Pet Sitting Business Permit Requirements in Indianapolis, IN

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. Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate

   Required for all businesses selling tangible personal property at retail in Indiana. Indiana charges a flat 7% state sales tax with no additional local sales tax. Register online via INBiz.

   Official government source

   $25 one-time registration fee·Immediate (online via INBiz)

   $25 one-time registration fee

   Immediate (online via INBiz)

1. Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services — Business License

   Indianapolis (Marion County) has no general business license and no product called a 'Commercial Zoning Certificate.' DBNS licenses only specific business types by ordinance (e.g., massage establishments $177, kennels/pet shops/stables $200, hotels, pawnbrokers). Most business types listed here do not require any Indianapolis business license — check DBNS's Business Licenses list for your specific type.

   Official government source

   N/A for most business types; specific licensed types have individual fees (e.g., $177–$200)·N/A

   N/A for most business types; specific licensed types have individual fees (e.g., $177–$200)

   N/A

2. Indianapolis DBNS — Kennel, Pet Shop, or Stable License

   Boarding pets overnight at a home or facility in Indianapolis may require a Kennel, Pet Shop, or Stable license under Municipal Code chapter 836, issued by the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services — not by Indianapolis Animal Care Services, which handles animal control and adoption rather than business licensing. The city describes the license as covering businesses that maintain facilities to board, train, or sell animals, and the DBNS fee schedule names it "Kennels Pet Store Stables Groomer". Licensing staff initiate an inspection once the application is received. Check Marion County's animal ordinance for how many animals trigger the requirement.

   Official government source

   $200 for the Kennels/Pet Store/Stables/Groomer license, plus $84 for the building inspection and $84 for the fire inspection of the licensed premises, each charged for the initial inspection and again for the annual reinspection (DBNS fee schedule effective January 5, 2026).·No fixed turnaround is published. Mail the application with a check payable to "The City of Indianapolis" for the fees; the inspection is initiated once they are received, and the license expires one year from the date of issuance.

   $200 for the Kennels/Pet Store/Stables/Groomer license, plus $84 for the building inspection and $84 for the fire inspection of the licensed premises, each charged for the initial inspection and again for the annual reinspection (DBNS fee schedule effective January 5, 2026).

   No fixed turnaround is published. Mail the application with a check payable to "The City of Indianapolis" for the fees; the inspection is initiated once they are received, and the license expires one year from the date of issuance.

Official Sources

• Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services
• Marion County Animal Services

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