How to Start a Mobile Pet Grooming Business
💰 $10K–$125K to start
⏱ First dollar: 1–3 months
🚐 Salon on wheels
Updated
The 30-second version
You park a van or trailer with a tub, table, dryer and water tanks in a client's driveway and groom one dog at a time. Clients pay a premium for that, often $65–$160+ per groom depending on size, and vendor guides put a solo groomer at 4–6 dogs a day once drive time is counted. The rig is the big cost: real listings run from about $10,000 for a used trailer to $124,000 for a 2023 van. You also have to be able to groom, and that takes training plus practice.
You park a van or trailer with a tub, table, dryer and water tanks in a client's driveway and groom one dog at a time. Clients pay a premium for that, often $65–$160+ per groom depending on size, and vendor guides put a solo groomer at 4–6 dogs a day once drive time is counted. The rig is the big cost: real listings run from about $10,000 for a used trailer to $124,000 for a 2023 van. You also have to be able to groom, and that takes training plus practice.
Startup cost
$10K (used trailer) to $125K (late-model van)
Typical day
4–6 dogs, roughly $110 average ticket (vendor estimate)
First dollar in
1–3 months if you can already groom
▶Watch this first
"Mobile Dog Grooming Van Tour | Wag'n Tails Elite Grooming Van Tour" — Salas Paw Spa. Picked from a real creator, not a GigWiz production.
✓What you actually need to start
- Grooming skill. No license in most states, but you need real training. Programs we checked: $799 online (Penn Foster regular price, no hands-on listed), $2,750 for 150 hours plus ~$1,000 in tools (Lake Norman), up to $6,000 per course (West Coast Grooming Academy).
- A rig. New trailers from $25,000–$32,000 (Gryphon, plus a tow vehicle). New converted vans $80,000–$115,000. Used listings seen from $10,350 (2022 trailer) to $93,500 (2020 Transit with solar), and higher for late-model vans.
- Tools. A K9 III high-velocity dryer lists at $695. Andis professional clippers run about $120–$370 each. Add blades, shears, combs and a table.
- Insurance. Insureon medians for mobile groomers: general liability $65/month, commercial auto $245/month. Add animal bailee coverage, because standard liability excludes pets in your care.
- Local paperwork. A general business license almost everywhere. Some places add more: Connecticut requires a $200 grooming license renewed every two years.
- A legal place to dump gray water. Rigs carry about 65–78 gallons fresh and 42 gallons gray. City rules we read say wash water goes to the sanitary sewer, never the street, storm drain or lawn.
Rules vary by state and city. Call your city and county before you buy a rig.
👣The steps
Learn to groom firstTake a hands-on course or work as a bather/groomer in a salon. Mobile grooming job posts we checked in 2026 ask for 1–2 years of experience, which is a good benchmark for going solo.
Try mobile on someone else's vanCompanies like Zoomin Groomin post mobile jobs at 50–60% commission plus tips with a company van. It tests the work, the driving and the dogs before you borrow six figures.
Pick van or trailer honestlyTrailers are cheaper ($25K–$32K new, some used near $10K) but need a tow vehicle and space to park. Vans cost $80K+ new. Check what's included: water tanks, generator or batteries, AC, tub, lift table.
Get insured and licensedBuy general liability with animal bailee coverage, plus commercial auto. Get your business license, and check for state rules like Connecticut's grooming license.
Sort water, power and wasteKnow where you fill fresh water and where you legally dump gray water (a sewer drain, not the curb). Inverter generators are quieter than standard ones; lithium battery systems are silent but cost more up front.
Price for the route, not the dogSet prices by size and coat, and cluster appointments by neighborhood. Drive time eats grooms: at 4–6 dogs a day, one long gap costs you a whole appointment.
💵The money, honestly
| Setup | Gross per day | What comes out |
|---|---|---|
| Work for a mobile company | $250–$500/day (posted) | Company pays van, fuel and supplies. You keep 50–60% commission plus tips. |
| Own a used trailer (~$10K–$40K) | ~$550 (5 dogs × $110) | Supplies $25–$60/day, fixed costs ~$70–$130/day (vendor estimate, includes vehicle payment, insurance and fuel), your tow vehicle |
| Own a new van, financed (~$100K) | ~$550 (5 dogs × $110) | Supplies $25–$60/day, ~$73/day in loan payments per $100K borrowed, plus insurance, fuel and upkeep |
Pay range is from two current Zoomin Groomin job posts (Naples, FL and Centennial, CO). The $110 average ticket, $5–$12 per-dog supplies and $1,500–$2,800 monthly fixed costs (which the vendor says include a van payment, insurance and fuel) come from a grooming-software vendor's 2026 pricing guide (treat as operator estimates). Fixed costs per day assume 22 working days.
Loan math is an example only: $100,000 at 9% over 7 years is about $1,609/month. Your rate will differ. Gross is not profit: taxes, repairs and slow weeks come out too.
⚠ The reality check
- The van is a loan, not a business. A used 2023 Wag'n Tails van lists at $112,667–$124,170. If you can't fill 4–6 appointments a day, that payment comes due anyway.
- Your body wears out first. In a 2026 study of 180 pet groomers (Taiwan), 95% reported musculoskeletal pain in the past year, led by the right shoulder (71.7%) and neck (70.6%).
- Dogs bite, and your policy may not cover the dog. You work alone with scared or aggressive animals. Standard general liability excludes pets in your care, so you need bailee coverage on top.
- Water and waste are your problem. You haul 65–78 gallons in and about 42 gallons of dirty water out. Dumping it on the street or a client's lawn breaks the city stormwater rules we read.
❔Questions people actually ask
Do you need a license to be a mobile dog groomer?Not in most states. You will need a general business license. Some places add rules: Connecticut requires a $200 grooming license renewed every two years. NDGAA certification is voluntary and requires practical and written exams with an 85% average.
How much does a mobile grooming van cost?New conversions from Gryphon run $80,000–$115,000. Used Wag'n Tails vans (2020–2023 models) list at $89,097–$124,170. Older used vans and trailers on marketplaces start around $10,000–$35,000.
How much do mobile dog groomers make?ZipRecruiter puts the average mobile dog groomer at $61,079 a year ($29.36/hour). BLS lists the median animal caretaker, the category that includes groomers, at $35,360 (May 2025). Owners gross more but pay for the rig.
The GigWiz verdict
✓ Good if
- You already groom professionally and have clients who would pay more for driveway service.
- You can test the work for a mobile company before buying a $10K–$125K rig.
✕ Skip it if
- You have never groomed a dog. Training and practice come before any van.
- You want low-cost or passive income. This is physical labor with a vehicle payment attached.
The numbers
Startup cost$10K–$125K
Typical day4–6 dogs
First dollar in1–3 months if trained
DifficultySkill plus real capital
⚠ The catch
The rig is the easy purchase. Filling five grooms a day, every day, with your back intact is the business.
Sources: Wag'n Tails pre-owned vans; Gryphon grooming vans; Gryphon grooming trailers; UsedVending grooming listings; Insureon mobile groomer insurance costs; BLS Animal Care and Service Workers; Connecticut Gen. Stat. § 22-344; Groomer MSD study (Healthcare, 2026).