Chicago, IL Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- City animal care license
- Licensing agency
- Dept. of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection
- Fine range
- $100-$1,000 per offense
- Repeat violation
- Up to 6 months in jail
- Equipment rule
- Sanitize after each animal groomed
Summary
Chicago requires anyone operating a dog or cat grooming business to hold a City animal care license and follow sanitation standards for grooming areas and equipment.
No person shall engage in the business of a grooming facility, guard dog service, pet shop, animal care facility, humane society, veterinary hospital or permanent animal exhibition without having first obtained an animal care license under this chapter... Every person licensed under this chapter that provides grooming for animals shall: (a) have grooming areas that are physically separated from primary animal enclosures... (c) sanitize all cages, benches, tables, tubs, brushes, combs, clipper blades and other grooming equipment after each animal has been groomed
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-74: Current through Council Journal of June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under MCC § 4-384-020, no person may run a grooming facility in Chicago without first obtaining an animal care license from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (an animal care facility that already holds that license can groom without a separate grooming license). Licensed groomers must keep grooming areas physically separated from animal enclosures, food storage, and isolation areas, provide adequately sized holding/drying space, and sanitize cages, benches, tubs, brushes, combs, and clipper blades after every animal under § 4-384-090. Cages must meet the material and construction standards in § 4-384-100, and every licensee must keep owner contact and emergency information on file per § 4-384-055.
Violations & Fines
$100-$1,000 fine per offense under § 4-384-160, with each day of violation a separate offense; repeat violations can be charged as a misdemeanor with up to 6 months in county jail, and any violation is grounds for license suspension or revocation under § 4-4-280.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I groom pets from home in Chicago without a license?
Do grooming shops have separate space requirements?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chicago
Compare Chicago to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Pet Groomer Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle pet groomer rules.