Elk Grove, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Use classification
- Animal sales and/or grooming
- Boarding limit
- 72 hours, then kennel rules apply
- Enclosure requirement
- Entire operation indoors
- By-right zones
- LC, GC, SC, AG-80, AG-20, AR-5/10, AR-2
- CUP required
- AR-1, VCMU districts
- Residential zones
- Not permitted in any RD district
Summary
Pet grooming businesses fall under Elk Grove's "animal sales and/or grooming" use classification, permitted by right in commercial zones and agricultural districts but requiring a conditional use permit in the AR-1 residential-agricultural zone. All activities must run entirely inside an enclosed building.
"Animal sales and/or grooming" means retail sales of domestic and exotic animals, bathing and trimming services and boarding of said animals for a maximum period of seventy-two (72) hours conducted entirely within an enclosed building with no outdoor use. Also see "kennels, commercial," which provides for the boarding of animals for longer periods of time. ... Notes that pertain to the commercial zoning districts: ... 4. All related activities must be entirely enclosed within a structure.
Full Breakdown
050(A)(10) defines "animal sales and/or grooming" as retail sales of domestic and exotic animals plus bathing and trimming services, along with boarding for up to seventy-two hours, and requires the entire operation be conducted within an enclosed building with no outdoor use; boarding beyond 72 hours instead falls under the separate "kennels, commercial" classification. 27-1 permits this use by right (P) in the Local Commercial (LC), General Commercial (GC), and Shopping Center (SC) zoning districts, subject to Note 4 of the commercial-district footnotes, which requires that all related activities be entirely enclosed within a structure, reinforcing the definition's own enclosure mandate.
The use is also permitted by right on the four agricultural and agricultural-residential districts (AG-80, AG-20, AR-5/10, AR-2), but requires a conditional use permit (CUP) in the AR-1 district and in the Village Center Mixed Use (VCMU) zone. It is not permitted in any RD residential district, in Auto Commercial (AC), Commercial Office (C-O), Regional Mixed Use (RMU), Business Park (BP), Manufacturing Park (MP), or Heavy Industrial (HI). Within the Industrial category it is permitted by right only in the Light Industrial/Flex overlay (LI/FX), not standard Light Industrial (LI). 27-1 with its own, more restrictive district list.
Violations & Fines
Operating a grooming business with outdoor animal areas, boarding animals longer than 72 hours without a commercial kennel entitlement, or operating in a zoning district where the use isn't listed (including any RD residential district) is a zoning violation subject to enforcement by the Community Development Department, which can require the business to obtain the correct entitlement or cease the noncompliant activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a pet grooming shop in a commercial zone in Elk Grove?
How long can a groomer board a pet in Elk Grove?
Is pet grooming allowed in a residential zone in Elk Grove?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elk Grove
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Pet Groomer Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sacramento County handle pet groomer rules.