Retail & Shops · 6 min read · Last updated
Selling animals in Toronto — from puppies to parakeets — puts a store under the Pet Shop licence. The licence sits alongside the City's animal rules, which set care standards and restrict where shops may source certain pets, so running a compliant pet shop is as much about the animals' welfare as the paperwork. Here's the full picture.
The City of Toronto lists this under its “Business” category: “This includes shops or places where animals, including birds are being sold.”
Who needs this licence?
The licence covers shops and places where animals, including birds, are being sold. If live animals are part of the inventory — mammals, birds, reptiles, fish — the store is in the category.
A store selling only pet supplies — food, toys, equipment, with no live animals — is generally outside the licence. The moment animals are sold, the licence applies, and so do the City's animal care rules.
What documents do you need?
- Two pieces of government-issued identification, at least one with a photo
- Corporate documents or business name registration for the operating entity
- Proof of the premises — the signed lease or the deed
- The City's category checklist items for pet shops
Complete the category checklist thoroughly — this is a category where the checklist engages with animal-related requirements, not just business paperwork.
Zoning and premises requirements
The store needs premises zoned for the use at the specific address — check before leasing, particularly in mixed-use buildings where animal-related uses can raise questions ordinary retail does not. Ventilation, waste handling and noise are practical premises matters that follow directly from housing animals, and solving them belongs to the fit-out stage.
Inspections and approvals
Pet shops answer to more than the licence. The City's animal rules set care standards for animals in shops, and City rules also restrict where shops may source certain animals — steering dog and cat sales toward shelters, rescues and similar organizations rather than commercial breeding pipelines.
Municipal Licensing & Standards inspects for licensing compliance, and animal-welfare complaints get investigated. Sourcing records are the ones to keep impeccable.
How much does it cost?
The City charges an application fee and an annual renewal fee, set in its licensing fee schedule and confirmed during the application. Both are paid to the City directly.
How to apply
Apply to Municipal Licensing & Standards, online through the City's Business Licence & Permit portal (available since January 2026) or in person. Assemble identification, business registration, proof of premises and the pet shop checklist items before filing.
Permits2Go builds that package in one workspace so the application arrives complete.
Renewals and staying compliant
Renew annually. Between renewals, the animal rules are the daily obligation: care standards, honest sourcing and the records to prove both. Report ownership or premises changes to the City promptly — and remember a new location restarts the zoning and licensing questions.
Quick quiz: test what you learned
Three questions, all answered in this guide. Click an answer to check it.
1. Which stores need a Pet Shop licence in Toronto?
Selling live animals is the trigger — supplies-only stores generally fall outside the category, and services like dog-walking are not pet shops.
2. What do Toronto's sourcing rules for pet shops generally require?
City rules restrict where shops may source certain animals, steering sales away from commercial breeding pipelines and toward shelters and rescues.
3. Who inspects Toronto pet shops for licensing compliance?
MLS handles licensing compliance; DineSafe is the food-premises program and has no role in pet shops that sell no food for people.
Skip the paperwork
Tell Permits2Go about your business and it assembles the licence application for you — document checklists, e-signatures and a guided workspace for Toronto, with more cities on the way.
This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. Licensing requirements, by-laws and fees change and vary by municipality — always confirm the current rules with the City before you apply.