Licence - breeding dogs – licence requirements

What sort of authorisation do I need to breed dogs for sale?

If you want to breed dogs in the Maidstone Borough for sale to the general public, you must have a Dog Breeding Licence from Maidstone Borough Council. You must abide by any conditions we apply to your licence.

Any dogs that you offer for sale must have been bred by you, and you may only sell them from your own licensed premises. If you wish to sell dogs bred elsewhere, you must apply for a Pet Shop licence.

You need Planning Consents or a Change of Use Certificate to use your premises for the purposes of a dog breeding business. Obtaining the right planning permission can be a long and complex process, and we will not be able to process your licence application until you are able to include such proof of consent in your application.

Hobby Breeders

If you breed dogs as a hobby, e.g. for the purposes of showing, rather than for sale, and produce less than five litters in any 12-month period, you may not need a licence. Please contact us if in any doubt, using the details to the right of this page.

Keeping an unlicensed dog breeding establishment carries penalties of imprisonment for up to three months, or a fine up to level 4 on the standard scale (currently £2,500) on conviction. Breaking the terms of your licence can result in being disqualified from keeping a dog breeding establishment in the future or even from keeping a dog at all

Legal Regulations

Dog breeding is regulated under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, as amended by the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991 and the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999.  

This legislation controls many aspects of dog breeding, from the conditions under which dogs can be kept to the frequency of breeding for bitches.

Am I eligible?

To be considered for a Dog Breeding Licence, you must never have been disqualified from:

• Keeping a dog breeding establishment
• Keeping a pet shop under the Pet Animals Act 1951
• Having custody of animals under the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954
• Boarding animals, under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963

We will also consider very seriously any other previous offences relating to the mistreatment of animals or negligence in the care of animals, or any evidence of the same.

How much do licences cost, and how often are they renewed?

The fee for Dog Breeding Licences varies depending on the number of breeding bitches you keep. Licences are renewable annually with payment of the appropriate fee.  Please see the tariff below:

Breeding of Dogs

Up to 5 bitches: £252

6-10: £378

11-15: £487

16-20: £615

How do I apply?

You will need to complete the form for Dog Breeding Licences.

As part of your application, you will need to provide:

• Details on the age, breed and genders of dogs you intend to keep
• The address of the premises where the animals will usually be housed
• A detailed plan of your premises including all relevant features, such as emergency access, any public areas, animal accommodation, exercise areas, water and electricity access etc., and storage areas. If you need any advice on preparing these plans, please contact us.
• Your planning certificates allowing you to use your premises exactly as you intend
• A copy of your Public Liability Insurance to cover any damage or injury your dogs may cause

We strongly recommend that you arrange appropriate insurance to fully cover your stock, including any possible expenditure on veterinary bills in the event of ill-health or accident. If you employ anyone in your business, you must also obtain appropriate Employer’s Liability Insurance.

Please complete the application form and return it with payment to:

The Licensing Team, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6JQ.

Please make cheques payable to Maidstone Borough Council.

Alternatively, please contact the Licensing Team on 01622 602727, and they will post you paper copies of the forms to fill in and return to us.

What happens next?

Once everything has been received, applications take 30 calendar days to process. During this time, we recommend you stay in touch, as we may need further information from you. We will contact you within 3-8 days of receiving your application to arrange a pre-inspection visit, which will take place within 10 days of receipt.

How will my application be assessed?

During the inspection of your premises and the assessment of your application, we will need to ensure that:

• Any dog accommodation will be suitably constructed and of suitable size and capacity for the number of dogs kept, with suitable exercise facilities, and will be kept at appropriate temperature, lighting, ventilation, drainage and cleanliness levels
• All dogs will be supplied with adequate and suitable food, drink and bedding material, will be adequately exercised, and will be visited at suitable intervals
• An appropriate emergency plan is in place to protect the dogs in case of fire or other incident
• Health precautions are in place to prevent and control the spread of infectious or contagious diseases
• All appropriate measures are taken to provide the dogs with suitable food, drink, bedding material and exercise when being transported to and from the breeding establishment

Also, there are controls on the frequency and age at which any bitches in your care or the care of your relatives may give birth. Bitches must not:

• Be mated if they are less than one year old
• Give birth to more than six litters of puppies each in their lifetimes
• Give birth to puppies before the expiry of twelve months beginning with the day they last gave birth

Accurate records must be kept in a prescribed format at your premises. You must make them available for inspection on-site by any officer of Maidstone Borough Council, or any veterinary professional authorised to inspect the premises.

We may also place other conditions on your licence to ensure the welfare of your animals and the protection of public health.

Once we are satisfied with your arrangements and have fully processed the licence, we will issue you with your licence certificate.

What do I do if I want to complain?

If you are unhappy with the service you have received from Maidstone Borough Council, you can view our complaints policy or make a complaint.

More information on protecting pets from cruelty is available on the website of the Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.

If you have any concerns over animal welfare or public safety in relation to a dog breeding establishment near you, or which you have visited, please contact us immediately using the details to the right of the screen.