Search USDA-Licensed Dog Breeders and Dealers
Verify any USDA Class A breeder or Class B dealer against our mirror of the USDA APHIS public database. Search 2,928 active licensees by name, DBA, certificate number, or city. Every result links to a full profile with USDA inspection history since 2014.
What This Tool Does
This lookup mirrors the USDA APHIS Animal Care Public Search Tool (opens in new tab), refreshed monthly. Use it to confirm a dog breeder holds an active federal license under the Animal Welfare Act before buying a puppy, selling to a dealer, or inspecting the facility's compliance record.
Two USDA license classes appear in results:
- Class A — Breeder: Breeds and raises dogs on their own premises for sale. Required for breeders with more than 4 breeding females who sell dogs sight-unseen (online, by phone, or by mail).
- Class B — Dealer: Buys and resells dogs — typically brokers who purchase from breeders and sell to pet stores, research facilities, or directly to consumers.
Certificate format: USDA certificate numbers follow the pattern XX-Y-NNNN — two-digit state code, license class letter (A, B, C, or R), and a sequence number (e.g., 43-A-6252).
Not finding the breeder? They may be exempt from federal licensing (four or fewer breeding females, or face-to-face sales only), licensed only at the state level, or operating without a required license. Check the state-level breeder licensing rules that also apply.
Enter a name, certificate number, city, or select a state to search the USDA licensee database.
Data sources: Licensee data comes from the USDA APHIS Animal Care Public Search Tool (opens in new tab). Inspection reports are sourced from the Data Liberation Project (opens in new tab) (CC BY-SA 4.0), which compiles USDA APHIS inspection data from 2014 to present. Both are updated monthly. For the most current information, verify directly with USDA APHIS. This is not an official USDA tool.