Arizona Dog Breeder Licensing Requirements

Arizona does not have a statewide license made only for dog breeders. Available state and county sources show that kennel permits are handled at the county level, so the exact rules depend on where you live. Under A.R.S. 11-1001 and 11-1009, keeping five or more dogs in an enclosed, controlled area (a kennel) requires a kennel permit from the county board of supervisors, unless every dog is individually licensed. State law requires any kennel housing 20 or more dogs to allow county inspections as a condition of the permit, and smaller kennels may be inspected after a written cruelty complaint. Breeders who sell dogs directly to buyers may fall outside federal USDA rules, but those who sell sight-unseen or wholesale (online, by phone, by mail, to brokers, or to pet stores) with more than four breeding females may need a federal USDA license under the Animal Welfare Act.

Because there is no statewide breeder license, you usually apply for a kennel permit through your county. The permit process involves an application, a county-set fee, and the possibility of inspections, and in Maricopa County you apply to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control with a $350 fee, an Animal Control Officer inspects the kennel, and the Board of Supervisors approves the permit, which is valid for one year. The Arizona Department of Agriculture runs an Animal Services division and a Central Licensing division that handle certain agricultural and animal-related permits; the department does not license dog breeders or collect pet dealer records, but its State Veterinarian requires a health certificate showing current rabies vaccination for dogs brought into Arizona, so breeders who import dogs should check those rules at agriculture.az.gov. If you need a federal USDA license because you sell dogs sight-unseen with more than four breeding females, you apply through the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Contact your county Board of Supervisors or county animal control office to confirm the exact forms and documents required where you live.

There is no statewide breeder license fee in Arizona. State law (A.R.S. 11-1009) sets the annual kennel permit fee at $75 or the actual cost of recovery as determined by the county board of supervisors, so the cost varies by county; Maricopa County currently charges $350 per year. A person who fails to get a required kennel permit owes a $25 penalty on top of the annual fee. Individual dog license fees are set by each county. A federal USDA license, if required, carries its own separate fees set by APHIS.

Arizona does not run a statewide breeder inspection program. Under state law (A.R.S. 11-1009), a kennel that houses 20 or more dogs must allow inspections by the county enforcement agent as a condition of the kennel permit (kennels of hunting dogs are exempt), and a kennel with fewer than 20 dogs may be inspected after a written complaint alleging animal cruelty, and inspections may happen as part of the county permit process. What inspectors look for and how often they inspect depends on the county. Breeders who hold a federal USDA license are also subject to inspection under the Animal Welfare Act by USDA inspectors.

Arizona does not have a single statewide breeder record-keeping rule for all breeders. However, under A.R.S. 44-1799.10, pet dealers (pet store owners) must keep records verifying where they obtained each dog or cat for at least two years, open to inspection by local peace officers or enforcement officials, and they must display information about the source of animals for sale, including the breeder's name and USDA license number if applicable. Breeders who hold a federal USDA license must keep the records required under the Animal Welfare Act. Check county rules for any added record requirements.

Because Arizona relies on county kennel permits and dealer rules rather than one statewide breeder license, state law sets the main kennel permit penalties: a $25 penalty on top of the annual fee for failing to get a required permit, and a class 2 misdemeanor (up to 4 months in jail and a $750 fine) for knowingly failing to get one within 30 days after written notice from the county enforcement agent (A.R.S. 11-1009), and local ordinances may add more. Operating without a required county kennel permit, or without meeting commercial zoning and local business licensing, can lead to enforcement by county authorities. Breeders who need a federal USDA license but operate without one can face federal enforcement under the Animal Welfare Act. A proposed state bill (SB 1539) would have added civil penalties for breeders of dogs and cats, but it missed legislative deadlines and did not advance, so those specific penalties are not in effect.