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Kitsap County, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

License required
Annually, 30+ days before opening
License term
Expires one calendar year from issuance
Key operating bans
No boarding animals; no unattended dryer use
Equipment rule
Grooming equipment sterilized after each use
Veterinary limit
May not administer treatment or medicine
Violation
Operating without a license is a misdemeanor

Summary

Grooming parlors in unincorporated Kitsap County must hold an annual license from the animal control authority and follow strict operating standards: no boarding, sterilized equipment after every use, restraining straps, and no unattended animals under a dryer, all enforced through licensing inspections under the county's animal code.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Kitsap County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(i) Operation and Facility Requirements for Grooming Parlors. Grooming parlors shall: (1) Not board animals; (2) Provide restraining straps for animals to prevent injury while being groomed; (3) Sterilize grooming equipment after each use; (4) Not leave animals unattended when placed before a dryer; (5) Not prescribe or administer treatment or medicine or otherwise engage in veterinary practice as defined in RCW 18.92.010; (6) Not confine more than one animal in the same cage unless so requested by the owner of the animals; (7) Be structurally sound and in good repair, designed to protect the animals from injury, and provide sufficient security to contain the animals while preventing entry by unwanted animals; (8) Have grooming and animal containment areas with walls, ceilings and floors that are sealed and resistant to absorption of moisture and odors; and (9) Be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4864424; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).

Full Breakdown

040, the same section covering commercial pet facilities and animal welfare facilities. Subsection (a) requires a grooming parlor to be licensed annually, or no less than thirty calendar days before it opens, and subsection (b) sets the license to expire one calendar year from issuance. License fees, and an additional fee for late renewal, are set annually by resolution of the board of county commissioners under subsections (c) and (d). An applicant must give the animal control authority the owner's and facility's name, address, and phone number, describe the operation, and provide written proof from the county's department of community development that the location conforms to zoning, per subsection (e).

010, may not confine more than one animal per cage unless the owner requests it, must be structurally sound with sealed, moisture- and odor-resistant walls, ceilings and floors in grooming and containment areas, and must be cleaned and sanitized regularly. Subsection (j) authorizes the animal control authority to inspect existing or proposed parlors during regular business hours as part of licensing or to check compliance. 070 for repeated violations. These standards apply only to grooming parlors located in unincorporated Kitsap County.

Violations & Fines

Operating a grooming parlor without a valid license, or running one contrary to the KCC 7.08.040 operating standards, is a misdemeanor under KCC 7.14.010(a)(2)-(3), punishable under KCC 7.14.020 by up to a $1,000 fine, ninety days imprisonment, or both. The animal control authority can also revoke a license under KCC 7.08.070 after a documented, uncured violation, with revocation appealable to a court of competent jurisdiction within twenty days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do dog groomers need a license in unincorporated Kitsap County?
Yes. KCC 7.08.040(a) requires grooming parlors to be licensed annually by the animal control authority, or at least thirty days before opening. The license expires one year after issuance and must be renewed on the same schedule, with fees set yearly by the board of county commissioners.
Can a Kitsap County grooming parlor board my pet overnight?
No. KCC 7.08.040(i)(1) specifically prohibits grooming parlors from boarding animals. The section also bars leaving animals unattended in front of a dryer, requires restraining straps and equipment sterilized after each use, and limits cages to one animal unless the owner requests otherwise.
What happens if a Kitsap County grooming parlor operates without a license?
It is a misdemeanor under KCC 7.14.010(a)(2), and operating contrary to the licensing standards in KCC 7.08.040 is a separate misdemeanor under KCC 7.14.010(a)(3). The animal control authority can also revoke an existing license under KCC 7.08.070 for documented, uncured violations.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Kitsap County

All Kitsap County rules

Compare Kitsap County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview

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