Follow Iowa animal-welfare regulations when setting up your dog-boarding business.
Prospective business owners in Iowa must jump through several hoops, whether they're setting up a dog-boarding business or a major corporation. Each hoop is an important step to setting up a business that complies with the laws in Iowa and the United States. When you're done with those first steps, you'll come up against some fairly strict animal-welfare rules and an inspection process to obtain the license to operate a dog-boarding business in the state.
Instructions
1. Decide what type of classification your dog boarding business is going to operate under, and file the appropriate paperwork with the Iowa Secretary of State. Business types include Sole Proprietorship, Limited Liability Company and General Partnership. If your dog-boarding business is going to be run only by you, a Sole Proprietorship may be the entity for you.
Explore the various types of business entities in the state and find out their respective requirements by visiting the Iowa Secretary of State's Business Services webpage.
2. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service, and an Iowa tax permit through the Iowa Department of Revenue. These numbers are required for most businesses as a way for the federal and state tax authorities to "recognize" your business.
In Iowa, the tax permit is required for any business doing work that deals with sales tax--which you probably will with your type of business. You can obtain the EIN from the Internal Revenue Service's "Employer ID Number" web page, and the Iowa tax permit through the Iowa Department of Revenue "Business Tax Registration" web page.
3. Register your business for Worker's Compensation, Unemployment Insurance and the Centralized Registry for child support payments. This need only be done if your business is going to be hiring employees. You can find links to all of these registration pages at the webpage of the Iowa Business and Regulatory Assistance Network.
4. Find a location for your business. Before you sign a lease though, be sure to check on any permits or zoning restrictions on dog-boarding businesses in that particular location. According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship, cities or counties sometimes have specifically zoned areas to house animal-related businesses, so you may be restricted in where you can set up shop. Check with your local permit office, or ask the landlord or realtor what type of zoning restrictions the location has.
5. Set up your boarding business, making space for kennels, waste management, feeding areas and bathing areas. Make sure your setup is in accordance with Iowa state laws for animal welfare, and meets the requirements for licensure of animal-welfare businesses in the state.
6. Obtain the Iowa license for a Licensed Animal Welfare Facility, required by the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship. For a pet-boarding business, the application process consists of a two-page application and the payment of $175, followed by an inspection of the facility by Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship staff. Once your facility has passed inspection, you are ready to open your doors.
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