Omaha, NE Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum drain size
- 3 inches (floor or trench drain)
- Hair trap
- Required on all pet bathing fixtures
- Minimum permit fee
- $22.70 (Table 49-304)
- No-permit penalty
- $100 or 4x normal fee
- Chapter violation
- Misdemeanor under § 49-103
- Correction window
- 10 days after conviction (§ 49-104)
- Permitting agency
- Permits and Inspections Division
Summary
Omaha's plumbing code requires every pet grooming shop, kennel, animal shelter, and boarding facility to install a minimum three-inch floor or trench drain with a bucket-type strainer in each animal area, plus an approved hair trap on every bathing sink, tub, or shower. Municipal Code § 49-710 sets these standards, and the drainage work itself must be permitted through the Permits and Inspections Division.
Sec. 49-710. - Veterinary clinics, animal shelters, kennels, pet grooming and pet boarding. The following provisions shall be followed in the areas where the animal kennels are located and animals are cared for and/or bathed: (a)Minimum size for any floor drains or trench drains shall be three inches.(b)There shall be a floor drain in each kennel; for multiple kennels, a trench drain running the length of the kennel may be utilized. In either case, the drain(s) may be located inside or outside the kennel.(c)The floor drain (or trench drain) shall have a bucket type strainer.(d)All sinks, tubs or showers for pet bathing shall have an approved hair trap.
Full Breakdown
" It sets four concrete standards: floor drains or trench drains must measure at least three inches; every kennel needs its own floor drain, though multiple kennels may share one trench drain running the length of the space, located inside or outside the kennel; the floor or trench drain must have a bucket-type strainer; and every sink, tub, or shower used for pet bathing must have an approved hair trap to keep fur out of the sanitary system. " New drain and hair-trap installation is not covered by the minor-repair exception in § 49-301, which is limited to faucet/water closet repairs, trap swaps to clear stoppages, and minor water-conditioner or sprinkler fixes.
65 for each indirect waste connection, the same fee schedule that applies to a grooming shop's floor drains and bathing sink traps. (subtract the area of the kennels from the gross area). See section 49-710 for additional requirements" (Sec. 49-721), tying the two chapters together for any grooming operation that also boards or houses animals.
Violations & Fines
Working without the required permit triggers § 49-306: work must stop, and the permit issued afterward costs $100.00 or quadruple the normal fee, whichever is greater, though the chief plumbing inspector may waive the penalty portion for a proven practical hardship or inadvertent mistake. Any violation of chapter 49's provisions, including the § 49-710 drain and hair-trap standards, is a misdemeanor "punished as provided in section 1-10" (§ 49-103). Under § 49-104, a person convicted has ten days to correct the violation; failing to do so is a separate offense for each additional day the work remains noncompliant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Omaha pet grooming shop need a floor drain?
What size does the drain have to be?
Do I need a permit to install the drains and hair trap?
What happens if I start the plumbing work before getting a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Omaha
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