Snohomish County, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- SCC 6.06.015, before operating
- Annual fee
- $200.00 per year
- License term
- One year from issuance
- Boarding
- Not allowed; grooming time only
- Civil penalty
- $100/$250/$500 per day, escalating
- Inspections
- By licensing authority, health, or animal control
Summary
Any grooming parlor in unincorporated Snohomish County needs a license under SCC 6.06.015 and pays $200.00 a year (SCC 6.01.050(2)). Operators cannot board animals overnight, must restrain each pet during grooming, sterilize equipment between animals, and cannot leave an animal unattended while it dries or cage more than one animal together.
The following additional requirements apply to any grooming parlor owner/operator required to obtain a license pursuant to SCC 6.06.015: (1) the grooming parlor shall not board animals but keep them only for the period of time necessary to perform the business of grooming; (2) restraints shall be provided for the animal while it is being groomed so that it shall not be harmed; (3) the owner/operator shall sterilize all equipment after each animal has been groomed; (4) the owner/operator shall not leave animals unattended during the drying process; ... (6) the owner/operator shall not put more than one animal in each cage.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through legislation passed August 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 6.06 SCC treats a grooming parlor as any establishment, public or private, where animals are bathed, clipped, or combed for compensation (SCC 6.06.005(12)). SCC 6.06.015 makes it unlawful to operate one without a license, which must be conspicuously displayed on-site, and SCC 6.06.035 sets the license term at one year with fees fixed by SCC 6.01.050(2), currently $200.00 per year for a grooming parlor. Beyond the general facility standards that apply to every licensed animal business, adequate shelter, floor space, ventilation, and daily removal of waste under SCC 6.06.016, SCC 6.06.030 imposes grooming-specific rules: the parlor cannot board animals, only keep them for the time needed to perform the grooming; restraints must prevent the animal from being harmed; equipment must be sterilized after each animal; no animal may be left unattended during drying; and no cage may hold more than one animal.
Floors and walls in any room used to bathe, clip, comb, or treat animals must be impervious to water and easy to clean, and the parlor must have hot and cold running water plus a sink or tub at least 24 by 18 by 12 inches. All cages, pens, tables, and washing basins must be cleaned and disinfected between animals. The licensing authority, county health authority, or animal control agency may inspect the premises at any reasonable time under SCC 6.06.070, and the owner must admit the inspector. Operating an unsanitary, nauseous, foul, or offensive grooming parlor is separately unlawful under SCC 6.06.080.
Violations & Fines
Running an unlicensed grooming parlor is a civil violation under SCC 6.01.210: $100.00 per day for a first offense, $250.00 per day for a second, and $500.00 per day for a third and any later violation. SCC 6.01.220(2)(b) exempts SCC 6.06.015 licensing violations from the chapter's criminal misdemeanor penalty, so enforcement runs through the civil track and abatement, not jail time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a dog groomer need a license in Snohomish County?
Can a grooming parlor board dogs overnight?
What happens if a grooming parlor operates without a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Snohomish County
Compare Snohomish County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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