Atlanta, GA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- District
- I-MIX (Industrial Mixed Use)
- Permitted use
- Pet grooming and care
- Restriction
- No overnight pet boarding
- Nuisance exemption
- Grooming parlors exempt (§ 18-129)
Summary
Atlanta's zoning code allows pet grooming and care businesses in Industrial Mixed Use (I-MIX) districts, but explicitly bans overnight boarding of pets under that permitted use.
(n)Pet grooming and care, overnight boarding of pets is prohibited.(o)Professional or personal service establishments.(p)Retail establishments not exceeding 30,000 square feet in floor area.(q)Structures and uses required for operation of MARTA or a public utility, including uses involving extensive storage and railway rights-of-way and yards.(r)Small discount variety stores, provided that no small discount variety store may be located within 5,280 feet of another small discount variety store.(s)Delivery-based commercial kitchen.(t)Data centers, except where any part of the property is within 2,640 feet of a high-capacity transit stop, as referenced in City Code Section 16-28.014(14).(4)Residential uses: A building or premises shall be used for the following non-industrial residential uses and structures:(a)Single-family or two-family dwellings.(b)Multifamily dwellings.(c)Supportive housing.(d)Short-term rentals, subject to the regulations in Atlanta City Code section 20-1001. (Ord. No. 2019-11(18-O-1707), § 1(Exh. A), 1-31-19; Ord. No. 2019-66(19-O-1504), § 7, 12-11-19; Ord. No. 2020-47(20-O-1040), § 1, 9-17-20; Ord. No. 2021-60(21-O-0682), § 21, 12-15-21; Ord. No. 2023-01(22-O-1209), § 7a, 1-26-23; Ord. No. 2024-36(24-O-1222), § 2, 9-4-24)
Sec. 16-16A.005. - Permitted accessory uses and structures. Permitted within this district shall include those customarily accessory and clearly incidental to permitted principal uses and structures and specifically include:
Full Breakdown
Sec. 16-16A.004(3)(n) of Atlanta's Zoning Ordinance lists 'Pet grooming and care' among the permitted non-residential uses in the Industrial Mixed Use (I-MIX) District, alongside offices, retail, and personal-service businesses, but the same line bars overnight boarding of pets as part of that use, so a grooming shop can't double as a boarding kennel there. Separately, Chapter 18's animal-keeping rules (Sec. 18-129) exempt licensed grooming parlors from the distance, floor-area, and head-count limits that apply to keeping domestic animals near a dwelling, confirming the city treats commercial groomers as a distinct business use rather than residential animal-keeping. Where a groomer can locate depends on the parcel's zoning district.
Violations & Fines
Operating overnight pet boarding under this use, or grooming businesses opening outside a zone that permits it, is a zoning violation enforced by the city's Office of Zoning and Development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a pet grooming business anywhere in Atlanta?
Can a grooming shop also board pets overnight?
Are grooming parlors covered by Atlanta's animal-keeping distance rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Atlanta
Compare Atlanta to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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