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 Utah
Pet sitting and dog walking need no degree or state exam, but a few registrations come up in every state. Here is what Utah's own agencies say, checked October 7, 2026. Rules change, so follow each link before you file.
1. Register the business
Register an LLC or a DBA with the Utah Division of Corporations, online at businessregistration.utah.gov. A sole proprietor doing business under an assumed name registers a DBA there at the state level.
Source: Utah Division of Corporations: DBA
2. Sales tax on pet sitting
Depends on the service
A Utah State Tax Commission ruling (98-052) says charges to board an animal are not taxable, but grooming is taxable as a service to clean tangible personal property. The ruling is old, so check with the Tax Commission.
Source: Utah State Tax Commission: Private Letter Ruling 98-052
3. Licenses for boarding and pet care
Utah has no state license for pet sitting or boarding: a 2023 bill to license animal care facilities did not pass. A 2024 law (HB 478) does set animal care requirements for boarding facilities and lets the Department of Agriculture and Food fine violations. Cities and counties often require a kennel permit above a set number of dogs, so check yours.
Source: Utah Legislature: HB 478 (2024)
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.