Virginia Beach, VA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Annual business license from commissioner of revenue
- Classification
- Agricultural service / animal husbandry business
- Small-business fee
- $25-$50 flat fee under $200,000 receipts
- Tax rate above threshold
- 0.36% of gross receipts over $200,000
- Penalty for unlicensed operation
- Class 2 misdemeanor
Summary
Virginia Beach taxes dog grooming shops as agricultural service businesses, requiring an annual business license and a 0.36% tax on gross receipts under City Code § 18-48.
(a)The license tax rate for every person engaged in any agricultural service business shall 0.36 percent of the gross receipts in such business during the preceding calendar year.(b)Agricultural service businesses, as referred to in this section, shall include those businesses set out below and any miscellaneous agricultural service businesses not elsewhere classified:(1)Grist mills, including custom flour mills.(2)Crop dusting: contract.(3)Crop spraying: contract.(4)Weed control, on a contract or fee basis.(5)Animal hospitals.(6)Animal husbandry services:a.Animal breeding and training.b.Dog grooming shops.c.Kennels.(7)Horticultural services. (Code 1965, § 20-53; Ord. No. 1516, 2-4-85; Ord. No. 2390, 5-14-96)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 170 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Dog grooming shops operating in Virginia Beach fall under the city's "animal husbandry services" category of agricultural service businesses (City Code § 18-48), alongside kennels and animal breeding operations. Every groomer with a definite place of business in the city must obtain an annual business license from the commissioner of the revenue before opening (§ 18-5). Shops with gross receipts up to $200,000 pay a flat fee of $25-$50 depending on revenue tier (§ 18-5.2); above that threshold, the tax is 0.36 percent of gross receipts. There's no separate grooming-specific health or facility code: this is purely a business-license/tax classification.
Violations & Fines
Operating a dog grooming shop without the required business license is a Class 2 misdemeanor; a second violation within five years becomes a Class 1 misdemeanor (§ 18-5(c)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do dog groomers need a special license in Virginia Beach?
How much does a Virginia Beach grooming business license cost?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Virginia Beach
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