King County, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- K.C.C. chapter 11.04, Animal Care and Control
- Grooming service definition
- Bathing, clipping, or combing animals for a fee
- Criminal penalty
- Misdemeanor after a prior related violation
- Civil penalty
- $50 first offense, up to $1,000 repeat
- Coverage
- Unincorporated King County only, not Seattle
Summary
Unincorporated King County requires pet grooming services to hold an operating permit under County Code chapter 11.04 before opening; running one without the permit after a prior violation is a misdemeanor enforced by the Regional Animal Services Section.
11.04.350 Misdemeanors. It is a misdemeanor to:
A. Intentionally cause, aid, or abet any violation of K.C.C.11.04.230 or 11.04.250, by any act or omission;
B. Fail to comply with a manager's order related to an animal designated as potentially dangerous, vicious, or dangerous after the animal has committed two violations of this chapter;
C. Fail to comply with a manager's order related to an animal designated as dangerous;
D. Cause an animal to injure a human or domesticated animal acting in a lawful manner;
E. Own or maintain a pet shop, hobby kennel or hobby cattery, pet daycare facility, animal shelter, or pet grooming service without the operating permit or permits required by K.C.C. chapter 11.04, after having committed a related violation;
F. Sell, adopt, transfer ownership, or trade an unlicensed pet, except in accordance with K.C.C. 11.04.030, after committing a related violation;
G. Sell, adopt, transfer ownership, or trade an animal knowing it to be ill or injured, without disclosing the animal's illness or injury;
H. Remove any animal from the possession of the animal care and control authority without permission of the manager or without paying all lawful charges;
I. Obstruct any animal care and control officer in the performance of any official duty;
J. Within a two-year period, receive five or more notices of violations or infractions issued under this title; or
Full Breakdown
King County Code 11.01.180 defines a 'grooming service' as any place where animals are bathed, clipped, or combed for a fee. Operating one in unincorporated King County without the operating permit required by K.C.C. chapter 11.04 is a misdemeanor once the operator has already committed a related violation (K.C.C. 11.04.350.E). Short of that, groomers face the chapter's general civil penalties: $50 for a first violation, doubling for each repeat up to $1,000 (K.C.C. 11.04.035, 11.04.200). The Regional Animal Services Section enforces the chapter, and where a zoning provision conflicts, the zoning code controls (K.C.C. 11.04.010.B). Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, and the county's other incorporated cities license groomers under their own codes, not this one.
Violations & Fines
Operating a grooming service without the chapter 11.04 permit is a misdemeanor after a prior related violation; general violations draw a $50 civil penalty, doubling per repeat offense up to $1,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule cover a groomer in Seattle?
What happens the first time a groomer operates without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in King County
Compare King County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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