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Bloomington, IN Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing instrument
Unified Development Ordinance, not a business license
Definition excludes
Overnight boarding (unless incidental)
Kennel trigger
Sec. 20.03.030(d)(2) standards apply
Outdoor kennel banned
MN, MM, MD districts
Conditional Use needed
MC district outdoor kennel
Parking minimum
3.3 spaces per 1,000 sq ft GFA

Summary

In the City of Bloomington, 'pet grooming' is a zoning use under the Unified Development Ordinance, not a separate Title 4 business license: Section 20.07.010 defines it as a fee-based facility that trains, bathes, clips or combs animals without overnight boarding. Groomers with an attached kennel must meet Section 20.03.030(d)(4)'s kennel standards, and every site must provide 3.3 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area under Table 04-9.

(4)Pet Grooming and Veterinarian Clinic. If a pet grooming or veterinarian clinic has a kennel associated with it, then it shall comply with Section 20.03.030(d)(2) (Kennel) and the following standards:(A)In the MN, MM, and MD zoning districts, outdoor kennel facilities are not permitted.(B)In the MC zoning district, outdoor kennels shall require a Conditional Use permit pursuant to Section 20.06.050(b) (Conditional Use Permit). ... Pet grooming 3.3 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA ... "Pet grooming" means a facility where animals are trained for a fee, bathed, clipped, or combed for the purpose of enhancing their aesthetic value or health and for which a fee is charged. This use does not include the overnight boarding of animals, unless as an incidental use.

View official code

Full Breakdown

010 defines 'Pet grooming' as 'a facility where animals are trained for a fee, bathed, clipped, or combed for the purpose of enhancing their aesthetic value or health and for which a fee is charged,' expressly excluding overnight boarding unless it is only incidental to the grooming use. 030(d)(4). 030(d)(2) kennel standards, which require fully enclosed boarding areas with solid-core doors and no operable windows, an opaque perimeter fence at least eight feet high with footings twelve inches underground, and a written animal-waste management plan submitted with the Conditional Use petition.

050(b). 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, the same ratio the table applies to kennels and veterinarian clinics. The Planning and Transportation Department administers these standards, reviewing site plans and Conditional Use petitions before issuing a certificate of zoning compliance.

Violations & Fines

Operating a pet-grooming facility with an outdoor kennel in the MN, MM or MD zoning district, or without the Conditional Use permit required in the MC district under Section 20.06.050(b), is a zoning violation subject to enforcement by the Planning and Transportation Department, which can require the outdoor kennel removed or the use brought into compliance. A site that fails to provide the 3.3-space-per-1,000-square-foot parking minimum in Table 04-9 cannot receive its certificate of zoning compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the City of Bloomington require a separate license for a pet-grooming business?
No. Pet grooming is regulated as a zoning use under Section 20.07.010 of the Unified Development Ordinance, not as one of the business licenses in Title 4 of the Bloomington Municipal Code, so the operator needs a certificate of zoning compliance for the use rather than a Title 4 license.
Can a pet groomer board dogs overnight?
Only incidentally. Section 20.07.010 defines pet grooming to exclude the overnight boarding of animals unless it is incidental to the grooming use itself; a groomer that boards animals as a primary service is instead a kennel, which triggers the separate kennel permit rules and the Section 20.03.030(d)(2) enclosure standards.
Where can a pet groomer with an outdoor kennel operate?
Not in the MN, MM or MD zoning districts, where Section 20.03.030(d)(4)(A) bars outdoor kennel facilities tied to a pet-grooming or veterinarian use outright. In the MC district, Section 20.03.030(d)(4)(B) allows one only with a Conditional Use permit approved under Section 20.06.050(b).
How much parking does a pet-grooming shop need in Bloomington?
Table 04-9 (Minimum Vehicle Parking Requirements) sets 3.3 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area for pet grooming, the same ratio the table applies to kennels and veterinarian clinics.

Sources & Official References

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