Santa Barbara County, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- County Code Sec. 7-6(a), (c)
- Permit renewal
- Annually, due January 1
- Care standard applied
- Penal Code Sec. 5971
- Revocation grounds
- Failed standards, wrong zoning, unpaid fee 30+ days
- First-offense fine
- Up to $100 (Sec. 7-10)
Summary
Grooming shops in unincorporated Santa Barbara County cannot open without a county grooming shop permit, renewed every January 1. Animal Services will only issue one after confirming the facility meets state care standards and sits in a zoning district that allows it.
(a)It shall be unlawful to establish or maintain a kennel, cattery, rooster keeping operation, pet shop or grooming shop without having obtained a county kennel, cattery, rooster keeping operation, pet store or grooming shop permit. ...(c)A pet store or grooming shop permit shall be granted only after the animal services director or designee has determined that:(1)The pet store or grooming shop meets the standards set forth in Penal Code Section 5971;(2)The location of the pet store or grooming shop is a permitted use under applicable county zoning ordinances; and(3)The current year's pet store or grooming shop permit fee has been paid. The permit fee for a pet store or grooming shop shall be purchased annually and shall be due on the first day of January of each year.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
County Code Sec. 7-6 makes it unlawful to establish or maintain a kennel, cattery, rooster keeping operation, pet shop, or grooming shop in the unincorporated county without the matching county permit. For pet stores and grooming shops specifically, subsection (c) requires the animal services director or a designee to confirm three things before issuing a permit: the facility meets the humane-care standards set out in Penal Code Sec. 5971, the location is a permitted use under the applicable county zoning ordinance, and the current year's permit fee has been paid.
The permit is not a one-time approval; it must be purchased annually and is due every January 1. Sec. 7-7(c) lets the animal services director revoke a grooming shop permit if the facility stops meeting the Penal Code 5971 care standards, the location is no longer a permitted zoning use, or the annual fee goes unpaid for more than thirty days after its due date, after the operator is first given written notice of the violation and a deadline to cure it.
Violations & Fines
Operating a grooming shop without a current county permit, or after revocation, violates Sec. 7-6 and Sec. 7-10, which classifies violations of Chapter 7's Articles I through III as infractions: up to $100 for a first offense, up to $200 for a second violation of the same provision within a year, and up to $500 for each further violation within that year, on top of any required permit fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a pet grooming shop need a county permit in unincorporated Santa Barbara County?
What does the county check before issuing a grooming shop permit?
Can the county revoke a grooming shop's permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Barbara County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Barbara County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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