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 Illinois
Pet sitting and dog walking need no degree or state exam, but a few registrations come up in every state. Here is what Illinois's own agencies say, checked October 7, 2026. Rules change, so follow each link before you file.
1. Register the business
An LLC files with the Illinois Secretary of State. A sole proprietor using a name other than their full legal name registers it with the county clerk under the Assumed Name Act.
Source: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
2. Sales tax on pet sitting
Not taxable
The Department of Revenue says Illinois doesn't tax sales of services, only items transferred as part of one, and we found no rule singling out pet care. Food or supplies you hand over as part of the service can be taxable, so check with the department if you do.
Source: Illinois Department of Revenue
3. Licenses for boarding and pet care
The Illinois Department of Agriculture licenses kennel operators and day care operators under the Animal Welfare Act. A kennel operator keeps dogs, or dogs and cats, for boarding for a fee. We found no in-home exemption, so check with the department before boarding.
Source: Illinois 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.