Lynchburg, VA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- City Code §§ 7-124, 7-7.1(a)
- Enforcing agency
- Animal warden
- Penalty
- Class 4 misdemeanor, up to $250 fine
- Pet-shop/dealer permit
- $50/year, not required for grooming-only shops
- Equipment rule
- Grooming tables sanitized between each use
Summary
Lynchburg requires every grooming table, bathing tub and grooming tool used on animals to be kept clean and sanitized between animals under City Code Sec. 7-124, and folds standalone groomers into the citywide animal-care duty in Sec. 7-7.1(a), which names "groomer" among the businesses bound by it. Breaking that care duty is a class 4 misdemeanor.
Sec. 7-7.1. - Care of animals by owner; penalty. (a)Each owner shall provide for each of his companion animals:(1)Adequate feed;(2)Adequate water;(3)Adequate shelter that is properly cleaned;(4)Adequate space in the primary enclosure for the particular type of animal depending upon its age, size, species, and weight;(5)Adequate exercise;(6)Adequate care, treatment, and transportation; and(7)Veterinary care when needed or prevent suffering or disease transmission. The provisions of this section shall also apply to every animal shelter, pound, dealer, pet shop, exhibitor, kennel, groomer, and boarding establishment. ... (c)Violation of this section is a class 4 misdemeanor. ... Sec. 7-124. - Grooming facilities. Facilities used in connection with the grooming and/or bathing of animals, such as grooming tables, bathing tubs, and grooming tools, etc., shall be kept clean. Grooming tables shall be cleaned and sanitized between use.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
Lynchburg's pet-shop sanitation code, Chapter 7, Article V, applies directly to any business that grooms or bathes animals. Sec. 7-124 requires grooming tables, bathing tubs and grooming tools to be kept clean and sanitized between each use, and the adjoining Sec. 7-123 requires storage of animal food to be kept separate from the bathing and grooming area. 00 a year and renewable each January 31 under Sec. 7-110, is required only for a business that "operates a pet shop or acts as a dealer in companion animals"; a stand-alone salon that only bathes and clips pets, without selling or boarding animals, does not fall under that permit requirement on the face of the text.
Regardless of permit status, every groomer in the city is still bound by Sec. " The animal warden, appointed under Sec. 7-1, administers and enforces Chapter 7 and can order an animal removed from an unsafe or neglectful facility. Businesses that also hold a pet-shop or dealer permit face additional exposure: Sec. 7-114 lets the animal warden inspect "any pet shop or premises of a dealer" without prior notice, and Sec. 7-112 allows the animal warden to suspend or revoke that permit for unsanitary conditions or inhumane treatment discovered during such an inspection.
Violations & Fines
Failing the Sec. 7-7.1(a) duty of adequate care is a class 4 misdemeanor, punishable under Sec. 1-12(d) by a fine of not more than $250.00. A pet-shop or dealer permit holder whose grooming area creates unsanitary or unsafe conditions also risks permit suspension or revocation under Sec. 7-112, which can be ordered without prior notice or hearing when conditions pose a substantial hazard to animal or public health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lynchburg require a permit just to open a pet-grooming shop?
What sanitation standard applies to grooming equipment in Lynchburg?
Can the city inspect a Lynchburg pet-grooming business?
What happens if a groomer in Lynchburg neglects an animal's care?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynchburg
Compare Lynchburg to another location·View the Virginia animal ordinances overview
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