Pet Sitting Business Permit Requirements in Davenport, IA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Iowa Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Permit

   Required for businesses selling taxable goods or services in Iowa. The state rate is 6%, and local option sales tax of up to 1% may apply. Iowa taxes about 75 enumerated services, so check whether your service is taxable before assuming you need a permit. Register with the Iowa Department of Revenue online.

   Official government source

   Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permit·Register online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

   Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permit

   Register online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

1. No General Business License Required in Davenport

   Davenport does not require a general, citywide business license. The Revenue Division licenses only specific categories, each with its own fee: alarm businesses ($50-$100), auctioneers ($150), billboards and signs, bicycles ($5), tobacco/nicotine ($25-$100 by term), closing-out sales, vehicle-related businesses, mobile food units ($55), live entertainment ($50), metal recyclers ($300), and pawnbrokers/secondhand/junk/antique dealers ($50-$500). Most professional and personal-service businesses — pest control, barbering, tutoring, insurance, cleaning, photography — are not licensed by the city at all. Check the category list, and call the Revenue Division at 563-326-7715 if unsure.

   Official government source

   $0 for most business types; listed categories carry their own published fees·Not applicable unless your activity is one of the listed categories

   $0 for most business types; listed categories carry their own published fees

   Not applicable unless your activity is one of the listed categories

2. Iowa Boarding Kennel State License (IDALS) — no county kennel permit

   There is no Scott County animal services department; animal control and pet licensing in Davenport are handled by the Humane Society of Scott County under contract with the city. Boarding pets overnight is regulated at the state level instead: it makes the operation a commercial establishment under Iowa Code ch. 162, requiring a boarding kennel state license from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, with inspection for housing, sanitation, and humane care. Pet sitting in the client's own home, with no animals kept at your premises, does not require the license.

   Official government source

   $175 for issuance or renewal of the state boarding kennel license (Iowa Code 162.2B); city pet licensing is handled by the Humane Society of Scott County·Renewed annually; allow for a facility inspection before the license is issued

   $175 for issuance or renewal of the state boarding kennel license (Iowa Code 162.2B); city pet licensing is handled by the Humane Society of Scott County

   Renewed annually; allow for a facility inspection before the license is issued

Official Sources

• City of Davenport Finance Department
• Scott County Animal Services

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