Dog Grooming Permit Requirements in Chicago, IL

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if operating as a business entity or if you have employees. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

2. General Liability & Pet Care Insurance

   While not federally mandated, dog grooming businesses should carry general liability insurance and pet bailee/care, custody, and control (CCC) insurance to cover injuries, escapes, or accidental deaths of animals in your care. Most landlords and all professional grooming standards bodies recommend at least $1 million in coverage.

   $500–$2,500/year depending on business size·Obtained before opening

   $500–$2,500/year depending on business size

   Obtained before opening

1. Illinois Department of Agriculture — Animal Welfare Division — Animal Facility License

   A standalone dog grooming business (no boarding, breeding, or dealing) is generally NOT required to hold an Illinois Animal Welfare Act license — that Act licenses pet shops, dog dealers, kennels, breeders, boarding/day care facilities, animal shelters, and similar. If the business also boards or sells animals, confirm licensing needs with the Dept of Agriculture's Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare.

   Official government source

   not applicable -- a grooming-only business is not a licensed category under the Illinois Animal Welfare Act. If the business also boards, breeds, or deals in animals, the Department of Agriculture charges $350 per license type.·not applicable unless a boarding, breeding, or dealing license is required; those licenses expire annually on June 30 and need a preliminary inspection before issuance

   not applicable -- a grooming-only business is not a licensed category under the Illinois Animal Welfare Act. If the business also boards, breeds, or deals in animals, the Department of Agriculture charges $350 per license type.

   not applicable unless a boarding, breeding, or dealing license is required; those licenses expire annually on June 30 and need a preliminary inspection before issuance

2. Illinois — Sales Tax Registration

   Dog grooming service charges are generally not subject to Illinois sales tax, since Illinois taxes sales of tangible personal property rather than labor-only services. If you sell retail products (shampoos, accessories) separately, register with the Illinois Department of Revenue to collect sales tax on those items; the combined rate in Chicago is 10.50%.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online via MyTax Illinois)

   Free

   Immediate (online via MyTax Illinois)

3. Illinois - Pet Groomer Certification (voluntary, not a state license)

   Illinois does not license pet groomers. The Illinois Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare licenses pet shops, dog dealers, kennel operators, breeders, shelters, day care operators, guard dog services and horse rescues -- not grooming -- and groomer does not appear on IDFPR's list of licensed professions. Voluntary credentials from the National Dog Groomers Association of America (NDGAA), International Professional Groomers (IPG) or the Certification Council for Professional Dog Groomers exist to signal skill and are sometimes required by franchise or chain agreements, but they carry no legal force in Illinois.

   Official government source

   No state fee. Each certifying body sets its own testing and portfolio review prices.·Not applicable for state licensing; voluntary certification generally takes several months of training and portfolio work

   No state fee. Each certifying body sets its own testing and portfolio review prices.

   Not applicable for state licensing; voluntary certification generally takes several months of training and portfolio work

1. Chicago Animal Care License (BACP)

   Chicago has no license named 'Business/Occupational License'. BACP licenses by activity category, and grooming falls under the Animal Care License, which covers any business that grooms, boards, breeds, trains, lets for hire, or provides day care for dogs or cats. The process includes zoning approval, a City debt check, and a premises inspection by Chicago Animal Care and Control; an interior layout of the premises may be required during zoning review. Note that 'animal care uses' are explicitly excluded from BACP's Home Based Business (Home Occupation) license, so a residence-based mobile groomer cannot use that pathway and should confirm the correct route with BACP at 312-74-GOBIZ (744-6249).

   Official government source

   $275 license fee for a two-year term·Chicago publishes no processing time; the zoning review, debt check and Animal Care and Control inspection typically take several weeks

   $275 license fee for a two-year term

   Chicago publishes no processing time; the zoning review, debt check and Animal Care and Control inspection typically take several weeks

2. Chicago Animal Care Facility License (BACP)

   Dog grooming businesses operating from a commercial location in Chicago need a City of Chicago Animal Care Facility License from BACP, which covers businesses that groom, board, breed, train, or provide day care for dogs/cats. Zoning approval from the City of Chicago (not Cook County) is part of the license process, and interior premises layout may be reviewed. Chicago, as a home-rule city, handles its own zoning independent of Cook County.

   Official government source

   $275 for a 2-year license·license process includes a debt check and premises inspection by Chicago Animal Care and Control -- typically several weeks

   $275 for a 2-year license

   license process includes a debt check and premises inspection by Chicago Animal Care and Control -- typically several weeks

3. Chicago Animal Care and Control Inspection (Animal Care License)

   Grooming salons in Chicago are licensed as animal care facilities under the City of Chicago Animal Care License. As part of that license application, Chicago Animal Care and Control inspects the premises, and the zoning review may require an interior layout drawing of any area used for grooming or boarding animals. There is no standalone health or environmental inspection permit; the inspection is a step in the Animal Care License process, alongside zoning approval and a City debt check.

   Official government source

   No separate inspection fee. The Animal Care License itself costs $275 and is issued for a two-year period.·BACP does not publish a turnaround time. The steps are: submit business information, obtain zoning approval, submit the full application, pay, clear the City debt check, and pass the Chicago Animal Care and Control inspection before the license issues.

   No separate inspection fee. The Animal Care License itself costs $275 and is issued for a two-year period.

   BACP does not publish a turnaround time. The steps are: submit business information, obtain zoning approval, submit the full application, pay, clear the City debt check, and pass the Chicago Animal Care and Control inspection before the license issues.

Official Sources

• Illinois Department of Agriculture — Animal Welfare Division
• Chicago Business Licensing
• National Dog Groomers Association of America

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