Will County, IL Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Will County's zoning code places pet grooming shops, dog bathing and clipping salons, and pet stores in the "animal sales/grooming" use subcategory, defined at § 155-8.40(B)(2) as the sales and grooming of companion animals. The county's use table at § 155-7.30 controls where that use can locate: it is marked "S" (special use only) in the A-1, A-2, E-1 and E-2 districts, marked with a dash (not allowed) in all nine residential districts R-1 through R-6, marked "P" (permitted by right) in the C-2, C-3 and C-4 commercial districts and the I-1, I-2 and I-3 industrial districts, and barred in C-1, C-5, C-6 and the SP-PO planned-overlay district.

A special use permit application for a grooming shop in an agricultural or estate district goes through the § 155-16.40 process: the Zoning Administrator reviews the application and reports to the Planning and Zoning Commission, which holds a public hearing after newspaper, mailed and posted notice and forwards a recommendation to the County Board for final action by simple majority vote. If the County Board takes no action within six months of receiving the Commission's report, the application is deemed denied (§ 155-16.40(H)(4)). An approved permit lapses two years after approval unless a building permit or certificate of occupancy has issued or the use has been lawfully established (§ 155-16.40(J)(1)).

Once operating, a grooming shop must also meet the county's off-street parking standard for "Sales and Grooming" under the animal services line of the § 155-11.30 parking table: 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area, a lower ratio than the 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet required for veterinary clinics or the 1 space per employee required for boarding kennels in the same table.