# How old do you have to be to work at Petco?

You have to be at least 18 to work at Petco. State law can raise the age.

Petco's careers FAQ says you must be 18 to work at most Petco locations. The wording 'most' suggests a few stores may differ, but Petco doesn't name any exceptions.

- Minimum age: 18
- Most locations: 18
- Franchised: no
- Confidence: Company-confirmed
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## By job

- Store associate: 18+ (Most locations, per Petco careers FAQ)

## By state (youngest possible age)

| State | Age | Work permit |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 18 | no |
| Alaska | 18 | no |
| Arizona | 18 | no |
| Arkansas | 18 | no |
| California | 18 | no |
| Colorado | 18 | no |
| Connecticut | 18 | no |
| Delaware | 18 | no |
| District of Columbia | 18 | no |
| Florida | 18 | no |
| Georgia | 18 | no |
| Hawaii | 18 | no |
| Idaho | 18 | no |
| Illinois | 18 | no |
| Indiana | 18 | no |
| Iowa | 18 | no |
| Kansas | 18 | no |
| Kentucky | 18 | no |
| Louisiana | 18 | no |
| Maine | 18 | no |
| Maryland | 18 | no |
| Massachusetts | 18 | no |
| Michigan | 18 | no |
| Minnesota | 18 | no |
| Mississippi | 18 | no |
| Missouri | 18 | no |
| Montana | 18 | no |
| Nebraska | 18 | no |
| Nevada | 18 | no |
| New Hampshire | 18 | no |
| New Jersey | 18 | no |
| New Mexico | 18 | no |
| New York | 18 | no |
| North Carolina | 18 | no |
| North Dakota | 18 | no |
| Ohio | 18 | no |
| Oklahoma | 18 | no |
| Oregon | 18 | no |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | no |
| Rhode Island | 18 | no |
| South Carolina | 18 | no |
| South Dakota | 18 | no |
| Tennessee | 18 | no |
| Texas | 18 | no |
| Utah | 18 | no |
| Vermont | 18 | no |
| Virginia | 18 | no |
| Washington | 18 | no |
| West Virginia | 18 | no |
| Wisconsin | 18 | no |
| Wyoming | 18 | no |

## Questions

**How old do you have to be to work at Petco?**
You have to be at least 18 to work at Petco. State law can raise the age.

**Does Petco hire 16-year-olds?**
Usually not. Petco's careers FAQ says you must be 18 to work at most Petco locations. A few stores may be different, but Petco doesn't say which, so ask the store if you're 16 or 17.

**Can a 14- or 15-year-old work at Petco?**
We found nothing showing Petco hires 14- or 15-year-olds. The company's stated age for most stores is 18.

**What jobs does Petco have for new workers?**
Petco stores hire store associates, and the company also has grooming, dog training, veterinary (Vetco) and distribution center jobs. Most have the same age rule of 18.

**How do I apply to Petco?**
Apply online at the Petco careers site. You can also join Petco's talent community to get alerts about openings.

## Sources

- Petco Careers – FAQs: https://careers.petco.com/frequently-asked-questions/
- Store Careers at Petco: https://careers.petco.com/us/en/in-store-content-page

Page: https://hiringage.com/petco/ — please cite with a link.