Opening a kennel
Does your state license boarding kennels and daycares? What happens to a pet nobody picks up? Is rabies vaccination required? Here's what we found in the law of all 50 states and DC, checked November 2, 2026. Pick a state for the details and sources.
| State | Kennel license | Pets nobody picks up | Rabies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| Alaska | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| Arizona | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Arkansas | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| California | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Colorado | State license | Vets only | Local rules |
| Connecticut | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Delaware | No state license | No rule found | Required |
| District of Columbia | State license | No rule found | Required |
| Florida | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Georgia | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Hawaii | No state license | No rule found | Not required statewide |
| Idaho | No state license | Vets only | Local rules |
| Illinois | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Indiana | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| Iowa | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Kansas | State license | Vets only | Local rules |
| Kentucky | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| Louisiana | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Maine | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Maryland | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Massachusetts | State license | Vets only | Required |
| Michigan | State license | Vets only | Required |
| Minnesota | No state license | Covers kennels | Local rules |
| Mississippi | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| Missouri | State license | Vets only | Local rules |
| Montana | No state license | No rule found | Not required statewide |
| Nebraska | State license | No rule found | Required |
| Nevada | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| New Hampshire | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| New Jersey | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| New Mexico | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| New York | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| North Carolina | State license | Vets only | Required |
| North Dakota | No state license | Unclear | Local rules |
| Ohio | No state license | Unclear | Local rules |
| Oklahoma | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| Oregon | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| Pennsylvania | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Rhode Island | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| South Carolina | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| South Dakota | No state license | Vets only | Local rules |
| Tennessee | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| Texas | No state license | Vets only | Required |
| Utah | No state license | Vets only | Local rules |
| Vermont | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Virginia | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| Washington | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
| West Virginia | State license | Vets only | Required |
| Wisconsin | No state license | No rule found | Required |
| Wyoming | No state license | Vets only | Local rules |
Facts, not legal advice. Laws change, and counties and cities often have their own kennel permits: call them before you rely on any of this.
Zoning, your county or city, and the fire marshal come too. The Opening Kit walks you through all of them, with the questions to ask each office, then insurance, policies, prices and your first twenty clients.