Hawaii Dog Breeder Licensing Requirements

As of now, no one in Hawaii needs a state dog breeder license, because the state has no dedicated commercial dog breeder licensing law. In 2026, lawmakers debated Senate Bill 2710, which would have defined a 'dog breeder' as a person who owns, possesses, controls, or otherwise has charge or custody of more than ten dogs over the age of twelve months with intact sexual organs and who sells or transfers more than three litters and more than twenty-five dogs per calendar year. However, the bill died: after passing Second Reading in the Senate on February 20, 2026, it was never heard by the Judiciary or Ways and Means committees and did not pass before the 2026 session adjourned, so that proposed threshold is not in effect. Breeders should still check county rules, since state law (HRS 143-2) requires dogs three months or older to be microchipped and licensed unless their county changes the licensing rule (Oahu and Kauai now use microchip registration instead of dog licenses), and separate zoning and animal quarantine requirements may apply.

Because Hawaii has no statewide dog breeder license, there is no state breeder application process to complete. Breeders may still have other obligations: for example, dogs must be microchipped and licensed or registered as their county requires (HRS 143-2), and importing dogs or cats into Hawaii involves the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity's Animal Quarantine Branch. Pet owners importing animals can use the state's online portal at the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to submit entry applications. Breeders operating a kennel should also review county zoning rules, which may require separate permits. If you breed enough animals to meet federal thresholds, you may also need a USDA license under the federal Animal Welfare Act.

There is no state dog breeder license fee in Hawaii because no such license exists. County dog licensing fees and any zoning or permit costs would be handled at the county level and are not addressed by a statewide breeder program. The 2026 bills that proposed a licensing system would have assessed regular fees through a licensing system, but SB 2710 left the fee amount blank for each county council to set, and none of these bills became law. Breeders who must obtain a federal USDA license would pay fees set under federal rules.

Hawaii has no statewide dog breeder inspection program because there is no state breeder license. The proposed 2026 legislation would have set care and condition standards for dog breeders, but the bill died in the 2026 session and was not enacted. Breeders subject to a federal USDA license would be inspected under the federal Animal Welfare Act. Animal cruelty and welfare laws still apply generally, and complaints may be handled by local humane societies and law enforcement.

Hawaii does not impose statewide record-keeping rules specifically for dog breeders, since there is no state breeder license. Breeders who import dogs or cats must keep the documentation required by the Animal Quarantine Branch, such as microchip, rabies, and health certificate records. Breeders selling across state lines may need a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and proof of current vaccinations to meet the receiving state's requirements. Those holding a federal USDA license must keep the records required under the federal Animal Welfare Act.

Because Hawaii has no state dog breeder license, there is no penalty for breeding without one. General animal welfare and cruelty laws still apply, such as cruelty to animals in the second degree (HRS 711-1109), which covers confining a pet in a kennel or cage in a cruel or inhumane manner and is a misdemeanor, or a class C felony if ten or more pet animals are involved; Hawaii's former animal hoarding law (HRS 711-1109.6) was repealed effective July 1, 2015. The 2026 bills that proposed penalties for breeders did not become law. SB 2710, whose amended version would have made care-standard violations a misdemeanor and set civil penalties of up to $1,000, stalled in Senate committees after February 20, 2026 and died when the session adjourned in May 2026. Breeders who need a federal USDA license and operate without one could face federal enforcement under the Animal Welfare Act.