The agencies state $15,808 in initial fees across 5 of the 8 items; 3 are free. Rent, build-out and equipment come on top and depend on the space.
How much does it cost to open a pet store or groomer in Vermont?
$15,808 in state fees the agencies state, across 5 of the 8 licenses, permits and registrations; 3 are free. Rent, build-out and equipment come on top.
What the state publishes for a pet store or groomer in Vermont
Every row checked against its agency’s page; the latest on Oct 21, 2026.
- Stated state fees
- $15,808initial fees across 5 of 8 items
- Free items
- 3no fee as the agency publishes it
- Set elsewhere
- 0by 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.
Set up the business
Item Agency Fee Articles of organization (LLC) and the annual report Vermont Secretary of State Premium only Assumed business name registration (DBA) Vermont Secretary of State Premium only Employer Identification Number (EIN) Internal Revenue Service Free Register for tax
Item Agency Fee Vermont business tax account: sales and use tax, meals and rooms tax, withholding Vermont Department of Taxes Free No general business license Vermont Secretary of State Free Approve the space
Item Agency Fee Zoning permit, and the Division of Fire Safety construction permit and certificate of occupancy Your town’s zoning administrator Premium only Get the permits for your kind of business
Item Agency Fee Pet shop license; municipal pet dealer permit Vermont Agency of Agriculture Premium only Before the first hire
Item Agency Fee Unemployment insurance account, child care contribution, new hire reporting and workers’ compensation Vermont Department of Labor Premium 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
Secretary of State fee schedule (11 V.S.A. 4023 and 4033) and LLC and annual report pages; Secretary of State assumed name page and fee schedule (11 V.S.A. 1621 and 1625); IRS EIN page; Department of Taxes meals and rooms tax and business registration pages; Secretary of State Business Services Division pages; municipal ordinances; Division of Fire Safety construction permit application and the Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code; 24 V.S.A. chapter 117 (municipal zoning); 20 V.S.A. chapter 194 (pet shops and pet dealers); Agency of Agriculture fee schedule and registrations and licensing page; Department of Labor unemployment tax rate and 2026 taxable wage base pages; Department of Taxes child care contribution page (Act 76 of 2023); Department of Labor workers’ compensation and new hire reporting pages. Fees are as published by each agency on the date checked; cities and counties add their own.