State rankings
Dog Breeding Laws by State
Dog Breeding Laws by State: compare 50 US states on 11 metrics.
Law50 states · 11 metricsUpdated Apr 20, 2026Original page
20 sources
- State Commercial Pet Breeder Laws - Animal Legal & Historical Center
- Alabama lawmaker introduces bill to restrict puppy mills - Alabama
- Research Memo - Wyoming Legislative Service Office
- Utah Statutes - Animal Law Info
- Bill H. 4120 - South Carolina General Assembly
- Senate Bill No. 2297 - 65th Legislative Assembly of North Dakota
- New Jersey Bill Bad News for Breeders - American Kennel Club
- S.B. N0. 3034 - Capitol Hawaii
- 2020 Alaska Statutes - Justia
- Arkansas among top 10 states for puppy mills, no current law stopping them - KATV
- Subject 40-13-13 Animal Protection - Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
- 5-7-5: Dog Licenses - Ada County Idaho
- Warren Co. Sheriff, Humane Society says animal welfare laws in Kentucky could be better - Wave
- Chapter 18 - Animals - Library Municode
- Breeding dogs at home is a harder business than many people realize - Concord Monitor
- Chapter 6.12 - Dog and Cat Permit Regulations - Library Municode
- Become a Pet Dealer - New York State
- Title 6 - Animals - Library Municode
- Chapter 4-13-42 - Care of dogs - Justia
- Dog Breeder Licensing Requirements by State - Dog Breeder Licensing
Dog Breeding License Required
2 values across 36 entries
Provide FWSV
2 values across 50 entries
Safe from Weather
3 values across 50 entries
Sanitary Home
3 values across 50 entries
Minimize Distress
3 values across 50 entries
Room to Move
3 values across 50 entries
Data
Click a column to sort.
39 states
 Arizona | Local Level | 5+ Dogs | County Boards of Supervisors |
 Arkansas | Local Level | 5+ Dogs | Municipalities |
 California | Local Level | 3+ litters or 20+ Dogs per Year | Counties or Municipalities |
 Colorado | Yes | Transferring 24+ Dogs per Year | Colorado Department of Agriculture |
 Connecticut | Yes | 2+ litters per Year | Connecticut Department of Agriculture |
 Delaware | Yes | 4+ Dogs | Delaware Office of Animal Welfare, Division of Public Health, Department of Health and Social Services |
 Florida | — | 3+ litters or 30+ dogs sold per year | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services |
 Georgia | Yes | More than 1 litter or 30+ adult dogs sold per year | Georgia Department of Agriculture |
 Illinois | Yes | 5+ unspayed females capable of reproduction | Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare |
 Indiana | Yes | More than 19 unaltered females, 12+ months old | Indiana State Board of Animal Health |
 Iowa | Yes | 4+ intact dogs over 12 months | Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship |
 Kansas | Yes | 3+ litters or 30+ dogs maintained at once | Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health |
 Kentucky | Local Level | — | — |
 Louisiana | Local Level | — | Parish-Level Animal Services |
 Maine | Yes | 5+ adult females capabale of reproduction | Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry |
 Maryland | Yes | 6+ unspayed females or 6+ litters per year | County License Authorities |
 Massachusetts | Yes | 5+ dogs over 3 months old | Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources |
 Michigan | Yes | 3+ dogs | County Treasurer |
 Minnesota | Yes | 10+ intact dogs and 5+ litters per year | Minnesota Board of Animal Health |
 Missouri | Yes | >3 intact females | Missouri Department of Agriculture - Animal Health Division |
 Montana | — | — | Local Authorities |
 Nebraska | Yes | Any of 4+ breeding dogs, 31+ dogs sold per year, or 4+ litters per year | Nebraska Department of Agriculture |
 Nevada | Yes | "Commercial Breeders" | Local city and county governments |
 New Hampshire | Yes | 10+ dogs transferred per year | New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food |
 New Jersey | Local Level | Varies | Local municipal governments |
 New Mexico | Local Level | Typically 4-8 adult dogs | Local city and county governments |
 New York | Yes | 9+ dogs sold per year | New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets |
 North Carolina | Yes | More than offspring of 5 females per year | North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Animal Welfare Section |
 Ohio | Yes | 6+ breeding dogs and selling 40+ puppies per year or 5+ to brokers or stores | Ohio Department of Agriculture |
 Oklahoma | Yes | 11+ intact female dogs that are 6 months or older | Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry |
 Pennsylvania | Yes | 26+ dogs in a calendar year | Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement |
 Rhode Island | Yes | More than 2 litters per calendar year or wholesale sales | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management |
 Texas | Yes | 5 or more intact adult female dogs bred for sale | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation |
 Utah | Local Level | — | Local, City and County Governments |
 Vermont | Yes | 3+ litters per year | Local Town Clerks |
 Virginia | Yes | 30+ adult female dogs during any 12-month period | Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and local governments |
 Washington | — | Varies | Washington State Legislature (state law); local county and city governments (animal licensing) |
 West Virginia | Yes | 11+ unsterilized dogs over the age of 1 | County Commissions |
 Wisconsin | Yes | 25+ dogs sold per year from more than 3 litters | Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection |
Quick answers
- Where does this dog breeding laws by state data come from?
- Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: State Commercial Pet Breeder Laws - Animal Legal & Historical Center; Alabama lawmaker introduces bill to restrict puppy mills - Alabama; Research Memo - Wyoming Legislative Service Office; Utah Statutes - Animal Law Info.