Tattoo Shops in Iowa City, IA

10 studios in and around Iowa City, Iowa — call ahead even for walk-ins — a shop with five artists can still be booked solid on a Saturday, and piercing hours often differ from tattoo hours.

Iowa City has about 76,710 residents, which works out to 13 tattoo shops per 100,000 people. Population: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 estimate.

Dark Cloud Tattoos

440 Kirkwood Ave, Iowa City, IA 52240-4726

+13195196341 Directions

Endorphinden Tattoo Walk-ins welcome

2203 F St, Iowa City, IA 52245-5240

🕒 Tue-Fri 1pm-close

+13196885185 Website Directions

Endorphinden Tattoo Walk-ins welcome

632 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA 52240-4231

🕒 Tue-Fri 1pm-close

+13196885185 Website Directions

Golden Tattoo & Piercing Piercing

25 S Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA 52240-3986

+13195699199 Directions

Hot Spot Tattoo & Piercings Piercing

119 1/2 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA 52240

🕒 Tue-Thu 10-6pm, Fri-Sat 10-8pm

(319) 339-8282 Website Directions

Iowa City Tattoo Custom designAppointment only

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

🕒 Tue-Sat by appointment

💲 $80 minimum, $150/hour

+13198538474 Website Directions

Release Body Modification

110 S Linn St, Iowa City, IA 52240

+13195941965 Directions

Swanky Bits Tattoo

1210 S Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA 52240-4557

+13196319158 Website Directions

Temple Body Arts Custom designAppointment only

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

+13194990653 Website Directions

Velvet Lotus Tattoo Walk-ins welcomeCustom design

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

💲 $100-$300 deposits

+13193331159 Website Directions

Tip: weekday afternoons are the easiest time to get a walk-in seat — Friday and Saturday fill with appointments by noon. For custom work, message the artist a week ahead with reference images; a deposit of $50–100 that counts toward the final price is standard practice, not a red flag.

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Good to know about tattoo shops in Iowa City

How many tattoo shops are there in Iowa City?
We list 10 tattoo shops in Iowa City with addresses, and 10 of them with a phone number.

What's the surest way to check hours in Iowa City?
Call ahead — 10 of the 10 tattoo shops here list a number. Hours at independent tattoo shops shift with seasons and staffing, so a phone call beats any listing, including ours.

Which tattoo shops in Iowa City show their opening hours?
4 of the 10 tattoo shops we list in Iowa City publish their hours — the rest are best reached by phone before you go.

Can I get a tattoo in Iowa City without an appointment?
3 of the 10 studios in Iowa City take walk-ins; the others work by appointment.