How to start a dog grooming business

How much does it cost to start a dog grooming business?

No government office publishes a startup cost for grooming, and other guides online print ranges from $2,000 to $150,000 with no sources. So here is what the big pieces cost, by setup.

Plan for the months after opening too. The SBA says to count at least one year of monthly costs, such as rent and utilities, and to add a buffer of about 10%. For a groomer, that also means insurance, supplies and software.

Home, mobile or a shop: where should you start?

Starting a dog grooming business at home

It is the cheapest start, and zoning decides whether you can. Some places say no: New York City bans grooming for a fee inside a home, and Brampton, Ontario does not allow a grooming shop in a dwelling. Call your city’s zoning office before you buy a tub. My guide Do you need a license to groom dogs? has the rules by state, province and city.

Starting a mobile dog grooming business

A trailer costs much less than a van. On November 9, one Georgia dealer listed a new 6x12 grooming trailer with a tub, dryer and vacuum for $14,299. The same day, used grooming vans from 2015 to 2020 were listed from about $42,000 to $100,000 on one listing site. Ask your insurer about commercial auto cover, and check your city’s rules on parking and gray water.

Opening a dog grooming salon

A shop costs the most to open. In return you can take more dogs a day, add groomers, and get walk-in clients. Rent and build-out vary too much by city for one number, so get two quotes for plumbing and electrical before you sign a lease.

Do you need a license to start a dog grooming business?

In most places, not as a groomer. No US state licenses grooming as a profession, and Colorado is the one state that licenses independent contractor groomers. Some states and cities license the shop itself, such as Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, New York City and Chicago. In Canada, no province licenses groomers, but some cities license grooming businesses, such as Brampton and Vancouver.

A grooming certificate is training, not a license. Every state and province is in my license guide.

How to register your dog grooming business

In the US

If you work under your own legal name, the SBA says you do not need to register anywhere. If you use a business name, most states make you register it. The SBA says registering usually costs less than $300 in total. An EIN from the IRS is free, and you need one to hire staff. You can run it as a sole proprietorship, an LLC or a corporation. The SBA explains each, and an accountant can tell you which fits.

In Canada

Most provinces make you register a business name. A sole proprietor who works under their own legal name may not need to. Ontario charges $60 to register a business name online. British Columbia charges $30 for a name request and $40 to register. You need a CRA business number when you sign up for GST/HST or payroll. BizPaL, a free government tool, lists the permits for your city.

Do you charge sales tax on grooming?

It depends on where you are. Texas taxes dog grooming, and so do Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, South Dakota and Arkansas. In Canada, GST/HST applies to grooming, but you do not have to register until your taxable sales pass $30,000 in four quarters in a row, or in a single quarter. Ask your state revenue office, or the CRA, before your first sale.

What insurance does a new groomer need?

A general liability policy does not cover the dogs in your care. Insureon says animal bailee coverage can be added to a general liability policy for that, and it lists general liability for pet groomers at $50 a month. Add workers’ comp when you hire, and commercial auto if you groom from a van.

What equipment do you need to start a dog grooming business?

Buy the five big pieces first: a table, a tub, a dryer, clippers and shears. Here are three kits at supplier prices, checked November 9, 2026.

These totals leave out brushes, combs, nail tools, shampoo, towels, crates, and the tub’s faucet and plumbing. Cheaper gear exists at other stores. At PetEdge, the lowest-priced hydraulic table and stainless tub were $469.99 and $799.99.

How much should you charge when you start?

Start from your time, not from another shop’s price list. Pick an hourly rate, then price each dog by the minutes it takes. One home groomer prices a 45-minute tidy-up at $45 from a $60 hourly rate. By the same math, a 2-hour doodle is $120.

Published averages disagree. Thumbtack puts the national average for a groom at $95 to $160, and other guides say $30 to $90 for a full groom. Your area and your mix of coats decide where you land.

Book each client’s next visit before they leave. Most dogs need a groom every 4 to 8 weeks, as I explain in How often should dogs be groomed?

How do you get your first grooming clients?

• Set up a Google Business Profile. It costs nothing. 97% of US consumers read reviews for local businesses (BrightLocal, 2026), so ask every happy client for one.
• Introduce yourself to the vets, pet stores, trainers and shelters near you.
• Post before-and-after photos in local Facebook groups and on Instagram.
• Book every client’s next visit before they walk out.

Can you start a dog grooming business with no money?

Not with none, but with little. Start at home or with a used trailer, buy used equipment, and keep your current job until your book fills. In the US, SBA microloans go up to $50,000, and the average is about $13,000. In Canada, Futurpreneur offers owners aged 18 to 39 a loan of up to $75,000, including up to $50,000 from BDC.

Do you need a dog grooming business plan?

A short one. The SBA says a lean plan can take as little as an hour and fit on one page. Write down your setup, your prices, how many dogs a week cover your costs, and where your first clients will come from. In Canada, BDC has a free business plan template.

Set up booking and reminders before your first client

The phone rings while your hands are in the tub. That is where new groomers lose bookings. Set these up in your first week:

• An online booking link, so clients book without calling.
• Reminders that send themselves, so fewer dogs miss their slot.
• A deposit when clients book online.
• Waivers signed on a phone, with vaccine records kept on each pet.
• Card payments at checkout.

June does all five, and sends each total to your own Square or Stripe card machine.

Why new shops pick June

• One price that stays. New shops pay $69 USD a month, and your price stays the same for as long as you stay subscribed. Staff, clients and bookings are unlimited, so your first hire costs nothing extra.
• Texts are included. 1,200 texts a month in the US and Canada, then $0.009 USD per extra text, plus 5,000 emails.
• Built for grooming. Pet profiles with grooming history and vaccine records, groom tickets, waivers signed on a phone, and online booking with deposits.
• Your own website, included. Made from what is already in June, and clients book right from it.
• You talk to me. Support comes from me, the person who built June. If you already keep clients in another app, a spreadsheet or a paper book, I move them over for free, as long as I can read the handwriting.

June is not free, but the first 14 days are. Run your first two weeks of bookings on it.