Apex, NC Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Facility type
- Fully enclosed building only
- Outdoor kennels/runs
- Not permitted
- Overnight boarding
- Prohibited
- Animals covered
- Companion animals only
- Geographic reach
- Town limits plus mapped ETJ
Summary
Apex requires pet grooming, day spa, and daycare businesses to operate entirely indoors, serve only companion animals, skip overnight boarding, and hold all required federal, state, and local licenses under the Unified Development Ordinance.
Pet services shall comply with the following:
a) Services shall be limited to companion animals, including but not
limited to dogs, cats, birds, small reptiles, small rodents, and fish;
b) Services shall be provided within an enclosed building with no outdoor
facilities such as kennels, runs, play areas, or other similar spaces;
c) There shall be no overnight services; and
d) Establishments shall obtain all applicable Federal, State, and Local
licenses and permits required by law.
Pawn shop. A pawn shop shall comply with the following standards:
a) Pawn shops shall be regulated by the North Carolina Pawnbrokers
Modernization Act of 1989 (1989, c.638, 5.2); and
b) No pawn shop shall be located within 1,000 feet of another pawn
shop, tattoo parlor, or adult establishment.
Artisan studio.
a) Such use, including storage, shall be conducted entirely within a
fully-enclosed building; and
b) A minimum of 10% of the square footage of the production area shall
be designated as a showroom/retail space.
Vehicle Repair and Service
Automotive paint or body shop. An automotive paint and body shop use shall
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
The Town's Unified Development Ordinance classifies pet grooming, pet day spa, pet daycare, pet training, and similar businesses as 'pet services' and imposes operating conditions wherever that use is permitted. Everything must happen inside an enclosed building, no outdoor kennels, runs, play areas, or similar outdoor facilities are allowed. Services are limited to companion animals (dogs, cats, birds, small reptiles, small rodents, fish), overnight boarding is prohibited outright, and the operator must hold every applicable federal, state, and local license or permit. This standard (UDO Sec. 4.4.5.G.17) applies within Apex's corporate limits and its mapped extraterritorial jurisdiction, and reflects the UDO as codified July 27, 2021, check current zoning for the specific district before opening.
Violations & Fines
Running a grooming, day spa, daycare, or training business with an outdoor kennel, run, or play area, or offering overnight boarding, breaches Sec. 4.4.5.G.17 and exposes the use to UDO zoning enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a pet grooming business in Apex offer overnight boarding?
Can a groomer in Apex have an outdoor dog run?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apex
Compare Apex to another location·View the North Carolina animal ordinances overview
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Pet Groomer Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle pet groomer rules.