Baltimore County, MD Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Baltimore County regulates pet groomers through two layers. The Zoning Regulations, Article 1, define an animal grooming facility as a building used for the bathing, clipping, or grooming of household pets, where no overnight care or boarding is allowed. It can be the sole use in a building or sit beside a retail use, a veterinarian's office, a veterinarium, or an animal boarding facility. Section 421.6 then ties every operator to the holding facility standards in County Code § 12-6-103, and § 421.7 adds a neighbor test: the facility cannot be noxious, offensive or otherwise objectionable to surrounding residential uses.

The County Code (Article 12, Animals) defines a grooming parlor as a commercial establishment, stationary or mobile, where animals are bathed, clipped, or otherwise groomed, and it lists grooming parlors as a holding facility, the same class as commercial kennels, pet shops and animal shelters. A holding facility must hold a current valid license as a condition of continued operation (§ 12-6-101), and operating one without a license from the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections is prohibited (§ 12-2-104). The application names the type of facility, the facility's name and address, and the owner's name and address (§ 12-6-102). The County Administrative Officer sets the fees, which can differ by classification and by type of facility, and the license must be posted in a conspicuous part of the facility.

The § 12-6-103 standards apply in conformity with individual species requirements and common veterinary practice. Animals need sufficient good and wholesome food and potable water, in clean containers placed so the animals cannot readily tip them over. Animals and quarters must be kept clean and sanitary, floors, runs and walls must be made of a material that permits proper cleaning and disinfecting, ventilation and temperatures must be adequate, and water used to wash crates, runs, walls and other areas must be at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Quarters must prevent escape, with reasonable precautions protecting the public from the animals and the animals from the public. Each cage must give an animal room to stand, turn, and stretch to its full length. Sick animals are isolated, and the owner or lessee must provide appropriate veterinary care. The Health Officer can inspect a holding facility at any reasonable time, including records required by federal, state or county law (§ 12-6-105).