Before you book

Choosing a dog groomer in King or Pierce County

King County permits groomers, and Pierce County licenses grooming parlors outside its cities. A groomer should be able to name the permit or license it holds.

King County: who needs a permit

Public Health Seattle & King County regulates pet businesses, grooming facilities and mobile grooming included. (King County)

Its operating permits cover pet grooming services and mobile grooming services, and a new or remodeled shop goes through plan review first. (King County fee schedule)

King County: the 2026 fees

Pet grooming service: $281 a year, on the 2026 schedule. (King County, read Oct 18, 2026)
Mobile grooming service: $281 a year, on the same 2026 schedule. (King County, read Oct 18, 2026)
Plan review for a new or remodeled shop: $225, plus $225 an hour after the first hour. (King County, read Oct 18, 2026)

The groomer pays these, not you.

Unincorporated Pierce County: the grooming parlor license

Pierce County code makes it unlawful to operate a grooming parlor in the unincorporated county without a license. A grooming parlor is any place or establishment where animals are bathed, clipped or combed for pay. (Pierce County Code 5.24.030) (Pierce County)

License fee: $100, and each license expires on Dec. 31 of the year it was issued. (Pierce County, read Oct 18, 2026)
A first-time applicant needs a development permit from Pierce County Planning and Public Works. (Pierce County)
A renewal not submitted by March 31 carries a penalty of 100 percent of the license fee. (Pierce County Code 5.24.030)
A grooming parlor may not board animals overnight, and animals must be restrained so they can't fall or hang. (Pierce County)

Tacoma, Puyallup, Olympia and Lacey

Tacoma: the city code's commercial pet facility covers boarding, breeding, resale and daycare, not grooming, and the regulatory license fee table has no grooming entry. (Tacoma Municipal Code 17.01.010) (City of Tacoma) A Tacoma groomer needs the general city business license. (City of Tacoma)
Puyallup: the city's kennel license covers breeding and boarding and does not mention grooming. Businesses in the city need a state business license with a Puyallup endorsement. (Puyallup Municipal Code 8.04) (City of Puyallup)
Olympia and Lacey: both cities license pet shops, which their codes define as places where animals are held for sale. Neither chapter mentions grooming. (Olympia Municipal Code 5.50) (Lacey Municipal Code 5.43.010)

Workers' comp class

For workers' comp, L&I puts pet grooming parlors in risk class 7308-03, whether the grooming happens at the shop or at the customer's home from an equipped vehicle. That is a class for employers' premiums, not a license. (WAC 296-17A-7308)

Questions for the groomer

Which county permit or license do you hold, and who issued it?
Do you hold a Washington business license? One is required once a business grosses $12,000 a year. (Washington DOR, read Oct 17, 2026)
Which vaccines do you require from the dogs you groom?
How do you dry dogs, and is someone with my dog the whole time?
If my dog is nicked or hurt, which vet do you use, and who pays?

For daycare and boarding rules, read which pet businesses need a permit. To compare walkers and sitters, see how to hire a dog walker or pet sitter.

Sources

We read each source on October 18, 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the linked page before you rely on a number.

Written by the Puget Sound Pets team. We list businesses; we do not employ, bond or insure them. Spot a mistake? Use the claim page to tell us.