Licence for breeding dogs
You should only buy a dog from a licensed breeder. Buying from un-licensed breeders fuels the industry and the welfare of breeding dogs cannot be guaranteed. The RSPCA provides some helpful guidance to consider when buying a puppy.
You will need a licence if as part of your business you:
- Breed three or more litters of puppies per year (unless you can show that none of the puppies have been sold), or
- Breed puppies and advertise a business of selling them
You won't need a dog breeding licence if:
- you can provide documented evidence that none of the puppies were sold or that you have they kept them all yourself. Documented evidence needs to include records of the new owners of all of the puppies and why there was no money involved (including in kind)
- you're a registered charitiy that re-home puppies that are born to rescue dogs, unless you make money from rehoming the puppies
- you breed assistance dogs as defined in the Equality Act 2010 (for example Guide Dogs for the Blind)
- you're keeping a dog under the Animal Health Act 1981
- you're an organisation regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
- you breed a small number of puppies (less than 3 litters per year), and sell them without making a profit. You'll need to provide documented evidence
Licence conditions
You must be able to meet the general and specific conditions and the dogs must pass a veterinary inspection before a licence is issued.
Defra guidance
Applicants should read the applicable activity guidance documents and the local authority procedural guidance. Officers refer to these documents during the application process. The guidance sets out the higher standards, the risk rating and how they are applied. Compliance to the lowest risk rating (highest star rating) ensures a longer licence (up to three years) and better value for money. Note: The maximum star rating for a new licence is two years (three stars) and exhibition licenses are not star rated and are issued for three years.
Documentation required
If your documentation is correct, you will receive a lower risk rating and you are more likely to be compliant with the licence conditions. All the appropriate documentation is requested as attachments to the application form. Applicants should familiarise themselves with the required documentation in the Defra guidance.
Officers use checklists to feedback on documentation requirements. Absence of any required documentation in most cases will result in a lower risk rating, not the refusal of a licence.
See the overview page for the checklists available.