How to start a mobile grooming business in Canada

How do I register a mobile grooming business in my province?

You register a mobile grooming business with the business registry of the province where you're based. The first decision is the structure: a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporation. The right choice depends on your liability, your tax situation and your plans, so talk it through with an accountant before you file.

If you operate under a name other than your own legal name, you usually register that business name with the province. Incorporating is a separate process, done provincially or federally.

You'll also deal with the Canada Revenue Agency, which issues the Business Number you use for GST/HST, payroll if you hire, and other federal accounts. You can request a Business Number when you first need one, such as when you register for GST/HST.

Do I need a business licence for a mobile grooming business?

Most likely, yes. Many Canadian cities require a business licence for mobile businesses, and each city you groom in may need its own licence, even if your van is registered and parked somewhere else. A groomer who works in three neighbouring cities can end up holding three licences.

Some BC regions run an inter-municipal business licence program, where one licence covers several participating cities for eligible mobile businesses. Ask your home city whether a program like this covers the area you plan to work in.

If you run the business from home, your city may also require a home-based business licence and may limit where you can park a commercial van. Call the licensing office of each city on your planned route before your first appointment, and ask what it needs from a mobile business.

What insurance does a mobile groomer need?

A mobile groomer in Canada usually needs two kinds of insurance: commercial auto insurance for the van, and business liability insurance that covers the animals in your care.

Commercial auto insurance covers the van as a business vehicle. Tell your insurer the van is used for grooming, because personal auto coverage may not apply to business use. In British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, basic auto insurance comes from the provincial public insurer, and you add optional coverage on top.

Business liability insurance covers injury or damage you cause while working. Look specifically for care, custody and control coverage, which covers animals while they're in your care. A standard liability policy may exclude them. Ask also whether the policy covers the grooming equipment and the build inside the van, since a fitted grooming van is worth more than the empty cargo van.

An insurance broker who works with pet businesses can compare policies for you. Get quotes before you buy a van, so the premiums are in your budget from the start.

When do I need to register for GST/HST?

You need to register for GST/HST once your business stops being a small supplier. Under Canada Revenue Agency rules, you're a small supplier as long as your total taxable revenues stay at $30,000 or less in a single calendar quarter and over the last four consecutive calendar quarters. Once you go over $30,000, you have to register and start charging GST/HST.

You can also register voluntarily before you reach $30,000. Registering lets you claim input tax credits for the GST/HST you pay on business costs, but it also means charging tax to clients from day one.

Some provinces also charge their own sales tax, with their own registration rules. Check the current rules on the Canada Revenue Agency website and with your accountant, who can tell you how GST/HST and any provincial sales tax apply to your services.

Where can a mobile groomer dump grey water?

A mobile groomer should empty grey water only at an approved disposal site or a sanitary sewer connection, and never into a storm drain. Storm drains across Canada usually flow straight to creeks, rivers or the ocean without treatment, so dumping grey water into one can break municipal bylaws and harm local waterways.

Before you start, ask your city or regional district which disposal sites accept grey water from mobile businesses, what they charge, and their hours. Build those sites into your route planning, especially in winter, when some access points are harder to reach.

A grooming van needs a grey water tank sized for a full day of baths, so you aren't driving to a disposal site between appointments. A ProVanWorks grooming van collects bath water in its own grey water tank; the water system page explains how it works.

How do I choose a van for mobile grooming?

Choose a mobile grooming van for the dogs you groom and the climate you work in. In most of Canada, that means an insulated, heated van with hot water that works in deep cold, water storage that stays above freezing, and a battery bank sized for your equipment.

Questions to settle before you buy:

• Diesel, gas or electric van, and a heater to match
• How much fresh water and grey water capacity a full day needs
• How large a battery bank your tools and heating need, and where you'll charge it
• Where the tub, table and cabinets go for the way you work
• New or used base van
• A van, or a grooming trailer towed by a truck you already own

ProVanWorks builds winter-ready mobile grooming vans to order at our shop in Langley, BC, and ships them across Canada and to the United States. If you already own a truck that can tow, a grooming trailer with the same features is another option. Our guide to what a mobile grooming van costs in Canada explains what drives the price and what the van costs to run.

How should I price mobile grooming services?

Price mobile grooming services from your own costs first, then check the result against what clients in your area pay. Start with what a working day costs you: the van payment or lease, insurance, fuel or charging, supplies, licences, software, grey water disposal and a fair wage for yourself, including driving time. Divide that by the number of dogs you can realistically groom in a day, and you have the minimum you need per dog.

From there, set prices by size, coat type and condition, since a matted doodle takes far longer than a short-coated small dog. You can also add a travel fee for clients outside your usual zone.

Write down a cancellation and no-show policy, and a weather policy for winter days when the roads aren't safe. Clear policies save arguments later, and a deposit at booking discourages no-shows.

What should I look for in booking software?

Look for booking software that handles the parts of a mobile grooming day that are different from a salon: travel between clients and appointments spread across a map. Useful features include:

• online booking that clients can use without calling you
• automatic text and email reminders
• deposits and card payments
• client and pet records, with notes on coat, behaviour and health
• a map or route view of each day's appointments
• GST/HST set up correctly on invoices

Try two or three options on their free trials with real appointments before you commit. Moving your client list from one system to another later takes time, so check that you can export your data.

How do I plan a grooming route?

Plan a grooming route by giving each day of the week its own area, so your appointments cluster together and you spend more time grooming than driving.

Build the rest of the day into the route: a Level 2 EV charger for a lunch top-up if your van uses one, a grey water disposal site near the end of the day, and somewhere to refill water. Leave a buffer for traffic, heavy coats that take longer than planned, and parking. The power and EV charging page explains how a ProVanWorks battery bank charges during the day.

In winter, routes need more slack: shorter days, slower roads and weather cancellations. Our guide to mobile grooming in a Canadian winter covers how to plan around cold snaps and snowfall warnings.

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a mobile grooming business from home?

Usually yes, but many cities require a home-based business licence and some limit commercial vehicles parked at home. Check with your municipality before you sign a lease or loan for the van.

Do I need to charge GST/HST from my first appointment?

No, not if you're a small supplier with taxable revenues of $30,000 or less over four consecutive calendar quarters, unless you register voluntarily. Once you pass the threshold, you must register and charge GST/HST. Confirm the details with your accountant.

Can ProVanWorks deliver a grooming van outside BC?

Yes. ProVanWorks builds every van in Langley, BC, and delivers across Canada and to the United States. The delivery across Canada page explains how delivery works.