Elizabeth, NJ Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Pet shop annual fee
- $200.00
- Per-dog fee (1-10 dogs)
- $25.00 additional
- Per-dog fee (21+ dogs)
- $75.00 additional
- Kennel fee (10 or fewer dogs)
- $25.00 annually
- License expires
- Last day of January
- Sourcing restriction
- None specified in city code
Summary
Elizabeth requires every pet shop to hold an annual $200.00 license from the central license bureau, plus added per-dog fees for animals kenneled for sale. The code sets licensing and inspection standards but does not require pet shops to sell only shelter or rescue animals.
Any person who keeps or operates or proposes to establish a kennel, a pet shop, a shelter or a pound shall apply to the central license bureau for a license entitling him or her to keep or operate such establishment. ... There shall be a license required annually to operate a pet shop in the city of Elizabeth. The license fee for a pet shop shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00). There shall be an additional annual license fee for dogs kenneled for sale on the pet shop premises as follows:
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31).
Full Breakdown
100 makes it unlawful to keep or operate, or to propose to establish, a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound in Elizabeth without first applying to the central license bureau for a license. 110 must describe the premises and the purpose of the establishment and must carry the written approval of the city's dog warden confirming the location and sanitation comply with local and state rules. 120 sets every kennel, pet shop, shelter and pound license to expire on the last day of January each year.
00 for twenty-one or more. 00. 130, though the license itself cannot be transferred to a new owner or a different location. Elizabeth's code focuses on licensing, location approval and sanitation for pet shops; it does not contain a source-of-animals restriction requiring pet shops to carry only shelter, rescue or humane-society animals rather than commercially bred dogs and cats.
Violations & Fines
Operating a pet shop without the Section 6.04.100 license, or without the dog warden's premises approval under Section 6.04.110, is enforced as a Chapter 6.04 violation under the citywide general penalty, Section 1.12.010: a fine of $100 to $2,000, up to ninety days in jail, or community service, with each day of continued operation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Elizabeth require pet shops to sell only rescue or shelter animals?
How much does it cost to license a pet shop in Elizabeth?
What does a pet shop need before it can open in Elizabeth?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elizabeth
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