Bookings, deposits and client texts for a pet sitting business, with these forms ready to sign on your phone.
Pet Sitting Business: BookingBookings, deposits and client texts for a pet sitting business, with these forms ready to sign on your phone.
How to start a pet sitting business in Georgia
Pet sitting and dog walking need no degree or state exam, but a few registrations come up in every state. Here is what Georgia's own agencies say, checked October 7, 2026. Rules change, so follow each link before you file.
1. Register the business
An LLC registers with the Georgia Secretary of State. A sole proprietor using a different name files a trade name (DBA) with the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the business is located.
Source: Georgia.gov
2. Sales tax on pet sitting
Not taxable
Georgia Rule 560-12-2-.55 says the tax does not apply to charges for the keep of pets. Supplies you buy for the business are taxable to you. Check with the Department of Revenue.
Source: Georgia Department of Revenue rules (Rule 560-12-2-.55)
3. Licenses for boarding and pet care
The Georgia Department of Agriculture requires a kennel license for an establishment where dogs or cats are kept for boarding for a fee. We found no exemption for boarding a few pets in your home, so check with the department before boarding.
Source: Georgia Department of Agriculture
4. Also worth checking
- Your city or county: a local business license, and home-business (zoning) rules if dogs stay overnight in your home.
- Insurance: ask an agent about liability coverage and bonding for pet sitters.
- Paperwork: a written service agreement, a veterinary release and a key agreement for every client.
Free forms for your first clients
Pet Sitting Contract TemplateThe agreement a client signs before the first booking: services, rates, deposit, cancellations, vet care, home access and behavior.Dog Walking Contract TemplateFor regular walks: schedule, leash and equipment, solo or group walks, bad weather, cancellations and payment.Pet Sitting Client FormEverything to collect from a new client before the first visit: contacts, feeding, medications, vet, behavior and routine.Veterinary Release Form for Pet SittersLets the sitter get a pet seen by a vet when the owner can't be reached, with a spending limit the owner sets.Key Release Form for Pet SittersHow keys and entry codes are handed over, stored, used and returned, and who pays if one is lost.Pet Sitting Meet-and-Greet ChecklistWhat to cover when meeting a new client and pet: the walk-through, health and safety, and the paperwork.Pet Sitting Invoice TemplateA one-page invoice: services by date, fees, the deposit received and the balance due.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.