Texas Dog Breeder Licensing Requirements

Under the Texas Dog or Cat Breeders Act (Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802), a person may not act as a dog or cat breeder without a license. The license applies to people who keep a certain number of intact adult female dogs or cats and breed them for direct or indirect sale or exchange. The license is triggered by having five or more adult intact female animals (six months or older) while being in the business of breeding them for sale or exchange. SB 876 (2023) lowered the number from 11 to five and removed the old requirement of selling 20 or more animals a year, with licensing for breeders with 5 to 10 females required starting January 1, 2024. Dogs bred mainly for herding, hunting, field trials, hunting tests, or conformation shows are exempt and are not counted (§ 802.005). Small hobby breeders who stay below the legal threshold generally do not need a state license, but local city or county kennel, zoning, or permit rules may still apply.

Licensing is handled by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which maintains a Licensed Breeders program with laws and rules posted on its website at https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/bre/laws-rules.htm. The rules for the dog or cat breeder program were created under the Texas Occupations Code Chapter 802 and set out licensing requirements and breeder responsibilities. Applicants should review the current TDLR application form, rules, and fee schedule before applying, since the agency sets the application steps and required documents. Contact TDLR for the current application package. Because facilities are subject to inspection, be prepared to allow an inspection of your breeding operation as part of or after the licensing process.

Under TDLR rule 16 TAC § 91.80, the license fee, for both original and renewal licenses, is $150 for 5 to 10 adult intact females, $300 for 11 to 25, and $500 for 26 or more. An out-of-cycle inspection costs $150, and fees are nonrefundable. A license is valid for one year (Tex. Occ. Code § 802.105). Check the TDLR Licensed Breeders page for the current fee schedule.

Texas law requires that breeding facilities be inspected by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. TDLR must inspect each facility before a license is issued (Occupations Code § 802.103) and at least once in every 18-month period after that (§ 802.062). Inspections may be unannounced. Inspectors review whether the facility meets state standards for the care of the animals. Failing an inspection or operating a substandard facility can lead to enforcement action by TDLR.

Licensed breeders in Texas must keep detailed records of their breeding operations. These records support TDLR's oversight and are part of a breeder's ongoing responsibilities under the program rules. TDLR requires a separate record for each animal showing the date it entered the facility, who it came from (name, address, phone, and any license number), a description (species, color, breed, sex, date of birth or approximate age, and weight), any tattoo or microchip number, its disposition and date, and its veterinary care. Breeding females also need records of breeding dates, whelping dates, litter sizes, and sires. Records must be kept at the facility for two years, and an annual inventory of all animals must be filed with TDLR by February 1 (§ 802.153). Breeders should review the current TDLR rules at https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/bre/laws-rules.htm for the exact record-keeping requirements.

Acting as a dog or cat breeder without a required license violates the Texas Dog or Cat Breeders Act and can lead to enforcement action by TDLR. Breeders who mistreat animals or run deplorable facilities may also face separate criminal charges; in one Eastern District of Texas case, a Hopkins County breeder was indicted on federal charges including acting as an animal dealer without a license and wire fraud, and pleaded guilty to wire fraud in July 2026. State animal cruelty laws apply to all breeders in addition to the licensing rules. Under Occupations Code § 802.251, violations are subject to TDLR's general enforcement powers: an administrative penalty of up to $5,000 per violation, with each day counted as a separate violation (§ 51.302), and denial, suspension, or revocation of a license (§ 51.353).