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 Iowa
Pet sitting and dog walking need no degree or state exam, but a few registrations come up in every state. Here is what Iowa's own agencies say, checked October 7, 2026. Rules change, so follow each link before you file.
1. Register the business
LLCs file with the Iowa Secretary of State. A sole proprietor does not register with the Secretary of State and instead files a trade name with the County Recorder in the county where they plan to do business.
Source: Iowa Secretary of State: Business FAQs
2. Sales tax on pet sitting
Depends on the service
Pet grooming is on the Iowa Department of Revenue's list of taxable services. Pet sitting and boarding do not appear on that list. If you also groom, or you aren't sure about a service, check with the Department of Revenue.
Source: Iowa Department of Revenue: Iowa Sales and Use Tax Taxable Services
3. Licenses for boarding and pet care
The Iowa Department of Agriculture licenses commercial establishments, including boarding kennels and dog daycares. You need a commercial kennel license if you board, train or groom animals for pay at your facility, and in-home facilities are limited to six adult dogs and/or cats, including your own pets. Check with the department before boarding pets in your home.
Source: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship: Animal Welfare FAQ
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.