To get a dog breeding license in Texas, you apply to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), pay a fee between $150 and $500 based on how many intact adult females you keep, pass a criminal background check, and have your facility inspected. The license is required once you keep five or more intact adult female dogs and breed them for sale. If you also ship puppies across state lines or sell them sight-unseen, you need a separate federal license from the USDA on top of the state one.
Who Needs a TDLR Breeder License
Under the Texas Dog or Cat Breeders Act (Occupations Code Chapter 802), you need a license if you possess five or more intact adult female dogs or cats and breed them for sale.1State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802 – Dog or Cat Breeders The count is based on breeding-age females you keep, not puppies you sell. Direct sales to families, wholesale to pet stores, or trading animals for anything of value all count once you hit that five-female threshold.
Some operations are exempt. You do not need a TDLR license if you breed dogs primarily for herding livestock, hunting, or competing in field trials or conformation shows. Selling a single personal pet is also outside the licensing requirement, as is any operation with fewer than five intact adult females.1State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802 – Dog or Cat Breeders These exemptions apply only to the state license. The federal rules have their own test.
Facility Standards You Have to Meet First
Your facility has to pass inspection before TDLR will hand over a license, so the physical setup matters before you fill out any paperwork. The standards sit in Chapter 802 and the corresponding administrative rules in Title 16, Chapter 91 of the Texas Administrative Code.2TDLR – Texas.gov. Responsibilities of Licensed Cat and Dog Breeders
Housing and Enclosures
Every primary enclosure must be built from safe materials appropriate for the animal’s breed, size, and age, and must give each dog enough room to comfortably stand, sit, turn around, and lie down in a natural position. Enclosures need adequate drainage. You cannot stack one animal’s enclosure on top of another unless there is an impervious barrier between them that prevents any liquid or waste from passing through.1State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802 – Dog or Cat Breeders The facility must protect animals from injury and harsh weather, including direct sun.
Veterinary Care, Exercise, and Sanitation
You must have a veterinarian of record who examines each breeding animal at least once a year. A written health care protocol covering routine and preventive care has to be kept on file, and any animal showing signs of illness or injury must get appropriate treatment. Dogs 12 weeks and older need at least one hour of daily exercise in an area with weather protection.1State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802 – Dog or Cat Breeders Animal waste and uneaten food have to be removed daily.
How to Apply
The TDLR provides a Licensed Breeder Application on its website that you can submit online or by mail.3TDLR – Texas.gov. How to Apply for a Cat or Dog Breeder License The application asks for your business’s legal name, the physical address of your breeding facility, and your contact information. You also need to supply the name and address of your veterinarian of record and a valid Texas sales tax identification number. Anyone who holds a controlling interest of 25 percent or more in your operation has to be disclosed.
Fees are non-refundable and tiered by the number of intact adult females at your facility:
- 5 to 10 females: $150
- 11 to 25 females: $300
- 26 or more females: $500
The same tiers apply at renewal each year.3TDLR – Texas.gov. How to Apply for a Cat or Dog Breeder License
What Happens After You Submit
Once TDLR receives your completed application and fee, the department runs a criminal background check on every applicant. Depending on your history, that review alone can take one to six weeks.3TDLR – Texas.gov. How to Apply for a Cat or Dog Breeder License The statute authorizes the department to deny a license based on certain criminal convictions of the applicant or any person with a controlling interest.
For most new applicants, a pre-license facility inspection is mandatory before a license can be issued. TDLR cannot issue the license until the inspector certifies that the facility meets all requirements under Chapter 802 and its associated rules.1State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802 – Dog or Cat Breeders The inspector works from a detailed checklist covering enclosures, sanitation, veterinary records, and exercise arrangements. After a clean inspection and background check, the TDLR issues a license valid for one year from the date of issuance.3TDLR – Texas.gov. How to Apply for a Cat or Dog Breeder License
When You Also Need a Federal USDA License
The TDLR license covers Texas. If you sell puppies sight-unseen or ship them to buyers in other states, you almost certainly need a separate federal license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under the Animal Welfare Act, the retail pet exemption only applies when the seller, buyer, and animal are all physically present at the same location.4Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Licensing and Registration Under the Animal Welfare Act – Guidelines for Dealers, Exhibitors, Transporters, and Researchers Selling through a website where buyers pick up puppies at your facility in person can qualify. Shipping a puppy across state lines does not.
A USDA Class A breeder license has its own application, a $120 fee, and a separate federal inspection.5U.S. Department of Agriculture APHIS. License Application – With Dogs and Cats Federal enclosure standards are more specific than the state rules in some respects, including a formula-based floor space minimum tied to each dog’s length and extra space for nursing dams.6USDA APHIS. Minimum Space Requirements for Dogs Federal licenses run three years rather than one, but the facility standards must be met continuously.
Federal penalties for operating without a required USDA license reach $10,000 per violation, with each day of noncompliance counted as a separate offense. Knowing violations carry criminal penalties of up to $2,500 in fines and up to one year in prison.7GovInfo. Animal Welfare Act If you ship, federal transportation standards for crate size, ventilation, and in-transit observation also apply.8Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Specifications for the Humane Handling, Care, Treatment, and Transportation of Dogs and Cats
Staying Compliant After You’re Licensed
The license is a starting line. TDLR must inspect each licensed facility at least once every 18 months and may inspect more often as needed, and those inspections are not scheduled in advance.1State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802 – Dog or Cat Breeders The department mails a renewal form about 60 days before your license expires, but renewing on time is your responsibility whether or not the notice arrives.9TDLR – Texas.gov. Renew a Cat or Dog Breeder License A license expired 90 days or less costs one and a half times the normal renewal fee. You cannot perform any licensed function while your license is expired.
Licensed breeders must keep a separate record for each animal documenting its care, and you have to submit an annual inventory of all animals held during the previous calendar year to TDLR no later than February 1.10State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802 – Dog or Cat Breeders If you also hold a USDA license, federal rules require you to retain records for at least three years.11eCFR. 9 CFR 2.35 – Recordkeeping Requirements
Every advertisement for your operation must include your TDLR license number. You must display a copy of your license prominently at your facility and keep a printed copy of Chapter 802 and its rules on site. This covers online listings, social media posts, and print alike. Every sales or transfer contract must also include your license number and identify TDLR as the regulating agency, with the department’s mailing address, phone numbers, and website.12State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802 – Dog or Cat Breeders, Section 802.151 Missing those disclosures is one of the most common violations inspectors flag.
Local Zoning and Sales Tax
The state license does not override local rules. Many Texas cities and counties require a separate kennel permit or conditional use permit before you can run a breeding facility on residential property, and some cap the number of animals allowed on a residential lot regardless of your state license. Check with your city or county planning department before you spend money on facility improvements.
You also need a Texas sales tax permit from the Comptroller of Public Accounts, since puppy sales are taxable. TDLR requires the sales tax ID number on both your initial application and every renewal.
Penalties for Breeding Without a License
Operating as a breeder without a valid TDLR license is an administrative violation under Section 802.101(a), and the TDLR publishes an escalating penalty schedule. Breeding with an expired license carries a $750 fine on the first violation, $1,000 to $1,250 on the second, and $1,500 to $1,750 on the third along with a possible six-month probated suspension.13TDLR – Texas.gov. Licensed Breeders Penalties and Sanctions These state penalties stack with federal fines if you also needed and lacked a USDA license. TDLR runs regular inspections and follows up on complaints, so operating under the radar is harder than many new breeders assume.