In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
Boarding pets needs an AVS pet boarding licence (S$100 a year), with mandatory training, URA permission and an inspection. Boarded dogs and cats must be vaccinated at least two weeks before check-in, and records kept for two years. Grooming follows AVS's Code of Animal Welfare for groomers.
Do you need an AVS pet boarding licence?
If you keep other people's pets at your premises for a fee, such as a pet hotel, daycare with overnight stays or a cattery, AVS treats it as pet boarding. AVS's page Applying for a Pet Boarding Licence (updated 13 March 2026) sets out the process for premises outside farmland, and states that no animals can be boarded before final approval.
Pass the mandatory training
Attend and pass the course on pet welfare and animal management run by an AVS-recognised provider. The certificate of completion is part of the application.
Get URA and ACRA documents
Written permission for change of use of the premises from URA's Development Control Division, and an ACRA certificate or company bio-data printout.
Submit particulars and layout plans
NRIC copy, Medisave statement, tenancy or lease (or letter of intent), and layout plans showing cages with sizes, quarantine, exercise, food preparation, wash, ventilation and waste discharge areas.
Pass the AVS inspection and pay the fee
AVS says approval comes within three working days after it has all documents, the premises pass inspection and the annual licence fee of S$100 is paid.
AVS also publishes a list of licensed pet boarding facilities, which pet owners can use to check you. Make sure your trading name matches what AVS has on record.
Boarding licence conditions that affect your bookings
AVS's terms and conditions for boarding cover housing, care and staff. Several conditions decide what your booking process must collect and check.
| Condition | What it requires | What your booking flow should do |
|---|---|---|
| Vaccination (4.7) | Dogs: distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza, leptospirosis. Cats: panleukopenia, calicivirus, herpesvirus. Course completed at least 2 weeks before boarding | Ask for the certificate and last vaccination date; flag bookings less than 2 weeks after |
| Titre test alternative (4.7) | Blood test showing satisfactory immunity, checked by a veterinarian | Accept an upload of the vet-interpreted result |
| Parasite control (4.8) | Animals checked and up to date on internal and external parasite treatment, with records | Ask for last deworming and flea or tick treatment dates |
| Identification (6.2) | All animals identified; dogs must be licensed | Collect microchip and dog licence numbers |
| Records (6.3, Annex A2) | Name, breed, age, microchip, licence, vaccination, medical and behavioural history, diet, dates in and out, owner name, address and phone; kept 2 years; electronic records backed up | Store each stay as a record with these fields, backed up |
| Serious injury or death (8.1) | Report to AVS immediately and inform the owner promptly | Keep owner contact details current and reachable |
How grooming is covered
AVS's licensing pages cover pet boarding, pet shops and breeders; grooming services are covered by AVS's Code of Animal Welfare for pet groomers. On 3 October 2026, NParks announced a revised Code of Animal Welfare for pet groomers, with updates on groomer competency, constant physical supervision of tethered animals, grooming procedures, and clearer expectations on documentation, incident reporting and communication with pet owners.
If a grooming salon keeps pets overnight, or offers day boarding alongside grooming, check with AVS whether a boarding licence applies to that part of the business. The full codes are on AVS's Code of Animal Welfare page.
What a pet boarding or grooming website should show
Owners compare several facilities before booking. A clear website answers their questions and cuts down on WhatsApp back-and-forth.
- Your AVS boarding licence status and the business name as registered, for boarding services.
- Vaccination and parasite requirements in plain language, including the two-week rule, so owners know before they book.
- Rates by pet size or type, peak period surcharges and what is included (walks, feeding, photo updates).
- Facility photos, sleeping and exercise arrangements, and how often animals are supervised.
- Your emergency process: which vet you use, and how you will contact the owner.
- Cancellation, deposit and late pick-up policies.
- A privacy notice explaining what you collect and why.
Our guides for pet shop online stores and AVS licences and veterinary clinic websites cover related rules if you also sell products or work with a clinic.
Online booking with vaccination proof and PDPA
A booking system can collect most of the AVS record fields up front: pet profile, vaccination certificate upload, dates and owner contact. Set it up so returning customers only update what changed.
Build a pet profile form
Name, species, breed, age, sex, neuter status, microchip and dog licence numbers, diet, medical and behavioural notes.
Require a vaccination certificate upload
Ask for the file and the date the course was completed. Have staff verify it before confirming boarding.
Block or flag early bookings
If check-in is less than two weeks after the vaccination date, hold the booking for staff review.
Take a deposit at booking
Reduces no-shows for peak periods such as school holidays and Chinese New Year.
Send reminders with requirements
Remind owners to bring medication, food and any updated certificate before check-in.
Under the PDPA, collect only what you need, tell owners why, protect it and do not keep it longer than necessary. AVS's two-year record requirement gives you a clear reason to keep boarding records that long; after that, delete or anonymise them unless another legal reason applies. Owners' NRIC numbers are not needed for a booking. Our PDPA consent form wording guide has sample notice text.
Do it yourself or get help?
Off-the-shelf booking tools can handle pet profiles, uploads, deposits and reminders with some configuration. What usually needs care is mapping AVS's record fields into the form, setting retention, and making the website explain the rules before owners book.
Pet boarding website and booking
IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience. Our Online Booking System (S$390) sets up a booking tool in your name with services, staff, opening hours, deposits, reminders, calendar sync and a widget on your website. If you need a new site, Business Website (S$1,490) covers up to 6 pages with a contact form and WhatsApp button. Booking tool subscription fees are paid by you. We do not handle AVS licence applications.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Boarding pets needs an AVS pet boarding licence. AVS requires you to pass mandatory training on pet welfare and animal management, submit URA written permission for change of use, ACRA documents, personal particulars and layout plans, pass an inspection and pay the annual licence fee of S$100. No animals can be boarded before final approval.
AVS's boarding conditions require dogs to be vaccinated against canine distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza and leptospirosis, and cats against panleukopenia, calicivirus and herpesvirus. The vaccination course must be completed at least two weeks before boarding. A blood test showing satisfactory immunity, interpreted by a veterinarian, is accepted as an alternative.
AVS's boarding conditions say records on vaccination, parasite control and each animal boarded must be kept for at least two years from when they were created or updated, and electronic records must be backed up. The per-animal record includes the pet's details, medical history, dates in and out, and the owner's name, address and phone number.
Grooming is covered by AVS's Code of Animal Welfare for pet groomers, which AVS revised on 3 October 2026, rather than the pet boarding licence. If your business also keeps pets overnight or provides boarding, check with AVS whether a boarding licence applies to that service.
Yes, if you tell owners why you need them and protect them properly. AVS requires boarders to check and record vaccination status, which is a clear purpose. Collect only what the booking needs, store uploads securely with restricted access, and delete records once the two-year AVS retention period and any other legal need has passed.