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 South Dakota
Pet sitting and dog walking need no degree or state exam, but a few registrations come up in every state. Here is what South Dakota's own agencies say, checked October 7, 2026. Rules change, so follow each link before you file.
1. Register the business
LLCs must register with the South Dakota Secretary of State. A sole proprietor whose business name does not show their surname files a fictitious name (DBA) statement, online with the Secretary of State or on paper at a county Register of Deeds. It costs $10 and lasts five years.
Source: South Dakota Secretary of State: Business FAQs
2. Sales tax on pet sitting
Taxable
South Dakota taxes most services. The Department of Revenue's Veterinarian and Animal Specialty Services tax fact sheet lists boarding kennels and dog grooming as taxable. Check with the Department of Revenue about pet sitting visits.
Source: SD Department of Revenue: Veterinarian and Animal Specialty Services (Oct. 2023)
3. Licenses for boarding and pet care
We found no statewide license for pet sitting or boarding in South Dakota. Cities and counties may require a business license or limit how many animals you can keep. Check with your city or county.
Source: South Dakota Secretary of State: Business Services
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.