Anchorage, AK Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License
- Commercial facility license
- Annual fee
- $150.00
- Covers
- Dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, horses
- Exempt
- Veterinary clinics
- Issuing office
- Animal Care and Control Center
Summary
Anchorage requires anyone who boards or grooms dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, or horses for pay to hold a commercial facility license from Animal Care and Control, renewed annually for $150.
Commercial facility license. A person or facility that, for any period of time, boards or grooms dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, and/or horses for fees or services, or any person or facility that reconveys four or more dogs or cats in a calendar year, or any person or facility that breeds more than three litters of dogs and/or cats in a calendar year shall be required to obtain a commercial facility license.
a. This license shall be valid for one year from date of issuance.
b. A pet store is a commercial facility for purposes of this section.
c. A veterinary clinic is not a commercial facility for purposes of this section.
4. Mushing facility license means a person or facility, including a dwelling unit, residence, or business premise that owns, houses, possesses, or acts as custodian of four or more dogs over the age of four months, that have been trained to be harnessed and pull sleds, carts, vehicles with humans and/or cargo for the sport of mushing whether for recreation, competition or for remuneration shall be required to obtain a mushing facility license.
a. This license shall be valid for two years from date of issuance.
b. This license shall be valid for any dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, or horses owned by the same person or facility of the mushing dogs on the same premises.
5. Animal rescue license. Animal rescues and animal rescue shelters shall be required to obtain an animal rescue license.
a.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5010260; v11 updated 2026-09-01).
Full Breakdown
Under AMC 17.15.060, any person or facility that boards or grooms dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, or horses for fees or services, including pet stores, must obtain a commercial facility license from the animal care and control center. The license runs $150 a year under the fee schedule at AMC 17.70.010 and must be renewed annually. Veterinary clinics are specifically excluded from the requirement. The animal care and control center may inspect the licensed premises and animals annually, after a public complaint, or before issuing or renewing the license, and applications must include a copy of a current municipal and/or Alaska business license.
Violations & Fines
Operating a grooming or boarding business without the license carries a $150 civil penalty for a first violation and $300 for the second and each later violation, per the AMC 17.70.020 fine schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do mobile or at-home pet groomers in Anchorage need this license?
Are veterinary clinics that groom pets exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anchorage
Compare Anchorage to another location·View the Alaska animal ordinances overview
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