How to start a pet grooming or boarding business

Colorado licenses groomers and limits daycare to one supervisor per 15 dogs, Connecticut wants a zoning sign-off and taxes even a nail trim, and Pennsylvania prices kennel licenses by how many dogs you can hold, while no federal agency licenses any of it. For a grooming salon, mobile van, boarding kennel or dog daycare, the state you open in sets most of the rules, and the agency for each is named below.

By Niomi AscotUpdated October 3, 202615 min read

Federal license: None for grooming or boarding; flea and tick products fall under EPA or FDA
Colorado: PACFA license: $400 grooming facility, $500 boarding, after a course and an inspection
Connecticut: State grooming ($200) and kennel ($400) licenses, each for two years, with a town zoning sign-off
Massachusetts: Kennel license from the city or town after an animal control inspection
Pennsylvania: Boarding kennel license by capacity: $125, $200 or $325 a year
Daycare staffing: Colorado: one supervisor per 15 dogs in group play, cameras never count

What the business is, and the ways to run it

The federal industry code puts grooming and boarding in one bucket. NAICS 812910, “Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services,” covers “boarding, grooming, sitting, and training pets” and sends horse boarding elsewhere (NAICS 812910; label confirmed in the Census NAICS list). County Business Patterns for 2023 counts 25,551 establishments with paid employees under that code, 175,116 employees and $4.91 billion in payroll, and 57.7% of those establishments had fewer than five employees (Census CBP 2023, computed from the national file). Sitters and trainers are in that count too, so a new shop mostly competes with other small operators.

The setups we see most, and the rules that tell them apart:

A grooming salon or a van. Colorado licenses both as a “Groomer facility,” “permanent or mobile,” including anyone grooming “by vehicle, trailer, or … at a customer’s home” (Colorado PACFA licensing).
Renting space in someone else’s shop. Colorado separates two arrangements. A “Secondary Facility Owner” “rents space from a Primary Facility Owner” and is paid by customers directly, while an “Independent Contractor (IC) Pet Groomer” is paid “a percentage from the Primary Facility owner” and “may work at up to 3 locations.”
An overnight kennel. In Google’s words, “Pet boarding professionals care for pets overnight” (Google Local Services Ads requirements).
A dog daycare. Massachusetts writes “day care” into its kennel definition next to boarding and overnight stays (M.G.L. c. 140 s. 136A).

Each service you add under one roof brings its own license category, staffing rule and zoning question, so settle the mix before you sign a lease.

The outlook for groomers and kennel staff

Groomers, bathers and kennel attendants fall under the BLS occupation Animal Caretakers, whose sample titles include “Dog Bather, Dog Groomer, Groomer, Kennel Attendant.” BLS figures published through O*NET (O*NET 39-2021.00):

Measure	Figure
Employed, 2024	392,100
Median pay, 2025	$17.00 an hour, $35,360 a year
Projected growth, 2024 to 2034	Much faster than average (7% or higher)
Projected openings, 2024 to 2034	74,600, from growth and replacement

The occupation also covers zookeepers, so read it as the labor pool rather than a count of groomers. On demand, APPA counts 71 million dog-owning households among “95 million U.S. households” with a pet (APPA), and AAA’s 81.8 million projected Thanksgiving travelers in 2025 (AAA Thanksgiving forecast) and 122.4 million over the year-end stretch (AAA year-end forecast) mark the weeks a kennel fills. Health scares push the other way: in 2023 Cornell told owners to avoid “boarding kennels, dog parks, and doggy day care facilities” when unsure of other dogs’ health (Cornell).

Licensing: no federal license, and a patchwork of states

Federal rules that still reach a grooming table

No federal agency licenses groomers or kennels. The federal rule a groomer meets most often sits on the shelf: flea and tick products. EPA ensures that “all pesticides, including flea and tick products,” do not cause “unreasonable adverse effects when they are used according to label directions.” Products that stay on the skin are EPA’s; those “systemically absorbed into the bloodstream” are FDA’s; and in February 2023 the two agencies proposed “transferring oversight of flea and tick pet products from EPA to FDA” (EPA). EPA adds that “pesticides on your pets can be transferred to your children” (EPA, pets), so gloves, rinsing and the label are the routine. Colorado lets prescription products, “including prescription bathing products,” be used only “under the written direction of a licensed veterinarian” (Rule 15.7, 8 CCR 1202-15).

Four states compared

Of the states researched, two license grooming and boarding at state level, one licenses kennels through its towns and one licenses boarding kennels only. Many states have no grooming license at all, so start with your state agriculture department, then your city or county. Fees are as of October 2026; confirm them with the agency before applying.

State	Agency	License	Key requirements, as the agency or statute states them
Colorado	Department of Agriculture, PACFA program	Groomer facility $400; boarding/training facility $500; IC groomer $350	A 3 to 4 hour qualifying course, a pre-license inspection, no advertising before the license issues, renewal January 1 to March 1
Connecticut	Department of Agriculture	Grooming facility $200; commercial kennel $400; both for two years	Town zoning official certifies the site first; kennel license number in every ad; fines up to $500 per animal
Massachusetts	City or town, under M.G.L. c. 140	Kennel license; term and fee set by the town	Animal control inspection before the license; capacity stated on the license; grooming-only shops excluded
Pennsylvania	Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement	Boarding kennel Class I $125, Class II $200, Class III $325 a year	Apply by January 1 each year; certificates for out-of-state dogs; no grooming license found

Colorado: PACFA and its July 2025 rule changes

The Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act reaches businesses that board, train, groom, sell, breed or transport pets, and a boarding license starts at “more than three pet animals at one time (in addition to their own pet animals)” cared for for pay (Colorado PACFA licensing). Two categories cost “the highest-priced category plus $50 for each additional category,” so a salon that also boards pays $550 as of October 2026. Fees are “non-refundable” and licenses “non-transferable,” which matters if you buy an existing shop. After the “Qualifying Education (QE) course,” an inspector checks “the facility/vehicle and all required records/documents,” and the department allows “up to 2-3 weeks” for the whole process. Until the license issues, the department says, “You may not operate and/or advertise,” and that includes a grand-opening post.

The rules, 8 CCR 1202-15, were partly rewritten in 2025: the editor’s notes list amendments to “Rules 1, 2.6, 7, 9.1.3, 9.2.3, 10.5, 11-14, 15.3, 15.3.1, 16, 17.3.3, 18-19, 25.11 eff. 07/15/2025” (8 CCR 1202-15). The group play limits, veterinary notice and grooming equipment standards below sit in those amended rules, so check any staff manual written from an older copy.

Connecticut: two licenses, a zoning certificate and sales tax

Connecticut’s Department of Agriculture treats “a place maintained for boarding or grooming dogs or cats” as a commercial kennel and any other dog grooming business as a grooming facility (Connecticut DoAg). Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 22-344, read on the Animal Legal and Historical Center mirror because the legislature’s site did not respond:

The kennel license costs “four hundred dollars” and the grooming license “two hundred dollars,” each running “until the second December thirty-first following issuance.” Boarding “three or fewer cats or dogs” in your own residence needs no kennel license.
On “each initial application,” the town’s “zoning enforcement official” must certify “that the facility conforms to the municipal zoning regulations.” Get that before you commit to a building.
An advertising kennel must make its license number “clearly appear in such advertisement,” and violations can cost “not more than five hundred dollars for each animal.”

The state also taxes the work. DRS lists “Pet grooming and pet boarding services” as taxable unless part of veterinary care (Connecticut DRS), and its Q&A says “pet day care services are taxable as pet boarding services” and “Clipping pet nails is taxable,” while “do-it-yourself dog washing” and in-home pet sitting are not (Connecticut DRS Q&A). A self-wash bay and a full-service tub in one shop are taxed differently.

Massachusetts: town licenses, and Ollie’s Law on top

The city or town issues the kennel license and “shall deny a kennel license until a kennel has passed inspection by an animal control officer.” The town sets the term and the fee, the license states “the maximum number of animals,” and an unlicensed kennel faces “$500 for a first offense” and up to $1,000 after that (M.G.L. c. 140 s. 137A). A shop “operated solely for the purpose of grooming and not for overnight boarding” is outside the kennel definition (s. 136A).

“On September 20th, 2024, an Act to Increase Kennel Safety (AKA Ollie’s Law) was signed by Governor Maura Healey,” and the Town of Wales summarizes that a commercial kennel license applies with “1 or more dogs” held for boarding, daycare or training (Town of Wales). Section 174G tells the Department of Agricultural Resources to write rules that may cover “staff to animal ratios, fire and emergency planning, injury reporting, group sizes and supervision … insurance” and training for “dog daycare staff,” and it already requires kennels to report “injuries to animals or people that occur on their premises” (M.G.L. c. 140 s. 174G). Whether the final regulations have been adopted, and when they take effect, could not be confirmed for this guide because the state’s pages were unreachable. Ask the department and your town’s animal control officer before setting staffing and insurance.

Pennsylvania: kennel classes priced by capacity

Pennsylvania’s Dog Law charges $125 a year for a Class I boarding kennel of “1 to 10 dogs,” $200 for Class II at “11 to 25 dogs” and $325 for Class III at “26 or more dogs,” as of October 2026, with every kennel applying “on or before January 1 of each year.” An out-of-state boarder needs “a certificate of vaccination and an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection,” kept “for seven days following the dog’s departure,” unless it is a privately owned dog staying “30 days or less” (Pennsylvania Dog Law). The act’s kennel classes contain no grooming license.

Zoning and wash water

The SBA warns that “Zoning ordinances can restrict or entirely ban specific kinds of businesses” (SBA licenses and permits). In Clark County, Washington, “Commercial kennels are not allowed in the Urban Residential zones”; in the C-3 zone an enclosed kennel needs a Conditional Use Permit and “No outdoor facilities are allowed”; rural dog buildings sit “fifty (50) feet from all property lines”; and an animal control license is required on top (Clark County). Outdoor yards and barking are what a zoning board weighs, so bring a site plan that answers both.

For vans, Santa Rosa, California, says “Wash water should never be discharged to a street, gutter, parking lot, or storm drain,” warns of “civil and criminal prosecution,” and notes “A one-time discharge permit may be required for disposal to the sanitary sewer” (City of Santa Rosa). Call your city’s sewer office before deciding where the tank gets emptied.

Setting up the business

Entity and EIN. The SBA says an LLC protects “your vehicle, house, and savings accounts” in most cases (SBA business structure). Colorado’s PACFA application asks for your Secretary of State ID, so register first. The IRS issues EINs free and says to “form your entity through the secretary of state before you apply” (IRS EIN).

Sales tax. Connecticut taxes grooming, boarding and daycare; other states differ, so ask your revenue department before printing a price list.

Insurance. The SBA lists general liability, professional liability (“malpractice, errors, and negligence”), property and the business owner’s policy (SBA insurance). Google’s ads screening asks groomers for general and professional liability and lists insurance as “N/A” for boarding.

The dogs in your care. This is where new owners get caught. In our experience, a standard liability policy may not pay when a customer’s dog is hurt, lost or dies in your hands, because liability forms commonly exclude property in your “care, custody, or control.” Courts read that wording strictly: in a 2025 case about an aircraft, a federal appeals court applied the exclusion because employees “exercised ‘control’ over the airplane” (Ninth Circuit memorandum), and Pennsylvania’s Dog Law calls dogs “personal property.” The shops we work with close the gap with an animal bailee endorsement or a pet-industry package. Ask your agent in plain words: if a dog is injured on my table or escapes my yard, does this policy pay? Add commercial auto for a van.

Workers’ compensation. Colorado requires it with “one or more employees,” part-time included (Colorado DWC); Massachusetts requires “every employer” to provide it (M.G.L. c. 152 s. 25A). Check your own state.

Commission groomers. Commission splits are common, and Colorado tells IC groomers to check “the IRS and Colorado Department of Labor laws” first. The IRS says a business that misclassifies “with no reasonable basis” may owe “employment taxes for that worker” (IRS). A groomer on your schedule, at your tubs, with your customers looks like an employee.

Equipment, space and software

Colorado’s rules shape the grooming room: heated dryers need “a timer that will automatically shut the dryer off after 30 minutes” unless attended (Rule 18.15), a heated cage dryer “may not cover more than 20% of the total open area of the cage surface” (18.16), a pet tethered on a table needs “constant direct human supervision” (18.10.2), and a mobile unit “must have a carbon monoxide detector” (18.18) (8 CCR 1202-15). Beyond that, the vans we see are built around the water tanks, the generator and climate control.

A kennel is mostly a drainage and air problem: sealed floors that hose clean, drains, an isolation room, ventilation and double-gated yards. Colorado requires an emergency plan for “electrical outages, faulty HVAC systems, fires” and escapes, with “evacuation instructions or shelter-in-place instructions” (18.26), records naming the “owner’s veterinarian” (19.5.2), and “a working relationship with a veterinarian” (15.1). Sign that vet up before opening day.

O*NET’s software list for the occupation names “DaySmart Software Appointment-Plus; Groom Pro; Mobile Dog Grooming Software mGroomer; Petschedule.” Pick a system that stores vaccine expiry dates and takes deposits.

Pricing and money

Grooming prices, boarding rates and startup costs are missing here on purpose: no source we found publishes them with a method attached. Build the budget from quotes against the SBA’s startup cost categories. The shops we see price grooming by breed, size, coat and add-ons, boarding by the night with extras for medication or play time, and daycare by the day or in packages.

Deposits protect the holidays. MoeGo, a software vendor, recommends “Mandatory, non-refundable deposits at time of booking” (MoeGo), and Gingr says a deposit “significantly reduces no-shows” (Gingr); both are vendor views. Boarding empties after New Year, so plan the first winter’s payroll before the first summer.

Hiring and keeping animals and staff safe

Training your own. O*NET lists “Pet Groomer” as a title “approved by the U.S. Department of Labor for use in a Registered Apprenticeship Program,” a route when experienced groomers are scarce.

Group play. Colorado allows dogs from different households to mix only “under constant and direct supervision, with the written consent of the owners,” with “at least one human supervisor for every 15 dogs” and “No more than 60 dogs” in any one area. Supervisors must be “at least 16 years of age”; “Under no circumstances will viewing by video camera or through windows be considered acceptable supervision”; staff “grooming other pet animals, do not satisfy this requirement”; and dogs “over 18 months of age must be sterilized before commingling” (Rule 14.11). That ratio, not the size of the yard, sets daycare payroll.

Vaccines. Colorado facilities hold current rabies records for dogs, cats and ferrets over 16 weeks, distemper and parvovirus for dogs over 8 weeks and FVRCP for cats, and a vet-exempted dog “may not be commingled with other dogs” (19.5.3). Bordetella and canine influenza are not on the list; requiring them is your written policy.

Drugs and incidents. Colorado’s Rule 15.4 bars grooming facilities from giving “tranquilizers, sedatives, or any other pharmaceutical drug or non-pharmaceutical drug designed to calm an animal.” Boarding facilities medicate only “with a written prescription” (15.6), tell owners about vet care “within 24 hours” (15.3.1) and report a death or escape to PACFA in writing within 72 hours (19.9.3).

OSHA logs. O*NET reports that 58% of these workers face bites, cuts or burns “Every day.” Under 29 CFR 1904 an employer with “10 or fewer employees at all times during the last calendar year” keeps no injury logs, though every employer reports a death, in-patient hospitalization, amputation or lost eye (eCFR, 29 CFR 1904). Pet care is missing from the partially exempt industry list, which does name “8121 Personal Care Services,” so once you pass ten employees you keep the OSHA 300 log.

Finding the first customers

Google Business Profile. A van with no storefront is “allowed one service-area Business Profile,” a “virtual office” is not eligible, a salon showing its address keeps “permanent fixed signage,” and a salon that also runs vans can “show their storefront address and designate a service area” (Google guidelines). A service-area profile takes “up to 20 service areas” within “about 2 hours of driving time” (Google service areas). Our Google Business Profile work covers setup and verification.

Local Services Ads. Google’s “Pet grooming” and “Pet boarding” categories both ask for a state business and owner license where local law requires one, grooming adds the two insurance policies, and screening takes “3-4 weeks” on average (Google requirements). Daycare without overnight stays has no category. Compare your booking system with Google’s booking partners first.

Reviews. The FTC’s rule took effect “on October 21, 2024” and bars incentives tied to reviews “expressing a particular sentiment” (FTC Q&A); Google bans incentives “in exchange for posting any review” (Google policy), so a discounted bath for any review breaks it. Fewer than 20 reviews rules a business out for 47% of the consumers in BrightLocal’s 2026 survey, and a review routine that asks at every pickup closes that gap.

Credentials and referrals. Show the state license where one exists, the vaccine policy and the emergency plan; IBPSA notes “the demand for public accountability grows” as facilities multiply (IBPSA). Vet clinics that neither groom nor board, trainers, pet stores and dog-heavy apartment buildings sent the first dogs to the shops we have watched open. Marketing after opening day is the subject of our pet grooming and boarding marketing page.

What trips up new owners

Advertising before the license. Colorado forbids it until PACFA issues the license.
Signing the lease before zoning. Connecticut’s license needs the town’s certificate, and Clark County bans outdoor kennel yards in some zones.
Staffing daycare to the yard. Colorado caps a supervisor at 15 dogs, and the groomer next door does not count.
Assuming the policy covers the dogs. Ask about care, custody and control in writing.
Buying a shop and expecting its license. Colorado licenses do not transfer.

Questions founders ask about starting a pet grooming or boarding business

Do I need a license to groom dogs?

It depends on the state: Colorado requires a PACFA license for salons and vans ($400 as of October 2026) and Connecticut a $200 two-year grooming license, while Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have no state grooming license.

Do I need a license to board dogs?

In the four states researched, yes: $500 in Colorado above three animals, $400 for two years in Connecticut, a town license after inspection in Massachusetts and $125 to $325 a year by capacity in Pennsylvania.

Can I board dogs at home?

Only within local limits: Connecticut exempts three or fewer animals in a residence, Colorado’s license starts above three besides your own, and zoning can still forbid it.

How many staff does a dog daycare need?

In Colorado, one supervisor aged 16 or older per 15 dogs in a group, with groups capped at 60 and no camera supervision. Massachusetts has authorized ratio rules whose final form could not be confirmed.

What insurance does a grooming or boarding business need?

General and professional liability, workers’ comp once you hire, and cover for animals in your care, which a standard policy may exclude under its care, custody or control wording.

Can a mobile groomer empty wash water into a drain?

Not a storm drain; Santa Rosa calls that illegal and sends wash water to the sanitary sewer, sometimes under a permit, so ask your city.

Is grooming subject to sales tax?

In Connecticut, yes, along with boarding, daycare, baths and nail trims; self-serve washing and in-home sitting are not taxed there, and other states differ.

Sources

Checked on October 3, 2026. Rules and fees change, and many are set state by state or city by city: confirm the current requirements with the agency that issues them before you apply.

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