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 2,783 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.

About these licenses: USDA Class A (breeder) and Class B (dealer) licenses are issued under the federal Animal Welfare Act and cover many kinds of animals, not just dogs (for example cats, rabbits, and other regulated species). A licensee shown here holds a USDA license but may breed or deal in animals other than dogs, so inclusion in this database does not necessarily mean the licensee breeds dogs. Always verify a breeder's species, status, and details directly with the licensee and with USDA APHIS (opens in new tab) .

2,163 Class A Breeders
620 Class B Dealers
2026-10-21 Data as of

6,428 results found (Class A)

Including 4,277 inactive results (expired or formerly licensed). Active only

USDA licensee search results
Certificate # Type Name DBA City State Expires Inspections
43-A-4020 Class A Lela Hughs DBA: — TRENTON, MO Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-0638 Class A Lela R Wittmer DBA: — MONTGOMERY, IN Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-1072 Class A Leland D. Wagler DBA: — Odon, IN Exp: 10/15/2029 Active
42-A-1610 Class A Leland Rozeboom DBA: — Rock Rapids, IA Exp: 11/30/2028 Active
57-A-0220 Class A LEM MINISH DBA: — JEFFERSON, GA Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-0423 Class A LENA OBERHOLTZER DBA: — FREDERICKSBURG, IN Exp: — Formerly Licensed
21-A-0175 Class A Lena Sensenig DBA: — PENN YAN, NY Exp: — Formerly Licensed
31-A-0796 Class A Lena Troyer DBA: — BALTIC, OH Exp: — Formerly Licensed
32-A-0861 Class A Lendar Kennels DBA: — Topeka, IN Exp: 4/12/2027 Active
71-A-1397 Class A Lenny Hostetler DBA: — Pocahontas, AR Exp: 4/26/2029 Active
43-A-6401 Class A Lenzy Smith DBA: — LICKING, MO Exp: — Formerly Licensed
43-A-6261 Class A LENZY SMITH DEBORAH SMITH DBA: — LICKING, MO Exp: — Formerly Licensed
43-A-3286 Class A LENZY SMITH DEBORAH SMITH DBA: — LICKING, MO Exp: — Formerly Licensed
42-A-0164 Class A Leo and Alice Kenkel DBA: Sunset Kennels Harlan, IA Exp: 7/26/2029 Active
31-A-0718 Class A Leon A Miller DBA: — Fredericksburg, OH Exp: 7/17/2027 Active
31-A-0418 Class A Leon A Yoder DBA: — Fredericksburg, OH Exp: 11/23/2028 Active
32-A-1024 Class A Leon and LuAnn Yoder DBA: — Middlebury, IN Exp: 1/5/2029 Active
32-A-0927 Class A Leon Bontrager DBA: — Nappanee, IN Exp: 1/11/2028 Active
71-A-1291 Class A LEON HOSTETLER DBA: — HARTMAN, AR Exp: — Formerly Licensed
71-A-1347 Class A LEON HOSTETLER DBA: — HARTMAN, AR Exp: — Formerly Licensed
31-A-0712 Class A Leon I Miller DBA: — Millersburg, OH Exp: 5/16/2029 Active
31-A-0711 Class A Leon J Miller DBA: — Millersburg, OH Exp: 5/8/2027 Active
43-A-6360 Class A Leon Jay Troyer DBA: — Jamesport, MO Exp: 9/13/2027 Active
31-A-0609 Class A LEON MILLER DBA: — FRESNO, OH Exp: — Formerly Licensed
21-A-0146 Class A LEON NOLT DBA: — DUNDEE, NY Exp: — Formerly Licensed

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.