The tattoo artists had returned to their work, and the owner - a 20-year navy veteran - said there had been no absentees after the overnight shooting.

"They're all professional artists who love what they're doing - obviously there's some concern," he said. "A lot of people are supporting us and telling us to stay strong."

Four bullets were fired into the building's front windows and frame. The owner said one had left an apparent exit hole in a rear window.

"Two made damage to the rear wall - they all penetrated except for one," he said. "Damages [are] up to $7000 or $8000."

The owner said he had operated a tattoo business for more than three years in Canberra, but the new studio on Anthony Rolfe Avenue had opened only in March. "I have just retired from 20 years in the military - I can turn around and do 20 years' service for this scumbag, but I can't operate a legal business?" he said.

The tattoo parlour is not your usual ink shop. Its website, which states it is "not affiliated with any outlaw motorcycle group", makes it clear the business's values and beliefs come from its background with the Australian Defence Force and law enforcement authorities.

The owner said he had completed many overseas deployments, and price discounts were offered to military and law enforcement clients.

He would not speculate on who might be behind the shooting - there has never been any threat made - but said it would be naive to think the organised crime in larger states wouldn't come to the nation's capital. He has called for NSW-style character-based licensing of tattoo studio owners and tattooists.

"I think we've become a soft target - we're in the middle of NSW … I think a lot of Canberrans sit there with blinkers on, in their public sector mindset," he said.

Police and Emergency Services Minister Simon Corbell said levels of organised crime in the ACT were insignificant.

"I receive briefings from the chief police officer and head of the Australian Crime Commission about assessments of organised crime in the ACT," Mr Corbell said. "[It is] … insignificant to what we see in larger population cities."

The Labor minister said the incident at the parlour was serious, but it was too early to talk about what actions the government may take.

Mr Corbell confirmed tattoo parlour owners in the ACT needed to satisfy only health regulations, but said NSW was the only state or territory with its type of licensing scheme.

Legislation passed last year means people applying for a tattooist or tattooing business operator licence in NSW must consent to police checks and having finger and palm prints taken.

Operators must also declare all "close associates".

Tatts On Tatts Off's owner encouraged supporters to sign a Facebook petition that calls for those with outlaw motorcycle gang or criminal ties, or criminal records, to be barred from parlour licences.