How to Start a Pet Grooming Business in Georgia: GDA Kennel License, Fees and Mobile Units

October 29, 2026

If you have searched for a Georgia grooming license, you have probably found conflicting answers. Here is the short version: Georgia has no separate grooming license. But the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) licenses kennels, and the state rule defines a kennel to include a grooming shop. If you groom dogs or cats for a fee in Georgia, you will almost certainly need a GDA kennel license before your first client.

This guide covers the kennel license and its fees, the operating models you can choose (storefront, home-based and mobile), and the tax and setup steps that follow. It is ordered by importance, so read the first section before you spend money on equipment or sign a lease.

This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and deadlines change. Confirm current details with the agencies named below, and talk to a Georgia attorney or CPA before you choose an entity or handle a complex tax situation.

Section 1: The GDA Kennel License Is the Requirement Most Guides Miss

Georgia Rule 40-13-13-.01 defines a kennel as any establishment, other than an animal shelter, where dogs or cats are maintained for boarding, holding, training or similar purposes for a fee. The rule says similar purposes include a breeding establishment, a cattery or a grooming shop. An establishment is a fixed or mobile unit, such as a shop, building, residence or vehicle. In practice, a storefront grooming shop needs a GDA kennel license, and the same definition reaches grooming operations run from a home or a van.

GDA handles these licenses through its Companion Animals program. The program page is at agr.georgia.gov/kennel-licenses.

Fees by holding capacity

The fee depends on holding capacity, which is the maximum number of pets at your establishment at one time. Under Rule 40-13-13-.02, the fees are:

Holding capacity (maximum pets at one time)	License fee
Up to 20 pets	$100
21 to 40 pets	$200
41 to 80 pets	$300
Over 80 pets	$400

Calculate capacity from your real layout, including crates, drying areas and any overnight space. Adding boarding or daycare raises your total capacity, and the fee follows that total.

License terms

• The license runs for one year, starting when payment is processed.
• It is issued to a named person for specific premises and cannot be transferred.
• Each activity needs its own license. Combination licenses are not available.
• A renewal filed after the expiration date carries a late fee equal to 100% of the license fee. GDA says it cannot waive that fee. You may not keep operating on an expired license.

How to apply, step by step

1. Gather your information. The application asks for your physical and mailing addresses, your holding capacity, the officers or members of the business, and any record of prior violations or cruelty charges. Answer every question accurately, because the record matters.
2. Apply online. Use the Kelly Registration Systems link on the GDA Companion Animals page.
3. Pass a GDA pre-inspection. Expect an inspector to check your facility before licensing. Have clean enclosures, sanitation supplies and a clear handling area ready before the visit.
4. Provide proof of citizenship or lawful presence. Use a document from GDA's secure and verifiable document list.
5. Pay the fee. The amount is set by your holding capacity from the table above.
6. Receive your certificate. GDA mails the certificate, typically within about 1 to 7 business days.

A state license does not excuse you from local rules. Some cities and counties limit how many animals you may keep on a property. Ask your city or county before you sign a lease or convert a room into a grooming area.

Section 2: Choose Your Operating Model

Storefront shop

A storefront needs three approvals: the GDA kennel license, zoning that allows a commercial grooming use at the address, and the local occupation tax certificate. Zoning is the step most new owners underestimate, so confirm it before you sign a lease.

Home-based grooming

If you are asking whether you need a license to run a dog grooming business from home in Georgia, the answer is very likely yes. The rule's definition of an establishment includes a residence, and a grooming shop is a kennel. Confirm this with GDA directly, but plan on a kennel license. Also expect the following:

• Local home-occupation zoning rules, which may restrict client visits, signage or employees.
• Possible limits on the number of animals on the property, set by your city or county.
• The local occupation tax certificate.

For broader rules on running a business from a residence, see our Georgia home-based business guide.

Mobile grooming van

Do not assume a van falls outside kennel licensing. The rule defines an establishment as a fixed or mobile unit, and that definition includes a vehicle. Ask GDA's Companion Animals program how a mobile unit is licensed and whether the license is tied to a home base or a service route. Then ask your city or county about mobile business permits, since local rules vary. Get written answers where you can.

Boarding and daycare

If you add boarding or daycare, the same kennel license applies. The fee depends on your total holding capacity, so count every pet you can hold at one time, including animals waiting for pickup or dropoff. Check the table again after any expansion.

Puppy sales

A groomer who sells puppies needs a pet dealer license. Review the pet dealer and breeder requirements before you advertise or sell any animal. See our guide to starting a pet dealer, breeder or pet store business in Georgia.

Section 3: Taxes and Business Setup

1. Form your entity. An LLC files Articles of Organization, and a corporation files Articles of Incorporation, with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division (sos.ga.gov/corporations-division). Each filing costs $110 total: the $100 fee plus a $10 service charge. You can file online through eCorp at ecorp.sos.ga.gov or on paper. Online filings take about 7 to 10 business days and paper filings about 15 business days. Expedited review costs $120 for 2 business days, $275 for same-day service if received by noon, or $1,200 for one hour on business days. A name reservation costs $35 and lasts 30 days. An LLC name must include a limited liability company designator. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see our guide to forming an LLC in Georgia.
2. Get an EIN. Obtain a federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS. Our Georgia EIN guide covers the process.
3. Register for sales tax if you sell taxable goods. Register through the Georgia Tax Center at gtc.dor.ga.gov. Registration is free. Georgia issues no separate resale permit, and the resale instrument is Form ST-5, the certificate of exemption. The state sales tax rate is 4%, and combined state and local rates run from 6% to 9% depending on county and city (Atlanta is 8.9%). Retail products you sell, such as shampoo, treats and accessories, are taxable sales. The Department of Revenue's rule on pets says the tax does not apply to charges for the keep of pets, but sales of animals and products are taxable. Confirm how grooming charges are treated with the Department of Revenue before you set prices and write invoices.
4. Get your local occupation tax certificate. Georgia issues no statewide business license, and the Secretary of State issues none either. The local license is an occupation tax certificate, often called a business license. A business inside a city pays the city. A business in unincorporated territory pays the county. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so the county is the issuer for many readers. Georgia has 159 counties and about 537 cities and towns, and each sets its own formula, deadlines and prerequisites. Employers with more than 10 employees must file an E-Verify affidavit to get the certificate (O.C.G.A. 36-60-6). Our guides on the Georgia business license and E-Verify requirements cover the details. Ask the Professional Licensing Boards Division whether any board license applies to your services.
5. Plan for workers' compensation. Workers' compensation coverage is required at three or more workers, including part-time workers. Our Georgia workers' compensation guide explains the requirement.
6. Buy liability and care coverage. Ask an insurance agent about general liability coverage and care, custody and control coverage, which addresses injury to a pet while it is in your care. Coverage terms and costs vary by carrier and by the services you offer.
7. Understand your income tax. Georgia applies a single flat rate to individual income and corporate income, and the rate is set each year. Check the current rate with the Department of Revenue at dor.georgia.gov. Our Georgia business taxes guide covers how pass-through income is taxed. Corporations also owe a net worth tax of $0 to $5,000, based on net worth. A typical single-member or partnership LLC does not owe a Georgia franchise tax.

Section 4: Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming no license is needed because there is no grooming license. The kennel license is the requirement that applies.
• Assuming a van is exempt. The rule's definition of an establishment includes vehicles.
• Assuming home grooming is exempt. A residence is an establishment under the rule.
• Undercounting capacity. Count every pet you can hold at one time, including overnight and waiting animals. Choosing the wrong tier can lead to an incorrect fee or a licensing problem.
• Letting the license lapse. The late fee equals 100% of the license fee, and GDA says it cannot waive it. You may not operate on an expired license.
• Skipping local rules. A state license does not replace zoning approval, a local occupation tax certificate or a city or county limit on animals.
• Operating under a trade name without registering it. A trade name (DBA) is filed with the Clerk of Superior Court of the county where the business is chiefly carried on, not with the Secretary of State. The notice runs once a week for two weeks in the county legal organ. The clerk fee is about $165, plus the newspaper charge. Confirm the exact amounts with your county clerk.
• Guessing at grooming charge taxes. Confirm the treatment with the Department of Revenue rather than relying on a blog post, including this one.

Section 5: What to Expect

A licensed, properly set up grooming business is in a position to serve clients lawfully and to plan its costs with fewer surprises. The time from application to certificate depends on the GDA pre-inspection schedule and mail time; GDA mails the certificate within about 1 to 7 business days after you pay. Expect your local approvals to take longer if zoning or a home-occupation review is involved.

If you sell shampoos, coat products or treats, describe them only in terms the manufacturer's label supports. Many products are marketed to help with coat condition or cleanliness, but results vary by animal. Avoid claiming that any product treats, cures or prevents a medical condition. Those claims can create legal and safety problems for you and your clients.

Official Resources

• Georgia Department of Agriculture, Companion Animals kennel licenses: agr.georgia.gov/kennel-licenses
• Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division: sos.ga.gov/corporations-division
• Georgia Secretary of State eCorp filing portal: ecorp.sos.ga.gov
• Georgia Department of Revenue: dor.georgia.gov
• Georgia Tax Center (sales tax registration): gtc.dor.ga.gov
• Georgia Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia: georgiasbdc.org

This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified Georgia attorney or CPA for complex situations, and confirm every fee, deadline and requirement with the agency named before you act.