Do you need a license to groom dogs? The rules in every state and province
No state licenses groomers as a profession, though Colorado licenses independent contractor groomers. Some states and cities license the shop. Here is where, checked against the law itself.
Mriganka Bhuyan
Founder, June · November 7, 2026
The short answer
In most places, you do not need a license to groom dogs yourself. No US state licenses dog grooming as a profession. There is no state exam and no grooming board. The one exception is Colorado, which licenses independent contractor groomers. Five places require a state license for a grooming shop: Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, and Washington, DC. Seven more require one once you board dogs overnight (and in some states, run daycare). Some cities add their own license, and in Canada no province licenses groomers.
Most pages on this topic get it wrong in one of two ways. Some say no license is ever needed. Others name state licenses that do not exist. I read the actual law or the agency’s own page for nearly every state and province below. Where the law does not say whether it covers grooming, the table says “Unclear”.
This is a summary of public law, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm with your state or city before you open.
Laws checked: November 7, 2026
Dog grooming license rules in every US state
“Yes” means a state license reaches a shop that only grooms. “Only with boarding or daycare” means grooming alone needs nothing from the state, but keeping dogs overnight (or for daycare) does.
| State | State license for a grooming shop? | What applies |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No state license found | No kennel, boarding, or grooming license in the state's animal laws. |
| Alaska | No state license found | No kennel, boarding, or grooming license in the state's animal laws. Boroughs and cities may have their own rules. |
| Arizona | No state license found | |
| Arkansas | No state license found | The state registers only pet stores that sell dogs or cats. Grooming is taxable. |
| California | No state license found | Care standards (not a license) for boarding facilities that also groom. |
| Colorado | Yes | Department of Agriculture (PACFA). Grooming facility $400. A separate license for independent contractor groomers, $350. |
| Connecticut | Yes | Department of Agriculture. Whoever runs a grooming business, vans and trailers included. $200, renewed every 2 years. |
| Delaware | No state license found | |
| District of Columbia | Yes | A business license with an inspected sales and service endorsement, plus a DC Health permit. The current wording is in a temporary emergency act, so check with DC. |
| Florida | No state license found | Counties may have their own rules. |
| Georgia | Yes | A Department of Agriculture kennel license, which names grooming shops. $100 to $400 a year by capacity. |
| Hawaii | No state license found | State law covers dog licensing and quarantine only. Counties may have their own rules. |
| Idaho | No state license found | |
| Illinois | Unclear | The state licenses kennel and day care operators ($350). A day care is any place that keeps dogs up to 12 hours, so a grooming shop could fit. Grooming is not named. |
| Indiana | No state license found | |
| Iowa | Yes | A Department of Agriculture commercial kennel license. Grooming is named, and home groomers are included. $175 a year. |
| Kansas | Unclear | The state's own guide says the kennel license is for businesses that board 4 or more dogs or cats in a week. Grooming is not named. |
| Kentucky | No state license found | Grooming is taxable at 6%. |
| Louisiana | No state license found | |
| Maine | Unclear | The boarding kennel license ($125) has no grooming exception. A 2013 bill to add one failed. |
| Maryland | No state license found | Counties regulate. Anne Arundel County requires a grooming parlor license. |
| Massachusetts | Only with boarding or daycare | Grooming-only shops are excluded. Daycare or boarding makes it a kennel, licensed by the town. |
| Michigan | No state license found | |
| Minnesota | No state license found | |
| Mississippi | No state license found | The Board of Animal Health has no kennel or grooming rule. Cities may have their own. |
| Missouri | Only with boarding or daycare | Overnight boarding makes a groomer a commercial kennel. The state says grooming itself is not regulated. |
| Montana | No state license found | Cities can license the keeping of dogs. No state facility law found. |
| Nebraska | Only with boarding or daycare | Once other people's dogs or cats stay overnight. |
| Nevada | No state license found | |
| New Hampshire | No state license found | |
| New Jersey | Only with boarding or daycare | Boarding and daycare count as a kennel, licensed by the town under state rules. |
| New Mexico | No state license found | |
| New York | No state license found | New York City requires a permit (see the city table). |
| North Carolina | Only with boarding or daycare | A boarding kennel license, $75 a year. |
| North Dakota | No state license found | |
| Ohio | No state license found | |
| Oklahoma | No state license found | |
| Oregon | Rules, no license | State care rules name grooming parlors. There is nothing to apply for. |
| Pennsylvania | Only with boarding or daycare | The law excludes shops that only groom. Boarding or daycare needs a kennel license, from $125 a year. |
| Rhode Island | Only with boarding or daycare | A kennel license, $50 a year. |
| South Carolina | No state license found | Some pages say a groomer license is needed. I found no law that says so. |
| South Dakota | No state license found | Grooming is taxable. |
| Tennessee | No state license found | |
| Texas | No state license found | Houston and San Antonio license grooming shops, and El Paso licenses each groomer. Grooming is taxable. |
| Utah | No state license found | |
| Vermont | No state license found | |
| Virginia | Rules, no license | State law defines groomers and sets rules for them. There is nothing to apply for. |
| Washington | No state license found | |
| West Virginia | Unclear | A county kennel registration ($10 a year) covers dogs kept as a business. Grooming is not named. |
| Wisconsin | No state license found | |
| Wyoming | No state license found | Counties may require an animal license or tag, up to $10. |
Cities and counties with their own license
A state with no grooming license can still have a city that requires one. These are the big ones I found. Your city’s business licensing office is the place to check yours.
| Place | What it requires | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | Small Animal Grooming Establishment permit from the Health Department. Rabies proof (a certificate or vet letter) before grooming, kept for a year. | $30 a year for grooming only |
| Los Angeles County | In unincorporated areas and contract cities, the county licenses and inspects grooming businesses, mobile groomers included. | $250 first year, $175 renewal |
| Chicago | Animal Care License for grooming, boarding, training, or daycare, one per location. | $275 |
| Houston | Commercial Pet Facility permit, mobile pet services included. | $200 a year |
| San Antonio | Groomer's Shop License from Animal Care Services. | $75, plus $25 inspection |
| El Paso | A license for each groomer (with an approved training certificate first) and a permit for each shop. | Groomer $25. Shop $110. |
| Anne Arundel County, MD | Grooming parlor license with a yearly inspection. | $60 a year |
| Toronto | From February 1, 2027: a Pet Establishment licence with a grooming endorsement. No unvaccinated animals. | Not published yet |
| Brampton | Pet Grooming Establishment licence. Not allowed inside a home. A vehicle counts as an establishment. | $163 a year |
| Vancouver | Animal Services business licence, which covers grooming. | $277 a year |
| Calgary | Only if animals are kept on site, even briefly in a crate. Grooming at the client's home needs none. | $285 new |
El Paso is the only place I found in the US that licenses each groomer, not just the shop.
Do you need a licence to groom dogs in Canada?
No province licenses groomers. Quebec requires a permit once a business keeps 15 or more cats or dogs at one time, whatever the service. Cities are where licences happen: Brampton and Vancouver license grooming now, and Toronto starts on February 1, 2027.
| Province or territory | Province licence for a grooming shop? | What applies |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | No province licence found | Calgary licenses businesses that keep animals on site. |
| British Columbia | No province licence found | Boarding kennels follow a care code. Vancouver licenses animal grooming. |
| Manitoba | Unclear | A $100 kennel licence covers premises keeping more than 7 animals for a fee. Grooming is not exempt, so a busy salon could fit. |
| New Brunswick | No province licence found | Grooming establishments are exempt by name. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | No province licence found | |
| Nova Scotia | No province licence found | Care standards apply while dogs are in your care. |
| Ontario | No province licence found | Cities license instead. Brampton now, Toronto from February 1, 2027. |
| Prince Edward Island | No province licence found | Only pet stores that sell animals need a licence. |
| Quebec | Permit at 15+ animals | A MAPAQ permit once you keep 15 or more cats or dogs at one time. $272 or $434. |
| Saskatchewan | No province licence found | The Animal Protection Act has no business licence. |
| Northwest Territories | No province licence found | The Dog Act has no business licence. Cities may have their own rules. |
| Nunavut | No province licence found | The consolidated law is current only to 2011. |
| Yukon | Unclear | Since April 5, 2025, a business that keeps animals for a fee needs a boarding facility permit ($50). Grooming is not named. |
Can you get a dog grooming license online?
Not from a course. A course, online or in person, gives you a certificate. A certificate shows you passed a course or an exam. It does not give you permission to run a business anywhere. The American Kennel Club says it on its own groomer page: it is “not a federal or state licensing agency”.
Most online results for a grooming license are course sellers. An online course gives you a certificate of completion, which can be worth having for skills and for clients’ trust. When a school says it is “state licensed”, that means the school is licensed as a school, not that you become a licensed groomer. The one exception I found is El Paso, where the city wants an approved training certificate before it issues its groomer license.
Grooming from home, or from a van
From home: zoning decides first, and cities differ a lot. New York City bans grooming for a fee inside a home, and Brampton does not allow a grooming shop in a dwelling. Iowa’s state license covers home groomers too. Call your city’s zoning or planning office before you buy a tub.
From a van: where a license exists, vans are usually included. Connecticut’s law names vehicles and trailers, Colorado’s covers mobile facilities, Houston’s permit covers mobile pet services, and Brampton counts a vehicle as an establishment.
What else you need for a dog grooming business
A dog grooming business license
Almost every shop needs the ordinary business registration or license from its state, county, or city, like any other business. The US Small Business Administration puts it plainly: the licenses you need from the state, county, or city depend on what you do.
Sales tax on grooming
In some states grooming is a taxable service: Connecticut, Kentucky (6%), Iowa, South Dakota, Texas, and Arkansas, among others. Ask your state revenue department before you set prices. In Canada, grooming is subject to GST/HST once your taxable sales pass $30,000 in a single quarter or over four quarters in a row, while BC and Saskatchewan PST do not apply to grooming.
Vaccine records
No general rule makes every groomer check rabies papers. Where a rule exists, it is specific: Colorado and Iowa require vaccine records for groomed pets, New York City wants rabies proof before grooming (a certificate or vet letter, kept for a year), and Toronto will not let grooming businesses accept unvaccinated animals from February 2027. Elsewhere, it is your shop’s own policy, and a good one to have.
Keep comparing
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to groom dogs?
Not as a person in most places. No US state licenses grooming as a profession, and there is no state exam or board. Colorado is the one exception: it licenses independent contractor groomers. Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa and Washington, DC require a state license for a grooming shop, and some cities, such as New York City, Chicago and San Antonio, require their own.
What states require a dog grooming license?
Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa and Washington, DC require a state license that reaches a grooming-only shop. Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island require one only if you board dogs overnight, and in some of them, if you run daycare. Illinois, Kansas, Maine and West Virginia are unclear.
How do I get a dog grooming license?
Find your state and city in the tables above. Where a state license exists, apply to the agency named: the Department of Agriculture in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia and Iowa. Where a city license exists, apply to that city. Everywhere else, you need only the ordinary business license from your state, county or city.
How much does a dog grooming license cost?
It depends on the place. State fees: Connecticut $200 every 2 years, Iowa $175 a year, Georgia $100 to $400 a year by capacity, and Colorado $400 for a grooming facility. City fees: New York City $30 a year for grooming only, Houston $200 a year, Chicago $275, and San Antonio $75 plus $25 for the inspection.
Do pet groomers need a license in Florida?
Not from the state. I found no Florida state license for groomers or grooming shops. Counties may have their own rules, so check with yours.
Do you need a license to groom dogs in Colorado?
Yes, in two cases. The Colorado Department of Agriculture (PACFA) licenses grooming facilities for $400, and independent contractor groomers for $350.
Is a grooming certificate the same as a license?
No. A certificate from a course or an association shows you passed its training or exam. It does not give permission to run a business. The American Kennel Club says it is not a federal or state licensing agency. El Paso, Texas is the one place found that requires a training certificate before it issues a groomer license.
Can I run a dog grooming business from home?
Zoning decides first. New York City bans grooming for a fee inside a home, and Brampton, Ontario does not allow a grooming shop in a dwelling. In Iowa, the state license covers home groomers. Check with your city's zoning office before you start.
Do you need a licence to groom dogs in Canada?
No province licenses groomers. Quebec requires a permit once a business keeps 15 or more cats or dogs at one time. Cities license instead: Brampton and Vancouver now, and Toronto from February 1, 2027.
Do groomers have to check rabies vaccination records?
Only where a rule says so. Colorado and Iowa require vaccine records for groomed pets, New York City requires rabies proof (a certificate or vet letter) before grooming, and Toronto will not let grooming businesses accept unvaccinated animals from February 2027. Elsewhere it is the shop's own policy.
Official sources
Product pages change. These were the primary sources checked for this article, and the verification date appears above. They are listed for transparency without sending you away from June.
- Colorado: C.R.S. 35-80-102 and 8 CCR 1202-15 (PACFA)
- Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 435, sections 22-327 and 22-344
- D.C. Code 8-1821.02
- Georgia Department of Agriculture: Rule 40-13-13 and kennel licenses
- Iowa Code 162.2 and Department of Agriculture animal welfare FAQ
- Massachusetts General Laws chapter 140, section 136A
- Missouri Department of Agriculture: Animal Care Facilities Act
- Pennsylvania Dog Law, section 102
- Virginia Code 3.2-6500 and 3.2-6518
- Oregon Administrative Rules 603-015-0035
- New York City Health Code, Article 161, section 161.15
- City of San Antonio: Groomer's Shop License form
- Anne Arundel County: Grooming parlor license
- Quebec MAPAQ: Permit for keeping cats and dogs
- New Brunswick Regulation 2010-74 (SPCA Act)
- City of Toronto: Pet establishments (page modified November 2, 2026)
- City of Brampton: Pet grooming establishment licence
- City of Calgary: Pet care business licences
- US Small Business Administration: Apply for licenses and permits
- AKC Groomer Hub (licensing disclaimer)
- Connecticut, Kentucky, Iowa, South Dakota, Texas, and Arkansas revenue department pages on taxable services
- Canada Revenue Agency: When to register for and start charging the GST/HST
- Code of Alabama, Title 3 (Animals)
- Arkansas Department of Health: Pet store regulations
- Hawaii Revised Statutes, chapters 142 and 143
- Illinois Animal Welfare Act, 225 ILCS 605
- Kansas Department of Agriculture: Animal facility licenses guide
- Maine Animal Welfare Program: Boarding kennel application
- Mississippi Board of Animal Health: Regulations
- Montana Code Annotated, Title 7 chapter 23 and Title 81
- Wyoming Statutes, Title 11
- West Virginia Code 19-20-3
- Saskatchewan: The Animal Protection Act, 2018 and Regulations
- Northwest Territories: Dog Act
- Yukon: Animal Protection and Control Act permits
- Manitoba: Animal Care Regulation, M.R. 126/98
- Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control: Business license fee schedule
- City of Vancouver: 2026 business licence fees, By-law 14479
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