New York Dog Breeder Licensing Requirements

In New York, breeders and sellers who act as "pet dealers" must be licensed by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets under Article 26-A of the Agriculture and Markets Law. State sources and the related "Pet Lemon Law" indicate this generally covers anyone who, in the normal course of business, sells more than nine animals in a year directly to the public for profit. Very small hobby breeders who fall below this threshold are typically not required to hold a state pet dealer license, though this can change with local rules. As of the search results, lawmakers were considering bills (such as A.8653/S.8252 and A.9123) that could change who must be licensed, but recent amendments reportedly kept the licensing threshold at current law, so no lower threshold appears to be in effect yet. Breeders should also check whether their city, town, or county requires a separate kennel permit or business license.

Applications for a Pet Dealer License are handled by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Division of Animal Industry. The agency maintains an online system of licensed pet dealer records and inspection reports at apps.agriculture.ny.gov, and general information is available at agriculture.ny.gov. Applicants should be prepared to provide business and facility information and to allow inspection of their premises. Because exact forms and steps are not fully detailed in the available sources, breeders should contact the Department of Agriculture and Markets directly to confirm the current application package and any supporting documents needed.

New York uses tiered license fees based on how many animals are sold. Based on prior on-file data, sellers of roughly 9 to 25 animals per year pay a lower fee and those selling more than 25 animals per year pay a higher fee; the on-file amounts were about $25 for the lower tier and $100 for the higher tier. This run's search results did not restate the exact dollar amounts, so the fee figures should be confirmed directly with the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Available sources do not specify a separate inspection fee.

Licensed pet dealers in New York are subject to inspections by the Department of Agriculture and Markets, Division of Animal Industry, which posts inspection reports online. Inspectors review items such as license status, whether the license is displayed, record keeping, holding periods, and the source and age of animals, citing provisions of Article 26-C of the state regulations. A recent 2025 law (enacted as part of Chapter 683) also established mandatory licensing, enforceable care standards, and regular inspections for municipal and not-for-profit shelters and rescues that house cats and dogs. If a facility does not meet standards, it can be cited and may face enforcement action.

Pet dealers must keep records as required under Article 26-C of New York's regulations, and inspection reports specifically check record keeping and protocols. Records that inspectors review include the source of animals (for example, whether a dog under one year came from a USDA breeder) and compliance with mandatory holding periods. The available sources confirm that record keeping is an inspected requirement but do not spell out the full list of documents or how many years records must be kept. Breeders should confirm the exact record-keeping rules with the Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Breeders and sellers who operate without a required license or who violate the rules can face enforcement action by the Department of Agriculture and Markets. General New York animal-welfare law also carries penalties; for example, "Buster's Law" makes aggravated cruelty to animals a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Some proposed breeder legislation described fines of $100 per violation for breeders who fail to correct cited problems, but that figure comes from non-official sources and appears tied to pending bills rather than current law. Exact civil and criminal penalties for unlicensed pet dealing should be verified with the state agency and statute.