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Port Townsend, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

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

Key Facts

Use classification
Personal service (no boarding)
C-II(S) district status
Permitted outright (P)
Animal services (general)
Conditional use permit (C)
Boarding in C-II(S)
Prohibited (X)

Summary

Pet grooming with no boarding is a permitted personal service in Port Townsend's commercial zones, but boarding animals is a separate, more restricted use.

“Personal services” means establishments primarily engaged in providing services involving the care of a person including...massage (licensed, therapeutic, nonsexual); nail salons; pet grooming with no boarding; shoe repair shops..." / Table 17.31.030: "Animal Services...C" / "Boarding...X" / "Personal Services...P"

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Port Townsend's zoning code defines "pet grooming with no boarding" as a personal service, the same use category as barber shops and nail salons. In the Rainier Street/Upper Sims Way Subarea's C-II(S) district, personal services are permitted outright (P), while "Animal Services" require a conditional use permit and boarding animals is prohibited outright (X). A groomer that keeps animals overnight crosses into kennel territory and needs a City-authorized kennel license under PTMC 8.04.110.

Violations & Fines

Operating without the required zoning approval for the use classification, or boarding animals under a personal-services approval, can draw a stop-work order and code enforcement action; unlicensed kenneling (4+ animals kept/boarded) is a separate misdemeanor-level violation under Chapter 8.04.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a pet groomer board dogs overnight in Port Townsend?
Not under the personal-services zoning permit. Overnight boarding is a separate, more restricted use and can require a kennel license.
Do pet groomers need a special zoning permit?
No separate permit beyond standard personal-services approval, as long as no boarding occurs on site.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Port Townsend

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsDog Leash LawsSome RestrictionsChickens & LivestockSome RestrictionsPet LimitsSome RestrictionsExotic PetsHeavy RestrictionsCat RulesSignificant RestrictionsMicrochippingFew RestrictionsVeterinary Clinic ZoningSignificant RestrictionsBreed RestrictionsSome RestrictionsMandatory Spay/NeuterSome RestrictionsBird ProtectionSignificant RestrictionsCoyote ManagementSome RestrictionsWildlife FeedingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Wildfire ZonesSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Brush ClearanceSome Restrictions

All Port Townsend rules

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