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Toronto · Specialty retail

Licences and permits to open a pet store in Toronto

To open a pet store in Toronto, our list has one item: the Pet Shop licence, issued by Municipal Licensing & Standards.

Everything on this list is municipal, so the City of Toronto is your main point of contact. The published application-plus-licence total for the Pet Shop licence is $788.33.

The notes mention proof of $1,000,000 in liability insurance; those steps depend on other people's schedules, so they are worth starting early.

Requirements
1
Issuers
1
Provincial
0
Last verified
Oct 31, 2026

What you'll need

Last verified:

  1. 01Pet Shop licence

    Municipal

    Issued by: City of Toronto — Municipal Licensing & Standards

    Shops selling animals (including birds and fish) as pets need a business licence and $1,000,000 liability insurance. From February 1, 2027 this is replaced by a new Pet Establishment licence with added care, sourcing and record-keeping standards.

    Fees as published

    • Application fee: $242.82
    • Licence fee: $545.51
    • Total fee (Application fee + Licence fee): $788.33
    • Renewal fee: $384.88 (as listed on toronto.ca, page modified August 4, 2026)
    View on toronto.ca — City of Toronto page(opens in a new tab)

    Last verified:

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with the municipality before opening.

FAQ

Pet Store in Toronto: common questions

What licences do I need to open a pet store in Toronto?
Our list has one item: Pet Shop licence. Confirm with the City of Toronto before opening.
How much do the licences cost to open a pet store in Toronto?
Published fees: Pet Shop licence: Application fee: $242.82; Licence fee: $545.51; Total fee (Application fee + Licence fee): $788.33; Renewal fee: $384.88 (as listed on toronto.ca, page modified August 4, 2026). Fees change; check the linked page for the current amount.
Who issues these licences and permits?
City of Toronto — Municipal Licensing & Standards (Pet Shop licence).
Do I need anything from the Province of Ontario?
The City of Toronto pages we reviewed don't list a provincial requirement for this type of business. Other registrations, such as registering a business name or a tax account, can still apply depending on how you set up.
How current is this information?
Each item was last checked against the linked page on October 31, 2026. Rules and fees change, so open the linked page and confirm with the issuer before you apply. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

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Next steps

Before you apply

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Need to register the business? We can help.

Most licence applications ask for a registered business name or corporation. Our partner, Markham Office, helps founders with business registration in Ontario.

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