Who needs a pet shop and boarding establishment rules; local business license in Virginia?
Issued by Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Animal Care; your locality’s animal control, at step 4 of 6 in the opening sequence: get the permits for your kind of business.
A pet shop selling dogs and cats must keep the records, disclosures and care standards in Chapter 65 of Title 3.2 and sell only animals from sources the Code allows; a boarding establishment must post its emergency veterinary arrangements and may not keep animals without the required care. Grooming alone needs no animal license. Ask the locality’s animal control office whether it licenses kennels or boarding establishments; counties such as Fairfax and Loudoun require a local kennel license.
Checked Oct 21, 2026 against the agency’s page.
Step 4 of 6: Get the permits for your kind of business
1Set up the business
2Register for tax
3Approve the space
4Get the permits for your kind of business
5Alcohol permits
6Before the first hire
Issued by Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Animal Care; your locality’s animal control.
Sources and dates
Code of Virginia 3.2-6500 and following (pet shops, dealers, boarding establishments); locality ordinances. Checked against the agency’s page on the date shown; cities add their own fees.
Questions about opening here.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
Yes. A pet shop selling dogs and cats must keep the records, disclosures and care standards in Chapter 65 of Title 3.2 and sell only animals from sources the Code allows; a boarding establishment must post its emergency veterinary arrangements and may not keep animals without the required care.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
No. In Virginia it is listed for pet stores and groomers.
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Animal Care; your locality’s animal control.
Step 4 of 6, get the permits for your kind of business. The steps before it: set up the business, register for tax and approve the space.
Who needs a pet shop and boarding establishment rules in Virginia?
