Custom Tattoo Design Studios in Iowa

55 of the 424 tattoo shops we track in Iowa have custom design work. Map search doesn't separate shops that only tattoo pre-made flash sheets from shops that build a one-of-a-kind piece around your idea — that distinction isn't a searchable field, it's buried in a portfolio you have to dig for. Every shop listed here has custom design work confirmed from its own website or portfolio, not guessed from star ratings. Full listings for every city are on the Iowa page.

Des Moines 8

Bigfoot Tattoo Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom design

5729 Urbandale Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310

🕒 Fri-Sun 11am-10pm/5pm, Mon/Wed-Thu 11:30am-6pm

(515) 334-3333 Website All Des Moines tattoo shops

Carrie Black Tattoo Custom designAppointment only

118 SE 4th St, Des Moines, IA 50309-4802

+15153343333 Website All Des Moines tattoo shops

Electric Diamond Tattoo Custom design

843 42nd St, Des Moines, IA 50312-2604

+15152556902 Website All Des Moines tattoo shops

Ink & Glow Studio PiercingCustom design

1804 41st St, Des Moines, IA 50310-3930

🕒 Mon 1-5pm, Tue 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-6pm

+15159859197 Website All Des Moines tattoo shops

Iron Heart Tattoo Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom design

2815 Beaver Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310-4063

🕒 Tue-Sat 11am-6pm

+15152701500 Website All Des Moines tattoo shops

Iron Rose Tattoo Studio Walk-ins welcomeCustom design

319 E 5th St, Des Moines, IA 50309-1927

🕒 Tue-Sat 10am-6pm

+15153214551 All Des Moines tattoo shops

Pink Elephant Tattoo Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom designCard accepted

2615 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312

🕒 Open 7 days 11am-8pm

(515) 282-8289 Website All Des Moines tattoo shops

Stay True Tattoo Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom designCard accepted

2615 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312-5237

🕒 Open 7 days 11am-8pm

+15152838599 Website All Des Moines tattoo shops

Davenport 7

Darkside Art Co. Custom design

610 W 3rd St, Davenport, IA 52801-1013

🕒 Tue-Sat 11:30am-7:00pm, Sun-Mon closed

+15632321085 Website All Davenport tattoo shops

Envious Ink Tattoo Studio Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom designCover-ups

1228 Brady St, Davenport, IA 52803-4674

🕒 Variable/call for hours

+15632326890 Website All Davenport tattoo shops

Tattoos by Edwin Custom design

1019 Mound Street suite 203, Davenport, IA 52803

🕒 Mon-Tue/Thu-Sat 1pm-9pm, Wed/Sun closed

+15633458010 Website All Davenport tattoo shops

Tattoos by Hayle Strobel Custom design

430 W 35th St, Davenport, IA 52806-5801

+15632794056 Website All Davenport tattoo shops

Tattoos by Ryan Allison Custom designAppointment only

320 West Kimberly Rd Entrance 3, Davenport, IA 52806

🕒 Tue-Sat 11am-5pm, appointment only

(309) 373-2954 Website All Davenport tattoo shops

The Silver Key Walk-ins welcomeCustom design

735 Federal St, Davenport, IA 52803-5738

🕒 Open 7 days/week, varied artist schedules

+15633220257 Website All Davenport tattoo shops

the silver key Walk-ins welcomeCustom design

1511 N Harrison St, Davenport, IA 52803

🕒 Open 7 days/week, varied artist schedules

(563) 322-0257 Website All Davenport tattoo shops

Cedar Rapids 6

Evolution Tattoo Custom designAppointment only

4357 Czech Ln NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-2336

🕒 Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun closed

+13193932587 Website All Cedar Rapids tattoo shops

Mk Tattoos Custom designAppointment only

260 33rd Ave SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404-4621

🕒 Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm, Fri 8:30am-1pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm

+13199814599 Website All Cedar Rapids tattoo shops

Platinum Rose Studio & Gallery Walk-ins welcomeCustom designCard accepted

600 2nd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

+13195506186 Website All Cedar Rapids tattoo shops

Skin Worthy Tattoo PiercingCustom designCover-ups

1601 6th St SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

(319) 200-2055 Website All Cedar Rapids tattoo shops

Skin Worthy Tattoo PiercingCustom designCover-ups

300 Collins Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-3119

+13194311840 Website All Cedar Rapids tattoo shops

Visionaire Barbershop & Tattoo Parlor Custom designCard accepted

1052 Mt Vernon Rd SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403-1213

🕒 Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 7am-3pm, Sun 11am-4pm

+13192493001 Website All Cedar Rapids tattoo shops

Clive 3

Lucky Gal Tattoo & Piercing PiercingCustom design

1800 NW 86th St, Clive, IA 50325-7146

+15152577940 Website All Clive tattoo shops

Prysm Jewelry & Piercing PiercingCustom designAppointment only

13101 University Ave, Clive, IA 50325-8295

🕒 Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm

+15158684653 Website All Clive tattoo shops

Wild Rose Tattoo & Piercing -Clive- PiercingCustom design

8421 University Blvd, Clive, IA 50325-1002

+15152133330 Website All Clive tattoo shops

Iowa City 3

Iowa City Tattoo Custom designAppointment only

459 IA-1, Iowa City, IA 52246-4205

🕒 Tue-Sat by appointment

+13198538474 Website All Iowa City tattoo shops

Temple Body Arts Custom designAppointment only

109 S Linn St, Iowa City, IA 52240-1803

+13194990653 Website All Iowa City tattoo shops

Velvet Lotus Tattoo Walk-ins welcomeCustom design

405 Highway 1 W, Iowa City, IA 52246-4205

+13193331159 Website All Iowa City tattoo shops

Dubuque 2

Dubuque Tattoo Club PiercingCustom design

150 John F Kennedy Rd, Dubuque, IA 52002

🕒 Tue-Fri 12-8pm, Sat 10am-3pm

(563) 845-0767 Website All Dubuque tattoo shops

Dubuque Tattoo Club PiercingCustom design

1085 University Ave, Dubuque, IA 52001-6158

🕒 Tue-Fri 12-8pm, Sat 10am-3pm

+15638450767 Website All Dubuque tattoo shops

Oelwein 2

Ink Wave Tattoo Custom designAppointment only

104 1st St SW, Oelwein, IA 50662-2204

🕒 By appointment only

+15636080810 Website All Oelwein tattoo shops

Purple Thistle Tattoo Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom designCover-ups

9 Frederick Ave S, Oelwein, IA 50662-2304

🕒 Tue-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun by appointment

+13192388212 Website All Oelwein tattoo shops

Sioux City 2

Addictive Tattoo Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom design

morningside ave, Sioux City, IA 51106

🕒 Tue-Sat 12pm-7pm

(712) 560-3217 Website All Sioux City tattoo shops

Jade Inkcorporated Walk-ins welcomeCustom designCover-ups

512 5th St, Sioux City, IA 51101-1502

🕒 M-F 12pm-6:30pm, Sat-Sun by appointment

Website All Sioux City tattoo shops

Bettendorf 1

Juan Alvarez Tattoo Custom designCover-upsAppointment only

2336 Cumberland Square Dr, Bettendorf, IA 52722-3219

+15635268518 Website All Bettendorf tattoo shops

Coralville 1

Crossroads Tattoo Custom designCover-ups

508 2nd Ave, Coralville, IA 52241-2504

🕒 Tue-Sat 12pm-7pm

+13193388500 Website All Coralville tattoo shops

Council Bluffs 1

Meadow and Charm PiercingCustom design

108 E Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA 51503-4409

🕒 2 locations available

+17123072948 Website All Council Bluffs tattoo shops

Decorah 1

Driftless Soul Tattoo PiercingCustom design

222 E Water St, Decorah, IA 52101-1804

🕒 Tue-Sat 11am-7pm, Sat 11am-3pm

+15633820866 Website All Decorah tattoo shops

Denison 1

Tinked Tattoo Custom design

1203 Broadway, Denison, IA 51442-2632

+17124419114 Website All Denison tattoo shops

Fairfield 1

Arrowhead Tattoo PiercingCustom design

112 W Burlington Ave, Fairfield, IA 52556-3208

+16414517813 Website All Fairfield tattoo shops

Forest City 1

Tree Town Tattoo & Body Piercing PiercingCustom design

109 N Clark St, Forest City, IA 50436-1672

🕒 Tue-Sat 1-9pm

+16412514295 Website

Grimes 1

Legacy Tattoo and Art Co. Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom design

3000 SE Grimes Blvd, Grimes, IA 50111-5007

🕒 Tue-Sat 11am-6pm

+15156957024 Website

Grinnell 1

Broad St. Tattoo Custom designAppointment only

819 Broad St, Grinnell, IA 50112

🕒 12-7pm

(641) 236-3819 Website

Grundy Center 1

Waymaker Ink PiercingCustom design

612 7th St, Grundy Center, IA 50638-1429

🕒 Tue-Wed 10am-5pm, Thu 1-8pm, Sat 10am-5pm

Website All Grundy Center tattoo shops

Hampton 1

Foley Ink'd Tattoo Studio Custom designAppointment only

315 1st Ave NW, Hampton, IA 50441

🕒 Tue-Sat by appointment

Website

Le Mars 1

Out of Town Tattoo Custom designAppointment onlyCard accepted

32 Central Ave NE, Le Mars, IA 51031-3515

🕒 By appointment only

+17122651055 Website

Manning 1

Nyx Ink and Beauty Custom design

313 Main St, Manning, IA 51455-1039

Website

Marion 1

Neon Dragon Tattoo & Body Piercing Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom design

855 Blairs Ferry Rd, Marion, IA 52302-3106

🕒 Mon-Sat 11am-7pm

+13192944197 Website All Marion tattoo shops

Mt Vernon 1

Crispy Tattoo Walk-ins welcomeCustom design

201 1st Street W, Mt Vernon, IA 52314

🕒 Tue-Sat 10am-6pm

Website All Mt Vernon tattoo shops

Shenandoah 1

Mattson Masterpiece Tattoos Custom designAppointment only

519 W Sheridan Ave, Shenandoah, IA 51601-1705

+17126216993 Website All Shenandoah tattoo shops

Storm Lake 1

Alley Cat Tattoo Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom design

325 W Milwaukee Ave, Storm Lake, IA 50588-1887

🕒 Tues-Fri 12pm-6pm, Sat 12pm-5pm, Sun 12pm-4pm

+17122293844 All Storm Lake tattoo shops

Urbandale 1

Ringo Pinion Tattoo and Pinup Studio Custom designAppointment only

2741 100th St, Urbandale, IA 50322-3862

+15159816494 Website All Urbandale tattoo shops

West Branch 1

Gray Goat Tattoo and Piercing PiercingCustom design

116 N 1st St, West Branch, IA 52358-9663

+13198557116 Website

West Des Moines 1

ColorWorks Tattoo and Body Piercing Walk-ins welcomePiercingCustom design

1551 Valley West Dr #104B, West Des Moines, IA 50266

🕒 Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm, closed Thu

(515) 457-3888 Website All West Des Moines tattoo shops

Windsor Heights 1

Work of Ink Custom designAppointment only

6900 University Ave, Windsor Heights, IA 50324-1505

+15152559557 Website All Windsor Heights tattoo shops

Woodward 1

Little Loo's Tattoos Walk-ins welcomeCustom designCover-ups

215 S Main St, Woodward, IA 50276-7709

+15154654024 Website

Bring reference images, not just a description. Real custom work usually goes through at least one revision round before the appointment, and most shops charge a separate design fee or deposit that's applied to the final tattoo cost — expect that upfront, not as a surprise at checkout.