Auburn, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing zoning use
- Animal Sales and Services, ACC 18.57.040(B)
- Outdoor run setback
- 50 feet from a home
- Outdoor run hours
- 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Overnight boarding cap (large retail)
- 15% of floor area over 20,000 sq ft
- Home-based grooming
- Requires special permit, ACC 18.60.040(A)(5)
Summary
Auburn zones pet grooming under Animal Sales and Services, ACC 18.57.040(B), which caps overnight boarding, restricts outdoor dog runs to 8am-6pm and 50 feet from homes, and requires services be limited to household pets.
B. Animal Sales and Services.
1. All Zones Where Permitted.
a. All sales and services shall be for household pets only.
b. Overnight boarding is allowed within a completely enclosed building; however, animal services or sales uses over 20,000 square feet in gross floor area that use a majority of their gross floor area for retail sales shall have no more than 15 percent of their gross floor area devoted to overnight boarding.
c. Animal sales and services use must be completely enclosed except that outdoor animal runs or other areas in which dogs will be allowed outside of an enclosed structure off leash (hereinafter "outdoor run") are allowed subject to compliance with the following conditions:
i. Outdoor runs shall not be permitted within 50 feet of a habitable residential structure.
ii. The outdoor run may operate only between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 7023, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
040(B), which the zoning use table cross-references for the permitted-use listing across the city's commercial districts. Under this section, all sales and services must be for household pets only, ruling out livestock or exotic commercial operations. Overnight boarding is allowed within a completely enclosed building, but if the animal sales and services use exceeds 20,000 square feet of gross floor area and devotes most of that area to retail sales, no more than 15 percent of the gross floor area may be used for overnight boarding.
, and the facility must be built and operated so that neither sound nor smell from any boarded or kept animal can be discerned on other lots during required full-enclosure hours. 020. 040(C) standards, including a 100-foot residential setback and air conditioning requirement, and are listed as a distinct, more restricted use (X or A rather than P) on the zoning table.
Violations & Fines
An animal sales and services or grooming facility that operates an outdoor run within 50 feet of a home, runs the outdoor run outside the 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. window, or lets animal sound or smell carry onto neighboring lots violates ACC 18.57.040(B) and is subject to zoning code enforcement; a home-based grooming operation that skips the special home occupation permit required by ACC 18.60.040(A)(5) is operating without required land use approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Auburn have a specific ordinance for pet groomers?
Can a pet grooming business have an outdoor dog run in Auburn?
Can I run a pet grooming business out of my home in Auburn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
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Pet Groomer Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle pet groomer rules.