Prince George's County, MD Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Grooming establishment license, $50/year
- Animal cap
- 50 animals per 12-hour day
- Enforcing agency
- PG County Animal Services Division
- Also required
- Use and Occupancy permit for site
- First violation fine
- $100 (§ 3-116(a)(2))
- Repeat violation fine
- Up to $1,000 per offense
- Appeal window
- 10 days to request Commission hearing
Summary
Prince George's County requires anyone operating a pet grooming establishment to hold an annual grooming establishment license before opening, under County Code § 3-167. The license costs $50 a year and caps the site at fifty animals during any twelve-hour business day. The license is one of the county's animal holding facility licenses, administered by the Department of the Environment's Animal Services Division, and it comes with its own Use and Occupancy permit requirement.
(a)No person may operate a grooming establishment without first obtaining a grooming establishment license as provided herein.(b)The annual fee for a grooming establishment license shall be Fifty Dollars ($50.00) and the establishment is authorized to hold up to fifty (50) animals for the day (12 hour period).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2026 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Grooming establishments fall under Prince George's County's animal holding facility licensing scheme in Subtitle 3, Division 2 of the County Code. 00, which authorizes the business to hold up to fifty animals on the premises during any twelve-hour business day. Because a grooming shop is a type of animal holding facility, it must also satisfy Section 3-149, which bars anyone from owning or operating an animal holding facility in the County without an appropriate license for each location, and Section 3-152(a), which requires a Use and Occupancy permit for the facility in addition to the annual license and a completed application to the Department signed by the proprietor.
Before the license issues, Section 3-153 requires the Administrator or the Health Officer to inspect the establishment and confirm it is in satisfactory condition and properly operated. The license is not transferable to a new owner without a fresh application, though the Director can issue a temporary license to a new operator while a regular application is pending. A grooming business must also comply with Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance, Subtitle 27, since a license under Subtitle 3 does not excuse a facility from zoning compliance.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unlicensed grooming establishment is one of the violations listed under County Code § 3-116(a)(2), covering Sections 3-160 through 3-174: the civil penalty is $100 for a first violation, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for each subsequent violation. A person cited has ten days under Section 3-117 to pay the fine to the Administrator or to file a written request for a hearing before the Commission for Animal Control; missing that window without paying counts as an admission of liability for the fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to open a dog grooming shop in Prince George's County?
How much does a PG County grooming establishment license cost?
Can I sell my grooming business and transfer the license to the new owner?
What happens if I run a grooming business without a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
Compare Prince George's County to another location·View the Maryland animal ordinances overview
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