Annapolis, MD Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Overnight boarding
- Prohibited under all circumstances
- License required
- Anne Arundel County grooming parlor license
- PM2/PM Districts
- Ground-floor use only
- Small lots
- Trash must be enclosed, screened
Summary
Annapolis zoning bars overnight boarding at pet grooming facilities and requires operators to hold an Anne Arundel County grooming parlor license under City Code § 21.64.495, with added floor-area and trash-enclosure rules in the PM2 and PM Districts.
A. Animals may remain within the facility during daytime business hours in conjunction with grooming services rendered. Under no circumstances shall daily or overnight boarding of animals be permitted. B. The operator of a pet grooming facility shall be required to maintain a grooming parlor license issued by the Anne Arundel County Animal Control Agency in accordance with Anne Arundel County Code - Article 12, Section 4-707 as may be amended from time to time.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2025 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Annapolis City Code § 21.64.495 treats pet grooming as its own zoning use: animals may stay on-site only during daytime business hours for grooming services, and the code flatly bars daily or overnight boarding. Operators must also hold a grooming parlor license issued by the Anne Arundel County Animal Control Agency, a licensing condition the city's own zoning ordinance builds into the use standard. In the PM2 and PM Districts, the use is restricted to the ground floor, new construction or expansion may not devote more than 50% of gross floor area to commercial/retail use, and facilities on lots under 5,400 square feet must keep trash in a screened, board-on-board enclosure.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a current Anne Arundel County grooming parlor license, or boarding animals overnight, violates the § 21.64.495 use standard and exposes the operator to zoning code enforcement, including revocation of the use approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a pet groomer board dogs overnight in Annapolis?
Does a groomer need a county license to operate in Annapolis?
Can a grooming facility be on an upper floor in Annapolis?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Annapolis
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