Georgetown, TX Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Yes, for all commercial dog/cat sales
- Minimum sale age
- 8 weeks
- Microchipping
- Required, record kept on file
- Sourcing rule
- Bred/raised in Williamson or adjoining counties
- Return obligation
- Free return accepted within 1 year
Summary
Georgetown does not ban retail pet sales outright, but any store selling dogs or cats needs a commercial sales permit under Sec. 7.02.040. Every animal sold must be at least eight weeks old, microchipped, sourced from a licensed breeder in Williamson County or a neighboring county, and accepted back at no cost within a year.
A.All individuals engaged in the commercial sale of any dogs or cats, including, but not limited to, pet stores and stores in which pets and animals are not the central item of sale within the store, shall obtain a commercial sales permit. ... 8.Each animal transferred shall be accepted for return at no cost within one year of the date of the transfer. ... 9.All dogs and cats transferred must be microchipped and the microchip manufacturer and number shall be kept on record and made available to the Animal Control Unit upon request; ... 11.All animals sold or transferred shall be a minimum of eight weeks of age; and 12.Each animal transferred shall be born and raised until at least eight weeks of age in Williamson County or surrounding counties at a facility operating and licensed pursuant to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 15).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 040(A) requires a commercial sales permit for all individuals engaged in the commercial sale of any dogs or cats, expressly covering pet stores as well as any other store where pets are sold but are not the central item of sale. The Animal Control Unit must inspect the sales premises before issuing the permit and confirm the facility is adequately sized, kept sanitary and free of offensive odor, and that animals are maintained without danger to their health or the public. Substantively, the permit conditions function as Georgetown's puppy-mill safeguard: every dog and cat sold or transferred must be at least eight weeks old, must be microchipped with the manufacturer and chip number kept on file for Animal Control, and must have been born and raised until at least eight weeks of age in Williamson County or surrounding counties at a facility operating and licensed under all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
The permit holder must also take back any animal it sold, at no cost, within one year of the transfer, properly rehome it, and keep a record of where it was rehomed available to Animal Control on request. An applicant with two citations for Chapter 7 violations within a one-year period cannot hold the permit, and the permit is valid for one year from issuance.
Violations & Fines
Selling dogs or cats without the required commercial sales permit, or violating a permit condition such as the eight-week minimum age, microchipping, or the one-year no-cost return obligation, is a Chapter 7.02 violation, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense under Sec. 7.02.060. The Animal Control Unit can also revoke the permit outright under Sec. 7.02.050 if an inspection shows the holder failed to meet permit requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a pet store in Georgetown sell puppies and kittens?
What happens if I want to return a pet I bought from a Georgetown pet store?
Is there an outright ban on retail pet sales in Georgetown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Georgetown
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