any expired documents, social security card, voter registration card, work or student IDs, health insurance, medicare documents, tax documents

    Any person 18 years of age or older getting pierced or must present an unexpired, government-issued ID that has their photo, date of birth, and expiration date.

    Paper/temporary IDs are accepted if valid (government-issued, not expired, etc.)

    U.S. military or military dependent ID are accepted for jewelry changes only. Tennessee's laws require us to retain a copy of any proof we use for a piercing service, while Federal law does not allow the copying of these IDs.

  • There are two components we must have for doing a piercing for a minor — (1) the legal guardian’s ID and (2) a legal/government-issued proof of the child’s age/date of birth.

    Acceptable documents for guardianship: official copy/original birth certificate, notarized and/or judge-signed order or affidavit of guardianship or custody

    Acceptable documents for guardian ID: passport, driver's license/permits, state non-driver ID with photo, U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), Tribal Cards/Native American tribal IDs (none of these are accepted if expired)

    Things we cannot accept: minor’s permit/license/passport only (does not prove relationship), social security cards, health/insurance cards, work or school IDs, tax documents

    Military ID note: We cannot use U.S. military or military dependent ID for piercings; Tennessee's laws require us to retain a copy of any proof we use for a piercing service, but Federal law does not allow the copying of these IDs.

    Legal Guardian ONLY: Piercings or jewelry changes on anyone under the age of 18 require a parent/legal guardian/custodian present and consenting, unless the minor is emancipated. No relative or other adult that is not the legal guardian may give consent for a minor.


    Special notes for documentation:

    The name of the parent/guardian/custodian must match on all documentation presented. If there is a difference in documentation, we will need the legal proof of the name change (e.g. divorce paperwork, marriage license, notarized court decree, etc.).

    All documents presented must be official legal documents, including notarization (or other official government stamping/seal). They cannot be photocopies, online documents, or images, even if we will make a copy anyway - we must physically see the original or certified copy.


    The consenting adult must remain in the building during the entire procedure. You cannot sign for a minor and leave.

    Emancipated minors must bring government-issued documentation proving they have been emancipated, as well as their ID as described in the Adults/18+ section above.

  • Services “under the mask” (involving the nose or mouth) may or may not be offered. Check our home page for the most up-to-date details.

    When these services are offered, we may require certain information on vaccination status or a negative COVID-19 test. If we state these must be had on our homepage but you arrive without proper documentation, we cannot pierce you, and you will be subject to a fee.

 

Age Policies

Our piercers reserve the right to make ethical decisions (especially with minor clients and their guardians) about what's best for clients’ bodies with regard to health and safety.

For more about reasons why one may be unable to receive a piercing other than age, see the below section titled, "Potential Restrictions from Getting Pierced".

  • We do not do piercings for anyone under age 5.

  • Minors 5 - 11 years of age and up may receive earlobe piercings only.

  • Minors 12 - 14 years of age may receive earlobe & basic helix (ear cartilage) piercings only.

  • Minors 15 - 17 years of age may enjoy almost all of our services (such as, but not limited to, nostril, helix, industrial, lip, navel, septum, eyebrow, etc.). Excluded services: larger gauge, surface/”dermal”, tongue, nipple, and genital piercings.

  • Adults 18 years of age and older may enjoy our full range of services.

 

Potential Restrictions from Getting Pierced*

*This is a non-exhaustive list of reasons why one might get turned away for any piercing; our piercers reserve the right to turn away anyone for a piercing.

  • We will not pierce anyone who is pregnant or nursing. A pregnant/nursing individual’s body is undergoing many changes that can make healing a piercing very difficult. Additionally, in the unlikely event a pregnant individual were to develop an infection, it could be hazardous to the child/fetus. (We will still happily change jewelry for anyone pregnant or nursing!)

  • No individual who is in any way impaired in any degree by alcohol and/or other drugs can receive a piercing at our studio. Not only would someone under the influence be unable to appropriately consent to being pierced, but they would also bleed a considerable amount more.

    Prescribed drugs and medications that could (or do) impair your decision-making should be avoided as possible, but always discuss your situation with your doctor.

  • Everyone's body is very different, and some piercings are anatomy-dependent. We won't do any piercing that we do not think is safe, likely would not heal well, or would likely be uncomfortable.

  • If the area which you are requesting to have pierced is experiencing a rash, outbreak, or other non-normative condition/disease/disorder, we ask that you return for that piercing when that part of the body is healthy/well/no longer experiencing the condition if possible.

    If you generally are prone to conditions in the area, we may discuss not performing the piercing for your well-being.

  • We may discourage an individual from receiving a piercing based on certain aspects of their lifestyle — for example, someone who is swimming in the summer may want to hold off on getting a navel piercing until the end of the summer. See the Considerations section for more details.

    For many of these, we operate using informed consent, meaning that we may do the piercing if you acknowledge the possible consequences.

  • Our piercers reserve the right to turn down any client who is being argumentative, disorderly, or does not seem mature or healthy enough to get a piercing on that particular day. That is not to say that an individual turned down for those reasons cannot get pierced at a later date.

 

Considerations Before Getting Pierced

We may discourage an individual from receiving a piercing if we learn of certain aspects of their lifestyle. Here we have some examples of reasons why you may want to consider placement or timing of a piercing. For many of these, we operate using informed consent, meaning that we may do the piercing if you acknowledge the possible consequences. However, Monarch’s staff ultimately reserves the right to turn away anyone for a piercing.

These are not required to read these, but it is strongly recommended. These will expand when you select/click each item.

  • Submerging a fresh piercing increases the likelihood of infection and other issues significantly during the entirety of its healing — which, for almost all piercings, lasts for multiple months. If you plan to swim at all within the near future, we recommend waiting to get the piercing. If you must swim, we recommend a waterproof dressing/bandage to cover the entire piercing area without pulling on the skin.

  • Any outside object that goes in or over the ears after a fresh piercing can add unnecessary scratching/movement, pressure, and foreign "gunk". Two major culprits of these - on daith and tragus piercings especially, but with all piercings of the ears - are headphones and stethoscopes. If you plan to get one of these piercings, we strongly recommend not wearing your headphones/headsets and stethoscopes in/on that ear until the piercing is completely healed (which will take several months). Doing so can cause many issues, such as lengthening healing times, causing the piercing to grow crooked, and increasing the likelihood of rejection and infection.

  • Most piercings will be affected by consistent pressure or irritation. The most common irritation we see is from sleeping on piercings. With any piercing, you absolutely should not sleep on it during the duration of its healing (which is multiple months for most piercings). Sleeping on a piercing can cause prolonged healing, additional swelling or bleeding, bumps, and/or crookedness, all of which can be made permanent should you continue to stay on the piercing, so please do what you can to keep from this the whole time a piercing is healing (for months!).

    Using a travel/donut pillow and putting your ear in the hole, wearing hair claw clips, and surrounding your sides with pillows or putting pillows under your knees to stop yourself from rolling are some of our most common suggestions for trying to keep yourself from laying on the piercing while unconscious.

    If you want to get both ears pierced, we generally recommend against doing so at the same time (except your ear lobes) in order for you to have a side on which you can sleep while your first piercing heals. If you feel that you can go without sleeping on the piercings, we have no problem doing both on the same day.

  • If you know you have an upcoming medical procedure, we recommend waiting to get your piercing. We do carry lead-free glass retainers that are safe to wear for medical scans and surgical procedures, but we encourage individuals to leave their fresh piercing alone to allow for healing. Once the piercing is healed, we have no problem helping you change your jewelry to a retainer as needed, but retainers are not recommended for long-term wear.

    Additionally, if you reasonably anticipate becoming pregnant, we STRONGLY recommend not getting a piercing. Healing can be extremely difficult and, on the off-chance of infection, the infection can affect the baby/fetus.

  • Not all workplaces are accepting of piercings, and some piercings are accepted better than others. We strongly recommend checking your employee manual or speaking with your employer/supervisor before getting a piercing. We do have disk pieces that can "hide" the piece and appear similar to freckles or moles, but we cannot pierce with glass retainers or other "clear" pieces.

  • We will only pierce with jewelry if it is from our studio. Unfortunately, we simply cannot verify the jewelry has never been worn, nor can we know the content/grade of other outside jewelry without a mill certificate or other proof of alloy testing. Therefore, we cannot accept outside jewelry, even if it is “labeled” with a certain metal content or sealed for a brand-new piercing, on anyone.

    If the gem/front end of your jewelry was originally purchased from us, we may be able to pierce with it under the stipulation that it has never been worn or has been worn only by you (not a partner, child, friend, other family member, etc.). We will still require that the part that actually travels through the piercing channel (meaning the backing/shaft/ring/labret/etc.) be brand new for the safety and health of your new piercing, ourselves, and our other clients, due to the complex nature of biofilms creating issue with full sterilization.

    Any jewelry that you wish to wear in a new piercing must be dropped off at least one day in advance so we can properly clean and process your jewelry. There is also a fee for reprocessing worn jewelry.

    If you are confused by these rules or have further questions, please contact if you're unsure!

  • Other common things to consider when getting a piercing and where to get it might include if you own a pet, have long hair, use make-up near the piercing site, tend to wear tight clothes around the site, wear glasses or other accessories around the site, or have small children who might smack or grab at the jewelry.

  • Earloop masks are among the best fitted to the face, but are likely to snag, rub, or cause other problems with many piercings traveling through the back or sides of the ear (such as the conch, helix, industrial, and forward helix). We recommend using ear savers/mask extender while using a mask during the healing of these piercings.

    Glasses can cause similar issues, but we understand you can’t keep the pressure off the area. We recommend considering contact use or considering specific placements in certain areas around the nose and ears.

  • Any piercing has a chance to leave a scar should you remove it. Some piercings also have a higher likelihood of rejection as well. Surface piercings, eyebrows, and navels are among the most common, though any piercing can be rejected from the body.

    However, there are ways to mitigate the scarring with proper care should it reject. Early removal when it begins to reject is your best answer in the fight against scars.

    Surface piercings and anchors (“dermals”) are especially major culprits for rejection. These are often a bit more temperamental, getting flared up by even the slightest of changes. Most flare-ups can be calmed down with a few days of consistent babying - don’t sleep on the piercing or touch it more than necessary.

    These piercings require maintenance during their entire span because of high potential build-up underneath the top, which causes irritation and increases the likelihood of problems. When cleaning, it is important to have clean hands/gloves, to not scrub roughly, and to make sure the top is still securely screwed on. Even once these piercings are healed, there is a chance that the body will reject them. This is why some people will call these piercings more temporary. If you’re looking for a more guaranteed option or very highly concerned about scarring, a surface piercing or anchor may not be your best choice.

  • Teeth chipping and gum erosion can occur with any oral piercing (tongue, lip, cheek, etc). Gum erosion is gradual, not overnight, so watching closely is recommended. We also recommend retiring a piercing if you or your dentist notice this occurring.

    With some oral piercings, primarily for the first few days, talking can be difficult and/or the jewelry may be quite noticeably long. If this can pose a problem for you, we recommend planning accordingly!

    Dairy-heavy, spicy, salty, and acidic foods as well as alcohol usage may affect the swelling for the initial days or weeks after receiving the piercing. Oral contact with other people and smoking can also affect swelling and healing time, as well as cause many other problems with the piercing.

    While some people experience none of these issues, we feel it is better to be cautious, as some instances have been known to be quite drastic!

 

Bringing Minors + Others to the Studio

No one is allowed to bring more than TWO (2) additional individuals and/or a party larger than 3 people.

  • For those who require a parent/guardian, caregiver, or interpreter, this means there can only one additional person aside from the individual receiving the piercing and their assistance (such as a minor and two family members).

  • Any loud or hyperactive individuals may either be asked to remain outside until they can calm down, or we may ask that you return another day when they can remain calmer.

  • No member of our staff is responsible for watching individuals who require supervision. Parents/guardians, caregivers, etc. are responsible and liable for any damages and/or theft by those who would not be held legally responsible.

  • Absolutely no individual who requires supervision will be allowed in the studio unless receiving a piercing, including those under age 13.

  • If a minor over the age of 13 is with you but is not being pierced, we will still ask that you can find childcare and strongly encourage you to reschedule. If more than two individuals are with you, regardless of age, you will be required to reschedule.

 

Appointment + Cancellation Policies

  • Appointments are strongly recommended, and walk-ins may be turned away or asked to wait an undetermined amount of time. This includes when browsing the jewelry selection, in order to keep building capacity and appointment schedules.

  • If you book for a certain service or services but would like to receive several or different services once you arrive, we may only have time to do the service(s) for which you booked.

    If you are late to your appointment by fifteen (15) minutes or more, the fee listed at the time of appointment creation may be charged. We may not perform the service, or we will see other clients before you and fit you in as we can. This depends largely on the time that we have available, though overall is at the discretion of Monarch’s staff.

  • By booking, you agree to receive messages (call, text, and/or email) from Monarch Fine Jewelry + Professional Piercing and/or its booking partners/third-party services (such as Square or similar) regarding your appointment, services, and jewelry orders. You may contact Monarch at any time to opt out or discontinue this service.

    We will not contact you regarding marketing or advertisements unless you opt into this service. We will only contact you regarding what pertains directly to the services you have booked or about an existing transaction.

    We will not sell your data and will do what we reasonably can to protect any information provided.

    Monarch does not fully control the messages that partners or other third-party services (such as Square) may send, or how they handle your data.

  • In order to book an appointment, you must have a form of online pay accepted by our booking software (debit/credit card, etc.).

    You will not be charged anything until you arrive at the studio, unless you cancel or reschedule outside the allowed time frame of twelve (12) hours. (For more, see Canceling/Rescheduling section).

    You must have full payment, unless otherwise specified at the time of the service or purchase.

    We accept cash, common debit/credit cards (including AMEX), Google and Apple Pay, and are sometimes able to accept PayPal or similar. We do not accept cryptocurrencies, bartering systems, or checks.

  • Service fees quoted at the time of booking are separate from the cost of the jewelry, tools, taxes, and any other items purchased or used. When getting a piercing, you must purchase jewelry in addition to the cost of the service.

    Jewelry costs vary greatly depending on material, placement, gemstone(s), and other factors. Our Jewelry Page » includes estimates on jewelry prices.

  • Appointments must be cancelled or rescheduled more than twelve (12) hours before your appointment, or you will be charged the late fee.

    To reschedule or cancel, you must follow the link that was emailed/texted upon setting the appointment or in your reminder messages.

    Appointments cannot be guaranteed to be created, rescheduled, or canceled via phone call, voicemail, email, or other online avenues outside our booking page, as these methods cannot be guaranteed to be seen by our staff and will still result in being charged.

    If you have difficulty, you may contact us via phone, but this method is not guaranteed and may still result in a fee.

  • Late cancellation/rescheduling and no-show fees are determined at the time of booking. Most commonly, the late fee will be the FULL cost of the services for which you booked.

    For piercings: the fee will be for each piercing service (for example, if booked for 2 piercings, you will be charged for both services in full).

    Non-piercing services (change, downsize, removal, etc.): these fees vary but will typically be under that of a piercing service each. These typically range from $5 - $30 each.

    If you do not arrive with the proper ID(s), guardianship paperwork, and vaccination records and have them physically present at the time of your appointment, you will be charged the full service fee listed at the time of appointment creation.

    It is your responsibility to make sure you know what is required for your specific service and have everything with you at the time of your appointment. If for any reason you are unsure of what is needed, please contact us.

    Monarch Fine Jewelry + Professional Piercing is not responsible if you book the wrong day or time mistakenly or if you do not properly accommodate time zones when scheduling.

    If you arrive to an appointment at an incorrect time, we will try to accommodate you, but we may be unable to serve you until the appropriate time, or you may be charged a fee if late.

    If you arrive for your appointment and do not have suitable anatomy for the piercing you are seeking, you will not be charged a cancellation fee.

 

COVID-19 Policies

Do not make an appointment or arrive at your appointment if you or anyone in your household —

  • Are feeling unwell or have shown symptoms of any illness in the past 14 days.

  • Have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 21 days.

  • Have come into contact with someone who was exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 within the past 21 days.

  • Have had any of the following symptoms in the past 14 days:

Fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea; persistent pain or pressure in the chest; new confusion; inability to wake or stay awake; pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone

masking

While masking in the studio is currently optional, you may request for employees and other individuals present to mask. We encourage you to request ahead if possible should you know you would like this, but it is not required. We want everyone to be comfortable and safe.

If someone in the studio requests for us to mask, you must do so as well to stay inside the studio. No exceptions will be made. If you do not comply to a request to mask, you will have to leave and risk being charged a cancellation fee.