Solano County, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Covered businesses
- Grooming parlors, kennels, catteries, pet shops
- Age trigger
- Dogs/cats 4+ months kept on-site
- Licensing agency
- County animal control director
- Pre-license step
- Inspection certificate under Sec. 4-83
- Default penalty
- Infraction, up to $500 fine per day
Summary
A grooming parlor keeping dogs or cats over four months old counts as an "animal facility" under the county's animal code and must get a license from the animal control director before opening, on top of any general business license.
4-81 License required Any person owning or operating any kennel, cattery or animal facility as defined in this chapter shall obtain a license. Applications for license shall be on forms provided by the director of animal control. Any person applying for a license to operate a kennel or cattery shall pay a license fee in accordance with the fee schedule set forth by the Board of Supervisors.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 1868, passed April 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Solano County Code Sec. 4-11(c) defines "animal facility" to mean any establishment operated under a general business license for profit, other than a licensed veterinary facility, including but not limited to a commercial or hobby kennel, pet shop, or grooming parlor, in or at which dogs or cats four months of age or older are kept, or a wild or exotic animal is harbored. Sec. 4-81, in Article VI (Kennel, Cattery and Other Animal Facilities), requires any person owning or operating a kennel, cattery or animal facility as defined in the chapter to obtain a license, with applications on forms from the director of animal control and a fee set by the board of supervisors' fee schedule.
Sec. 4-85(a) adds that no person may maintain or operate such a facility without first being appropriately zoned for the activity and second applying for and receiving an annual license or permit. The director must issue a certificate of inspection under Sec. 4-83 before any kennel, cattery or animal facility license is issued, confirming the facility complies with state animal control law and this chapter, and Sec. 4-84 sets minimum standards for care and maintenance that must be given to every applicant in writing. Facility operators must post notice of a new license application near the location for 14 days under Sec. 4-83's public-notice process, and licenses can be denied or revoked, which prohibits continued operation of the facility.
Violations & Fines
Operating a grooming parlor that keeps dogs or cats four months or older without the animal control license required by Sec. 4-81 and Sec. 4-85 is a chapter 4 violation, and Sec. 4-170 makes an unspecified chapter 4 violation an infraction punishable by a fine up to $500 per day, escalating to a misdemeanor on a prior conviction for a chapter 4 offense. Denial or revocation of the license under Article VI bars further operation of the facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a home-based dog grooming business need a county license?
What does the county check before issuing a grooming facility license?
What happens if my animal facility license is revoked?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Solano County
California rules heatmap·Compare Solano County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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