Suffolk County, NY Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Business registration fee
- $50 initial, $100 biennial
- Groomer registration fee
- $25 initial, $50 biennial
- Civil penalty range
- $500–$1,000 per violation
- Unregistered operation
- misdemeanor, up to $5,000/1 yr
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Labor, Licensing & Consumer Affairs
Summary
Suffolk County requires every pet grooming business and individual pet groomer to register biennially with the Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs and pay a fee before offering services anywhere in the county.
No pet grooming business shall operate within the County of Suffolk unless it has registered with the Department in accordance with the provisions of this section. The initial application fee for registration of a pet grooming business shall be $50. Registration shall be filed biennially for a fee of $100.
B. Each registrant must provide the following information and appropriate supporting documentation to the Department:
(1) The name of the pet grooming business.
(2) The principal address and the names of all owners of the business.
(3) Documents providing proof of professional and general liability and property damage insurance and workers' compensation.
C.
Full Breakdown
Under Suffolk County Code Ch. 299, Art. IX, no pet grooming business may operate in the county without registering with the Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs: a $50 initial fee, renewed biennially for $100. Individual pet groomers must separately register for $25 initially, $50 biennially, unless they own a registered grooming business or work exclusively for one. The article also sets health and safety standards: ventilated, climate-controlled housing, fresh water after four hours of confinement, nonslip bathing areas, pet-friendly restraints and products, and mandatory incident and client recordkeeping.
Violations & Fines
Civil penalty of $500 to $1,000 per violation, assessed by the Commissioner after a hearing; a registration can be revoked after three violations in a two-year period. Operating without registration, or after revocation, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $5,000 and one year in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do individual pet groomers need their own registration?
Does Suffolk County require nonslip bathing surfaces?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Suffolk County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Suffolk County to another location·View the New York animal ordinances overview
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