South Carolina Dog Breeder Licensing Requirements

No State License

Last updated: 2026-10-03 Checked against official sources October 3, 2026

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Quick Summary

South Carolina has no statewide dog breeder licensing requirement. A bill called the South Carolina Humane Dog Breeding Act (Senate Bill 720) was introduced in December 2025 but never left the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee before the 2025-2026 session ended in May 2026, so it did not become law. It would have required professional dog breeders (those with 10 or more intact adult female breeding dogs, or who sell more than 15 puppies or more than two litters a year) to get a license from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and pass inspections.

License Required No (pending legislation)
Annual Fee N/A (no state license currently exists)
Threshold No state threshold (S. 720, which did not pass, would have set 10+ intact females or more than 15 puppies or two litters a year)

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Regulatory Agency: No dedicated state agency oversees dog breeder licensing today. The pending S. 720 bill would give this job to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Who Needs a License in South Carolina?

Right now, South Carolina does not require a statewide dog breeder license. According to the South Carolina Legislature's text of Senate Bill 720, lawmakers considered the 'South Carolina Humane Dog Breeding Act,' which would add Section 47-3-1110 and require a professional dog breeder to be licensed by the Department of Agriculture. Under the bill as introduced, a 'professional dog breeder' would be defined as someone who keeps 10 or more intact adult female dogs for breeding and selling, or who sells more than 15 puppies or more than two litters in a calendar year. Because the bill did not pass, breeding requirements come mostly from local county and city rules, and from the federal Animal Welfare Act, which applies to larger breeders who sell through pet stores or sight-unseen (online or shipped) sales. Local governments may classify commercial breeders and require local kennel licenses, but there is no state-level breeder license.

How to Apply

There is currently no statewide dog breeder license to apply for in South Carolina, so there is no state application process at this time. If Senate Bill 720 becomes law, applications would go to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, which the bill would authorize to set application standards, promulgate rules, and conduct inspections. The bill text states that a license would be valid for two years. Because the law is not yet in effect, no official application forms, fees, or contact details have been published for a state breeder license. Breeders should check with their county or city government about any local kennel license or permit that may apply in the meantime.

Fees and Costs

There is no statewide dog breeder license fee in South Carolina because no state breeder license currently exists. The Senate Bill 720 text did not set a license fee amount. Breeders may face local kennel license or permit fees set by their county or city, but these vary by locality and are not set by the state. Breeders who fall under the federal Animal Welfare Act would also pay USDA licensing fees, which are set by the federal government.

Inspections and Compliance

No statewide breeder inspection program exists in South Carolina today. Senate Bill 720, which did not pass, would have set a procedure for the inspection or reinspection of a professional dog breeder's premises, dogs, and records, and would require the county's chief law enforcement officer (sheriff or police chief) or an appointed inspection designee to inspect the premises before the Department of Agriculture issues a license. News reports say a Senate subcommittee discussed amendments, including microchipping and performance-based housing standards, but no amended version has been reported out of committee or adopted. Because the bill did not pass, these inspection rules do not apply.

Record-Keeping Requirements

South Carolina does not currently impose statewide recordkeeping rules specifically for dog breeders. Senate Bill 720, which did not pass, would have required professional breeders to maintain veterinary records, records of transfers, and recordkeeping for breeding dogs and puppies offered for sale, and records would have to be kept for at least five years. Separately, South Carolina Code § 47-1-200 prohibits importing or exporting a dog or cat under eight weeks of age unless it travels with its mother, so breeders who ship puppies across state lines should be able to document their ages. Breeders covered by the federal Animal Welfare Act must also follow USDA recordkeeping rules.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Because there is no state breeder license requirement yet, there are no state penalties specifically for breeding without a state license. South Carolina's general animal-cruelty laws still apply, and legislators in the 2025-2026 session proposed increasing penalties for cruelty to animals in bills such as H. 4721, which would set fines of $10,000 to $50,000, or prison time, for a third or later conviction for torturing or cruelly killing an animal (the bill has not advanced out of the House committee). As introduced, S. 720 would make operating without a license a misdemeanor punishable by fines of up to $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $3,000 for a third or later offense, and would bar a breeder whose license is suspended or revoked from reapplying for two years. The bill did not pass, so none of these provisions apply. Breeders should also follow local ordinances and the federal Animal Welfare Act, each of which carries its own penalties.

Sources and References

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