Pet Sitting Business Permit Requirements in Atlanta, GA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC/corporation. Free from the IRS. Also useful for opening a business bank account.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Georgia Department of Agriculture — Kennel License (for boarding)

   Georgia requires a Kennel License from the Georgia Department of Agriculture for any establishment, other than an animal shelter, where dogs or cats are maintained for boarding, holding, training, or similar purposes for a fee - which GDA states also covers breeding establishments, catteries, and grooming shops. Applications go through Kelly Registration Systems and require Secure & Verifiable citizenship/residency documents. A GDA inspector performs a pre-inspection that you must pass before the license issues. If you only visit clients' homes and never keep animals at your own location, no kennel license is required.

   Official government source

   Set by GDA based on your holding capacity and quoted during the online application; payment is online. Renewing after expiration adds a late fee equal to 100% of the license fee, which GDA cannot waive by law.·Allow time for the pre-inspection and Secure & Verifiable document review; the certificate is mailed 1-7 business days after the fee is paid.

   Set by GDA based on your holding capacity and quoted during the online application; payment is online. Renewing after expiration adds a late fee equal to 100% of the license fee, which GDA cannot waive by law.

   Allow time for the pre-inspection and Secure & Verifiable document review; the certificate is mailed 1-7 business days after the fee is paid.

2. Georgia Business Registration

   If operating as an LLC, corporation, or partnership, register the entity with the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division. Sole proprietors using a trade name register it with the Clerk of Superior Court of Fulton County, not the Secretary of State.

   Official government source

   $110 to file Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (corporation) - a $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge, the same online or on paper - effective September 6, 2025. Every LLC and corporation then owes a $60 annual registration, due April 1 each year. Source: Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division Filing Fees Schedule.·7-10 business days for online filings; about 15 business days for paper filings. Optional expedited review costs $120 (two business days), $275 (same day), or $1,200 (one hour) on top of the filing fee.

   $110 to file Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (corporation) - a $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge, the same online or on paper - effective September 6, 2025. Every LLC and corporation then owes a $60 annual registration, due April 1 each year. Source: Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division Filing Fees Schedule.

   7-10 business days for online filings; about 15 business days for paper filings. Optional expedited review costs $120 (two business days), $275 (same day), or $1,200 (one hour) on top of the filing fee.

1. City of Atlanta Occupational Tax Certificate

   All businesses operating within Atlanta city limits, including in-home pet sitting businesses, must obtain an Occupational Tax Certificate from the City of Atlanta Department of Finance. This applies whether you visit clients' homes or operate from your own home. Renewed annually.

   Official government source

   For tax year 2026: $191 annual registration fee + $50 flat tax + $25 per employee (first employee exempt) + a gross-receipts tax of (gross receipts - $10,000) / $1,000 x the NAICS tax-class rate. The registration fee was $75 for tax year 2025 and prior. Source: Atlanta Municipal Code Sec. 30-62 / Office of Revenue fee page.·1–3 weeks

   For tax year 2026: $191 annual registration fee + $50 flat tax + $25 per employee (first employee exempt) + a gross-receipts tax of (gross receipts - $10,000) / $1,000 x the NAICS tax-class rate. The registration fee was $75 for tax year 2025 and prior. Source: Atlanta Municipal Code Sec. 30-62 / Office of Revenue fee page.

   1–3 weeks

2. Home-Based Business Zoning Compliance (if operating from home)

   Atlanta does not issue a standalone 'Home Occupation Permit.' If you operate a pet sitting or boarding business from your home within the City of Atlanta, home-based business activity is governed by Atlanta's zoning ordinance, administered by the Department of City Planning, Office of Zoning & Development — not Fulton County (whose zoning authority is now limited to the small unincorporated Fulton Industrial District). Home-based boarding of clients' pets may trigger zoning review if it exceeds home-occupation limits; verify directly with Atlanta's Office of Zoning & Development.

   Official government source

   Varies; a zoning verification letter is typically ~$50·1–3 weeks

   Varies; a zoning verification letter is typically ~$50

   1–3 weeks

Official Sources

• Georgia Department of Agriculture — Kennel Licenses
• City of Atlanta — Business Licenses and Permits
• Georgia Secretary of State — Register a Business

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