Pet Sitting Service Permit Requirements in Spokane, WA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC/corporation. Free from the IRS. Also recommended if you plan to open a dedicated business bank account.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

2. Pet Sitter / Pet Care Insurance

   While not federally required, pet sitting businesses should carry general liability insurance and pet care, custody, and control (CCC) insurance to cover injuries, escapes, or accidental deaths of animals in your care. Professional organizations like PSI (Pet Sitters International) and NAPPS offer member insurance programs. Most clients and professional standards bodies recommend at least $1 million in liability coverage.

   Official government source

   $200–$1,500/year depending on coverage and business size·Obtained before accepting clients

   $200–$1,500/year depending on coverage and business size

   Obtained before accepting clients

1. Washington — Pet Sitting License Requirements

   Washington does not require a state license for in-home pet sitting, and WSDA has no animal shelter or boarding license program - its animals pages cover animal health, feed, and disease traceability only. Commercial boarding facilities are regulated locally through county or city kennel and animal-care ordinances. Pet sitters who visit clients' homes in Spokane are generally exempt from state licensing and from local animal-facility permitting; you still need the state Business License and a City of Spokane business registration.

   Official government source

   No state pet-sitting or boarding license or fee. You still pay the $50 state Business License Application processing fee and Spokane's $131 annual business registration. Local kennel or boarding permits, if you board animals at a facility, are set by the local jurisdiction.·Not applicable - there is no state pet-sitting license to apply for.

   No state pet-sitting or boarding license or fee. You still pay the $50 state Business License Application processing fee and Spokane's $131 annual business registration. Local kennel or boarding permits, if you board animals at a facility, are set by the local jurisdiction.

   Not applicable - there is no state pet-sitting license to apply for.

2. Washington Department of Revenue — Business License (includes sales tax)

   Pet sitting and dog walking services are generally not subject to retail sales tax in Washington, though you still owe Business & Occupation tax on gross income. If you also sell pet products such as food, leashes, or accessories, those sales are taxable at the local combined rate, which in the City of Spokane is 9.1% - 6.5% state plus 2.6% local, location code 3210 - for the quarter beginning October 1, 2026. Rates change quarterly, so confirm with DOR's Tax Rate Lookup Tool. Register with the Department of Revenue through the Business License Application.

   Official government source

   $50 Business License Application processing fee to open or reopen a business; $0 to add a location; $10 for any other change (hiring employees, registering a trade name, adding endorsements to an existing location); $5 annual renewal processing fee. Endorsement fees are charged in addition.·About 10 business days for online applications, plus another 2-3 weeks if city or state endorsements need approval; mailed applications can take up to 6 weeks.

   $50 Business License Application processing fee to open or reopen a business; $0 to add a location; $10 for any other change (hiring employees, registering a trade name, adding endorsements to an existing location); $5 annual renewal processing fee. Endorsement fees are charged in addition.

   About 10 business days for online applications, plus another 2-3 weeks if city or state endorsements need approval; mailed applications can take up to 6 weeks.

1. Spokane — General Business License / Occupational Tax Certificate

   Pet sitting businesses operating in Spokane - dog walking, in-home pet care, pet transportation - must hold a City of Spokane business registration (SMC 8.01), which is added as a city endorsement to the state Business License Application filed with the Washington Department of Revenue. Spokane County does not license businesses. Home-based pet sitters must also meet the city's home occupation standards in SMC 17C.340, which are self-certifying rather than a permit.

   Official government source

   $131 per 12-month period base registration fee (2024 forward, CPI-adjustable), plus $15 per license unit and a per-person fee for all personnel: $10 each for fewer than six people, $15 each for six to ten, $20 each for more than ten (SMC 8.02.0206). Qualifying low-income businesses, nonprofits, social purpose corporations, and Certified B Corporations pay half the base fee.·Filed with the state Business Licensing Service: about 10 business days for the state license plus an additional 2-3 weeks for the city endorsement to be approved.

   $131 per 12-month period base registration fee (2024 forward, CPI-adjustable), plus $15 per license unit and a per-person fee for all personnel: $10 each for fewer than six people, $15 each for six to ten, $20 each for more than ten (SMC 8.02.0206). Qualifying low-income businesses, nonprofits, social purpose corporations, and Certified B Corporations pay half the base fee.

   Filed with the state Business Licensing Service: about 10 business days for the state license plus an additional 2-3 weeks for the city endorsement to be approved.

2. Spokane - Animal Care Facility Permit (if boarding) - via SCRAPS

   If you board clients' pets at your home or a commercial facility in Spokane, contact SCRAPS (Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service), the regional animal control authority, about kennel and boarding licensing. Requirements and any small-scale exemption are not published in a single official schedule, so confirm directly with SCRAPS before operating.

   Official government source

   Fees are not published in a single official schedule; confirm with SCRAPS at 509-477-2532.·1–4 weeks

   Fees are not published in a single official schedule; confirm with SCRAPS at 509-477-2532.

   1–4 weeks

Official Sources

• Spokane Business Licensing
• Washington Department of Revenue — Business License (includes sales tax)
• Pet Sitters International (PSI)

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