How much does it cost to open a pet store or groomer in Indiana?

$9,640 in state fees the agencies state, across 4 of the 8 licenses, permits and registrations; 1 are free; 3 are set by the city, the county or a provider. Rent, build-out and equipment come on top.

What the state publishes for a pet store or groomer in Indiana

Drafted from the agencies’ own pages; some rows still wait to be confirmed. Open the official page before you pay anything.

Stated state fees
$9,640initial fees across 4 of 8 items
Free items
1no fee as the agency publishes it
Set elsewhere
3by the city, the county or a provider
Items in all
8in the order to get them

Initial fees as each agency states them, summed; renewals are not included. Where a fee depends on size or sales the range is the lowest to the highest stated. Members see each row’s fee, its renewal and the official page.

  1. Set up the business

    ItemAgencyFee
    Articles of organization (LLC) and the business entity reportIndiana Secretary of StatePremium only
    Certificate of assumed business name (DBA)Indiana Secretary of StatePremium only
    Employer Identification Number (EIN)Internal Revenue ServiceFree
  2. Register for tax

    ItemAgencyFee
    Business tax application (BT-1): registered retail merchant certificate, withholding accountIndiana Department of RevenuePremium only
    Local business licenseYour city or town clerkPremium only
  3. Approve the space

    ItemAgencyFee
    Zoning approval, state construction design release and certificate of occupancyYour city or county planning and building departmentsPremium only
  4. Get the permits for your kind of business

    ItemAgencyFee
    Retail pet store registration (2024 law) and local animal licensesIndiana State Board of Animal HealthPremium only
  5. Before the first hire

    ItemAgencyFee
    Unemployment insurance account, new hire reporting and workers’ compensationIndiana Department of Workforce DevelopmentPremium only

What comes on top of the fees

The state publishes its fees; the space sets the rest. These work it out from your own numbers.

  • Rent the business can carryMonthly sales, or seats and average check, to the base rent that fits a healthy occupancy share.Rent-to-sales calculator
  • The real cost of a NNN leaseBase rent plus CAM, property taxes and insurance, each month.NNN lease calculator
  • The steps in orderThe same items as a walk-through you tick off, with progress saved to your account.How to open

Fees are shown to members as published. Create an account.

Sources and dates

INBiz business entity report page and State Form 48725 (revised January 2026); Secretary of State filing fee pages; INBiz fee calculator; Indiana Code 23-0.5-3-4 (assumed business names); IRS EIN page; Department of Revenue INTIME business guide and new and small business handbook; form BT-1; Indiana Code 6-2.5-8-1; IN.gov business guide; municipal ordinances; Indiana Code 22-15-3 and 675 IAC 12-6 (construction design release); Indiana Building Code; locality ordinances; House Enrolled Act 1412 (2024), Indiana Code 15-21 and following (commercial dog breeders, brokers and retail pet stores); municipal animal ordinances; Department of Workforce Development employer pages (2026 new employer rate and wage base); Indiana Code 22-3-2 (Worker’s Compensation Act); Indiana New Hire Reporting Center. Fees are as published by each agency on the date checked; cities and counties add their own.

Questions about the cost.