---
title: "Breeding Dogs in Georgia: Pet Dealer License and Fees | DogServ"
description: "Breeding dogs in Georgia: when a GDA pet dealer license applies, what it costs, the eight-week puppy rule and the roadside sale ban, with a step-by-step plan."
url: "https://dogserv.com/breeding-dogs-in-georgia/"
lang: "en"
published: "2026-10-03"
image: "https://dogserv.com/og/blog-breeding-dogs-in-georgia.jpg"
alternates:
  es: "https://dogserv.com/es/vender-cachorros-en-georgia.md"
---

# Breeding Dogs in Georgia: When a Pet Dealer License Applies, Fees and the 8-Week Puppy Rule

By [Cal Hewitt](https://dogserv.com/authors/calvin-hewitt/) · Published October 3, 2026

![Calm Australian shepherd mother lying on a clean folded blanket beside three sleeping puppies and a water bowl on wide plank floors in a sunny farmhouse room](https://dogserv.com/blog/breeding-dogs-in-georgia/featured.jpg)

If you [breed dogs](https://dogserv.com/directory/dog-breeders/) in Georgia, you need a [Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) pet dealer license](https://www.agr.georgia.gov/pet-dealer-licenses) when you sell more than one litter in any 12-month period, or when you keep more than 30 adult dogs in a 12-month period. GDA describes the license as covering anyone who sells, offers to sell, exchanges or offers pets for adoption.

The annual fee is set by your gross sales and falls between $50 and $400 under O.C.G.A. § 4-11-3. The license lasts one year, starts with a pre-inspection, and carries a 100 percent late-renewal fee. Georgia Rule 40-13-13-.04 says puppies must be at least eight weeks old before sale. Do the count before you advertise or take a deposit.

### Key takeaways

- More than one litter sold in any 12-month period, or more than 30 adult dogs in 12 months, means a GDA pet dealer license.
- A litter is the young born to a pet animal at one time. An adult dog is a domestic canine over 12 months old.
- Georgia Rule 40-13-13-.04 requires puppies to be at least eight weeks old before sale. Six weeks is not safe to assume.
- The license costs $50 to $400 a year based on gross sales, lasts one year, and has a 100 percent late-renewal fee.
- An LLC, an EIN and a tax account are separate from the GDA license, and a state license does not replace city or county rules.
- Since July 1, 2025, commercial transfers of dogs at roadsides, parking lots and parks are banned under O.C.G.A. § 4-11-10.1.

## How many litters and adult dogs trigger the license?

GDA puts it in one sentence: dog breeders need a pet dealer's license if they sell more than one litter in any 12-month period or over 30 adult dogs in a 12-month period. So, one litter on its own does not cross the line. A second litter within the same 12 months does. Keeping 31 adult dogs does too.

The definitions come from Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 40-13-13-.01. A litter is "the young born to a pet animal at one time." An adult dog is "a domestic canine over 12 months of age." A litter of nine puppies is still one litter, and a puppy turns into an adult dog on its first birthday.

Start a simple log today. Write down each breeding date, each birth, each sale, exchange or adoption, who owns each dog, and how many adult dogs you hold each month. If your situation is unusual, such as shared ownership, a dog boarded at your house or a litter that leaves in stages, ask the GDA Companion Animal Program for a written answer before you rely on your count.

## Is it legal to sell puppies in Georgia, and can I sell one at six weeks?

Selling puppies is lawful when you meet the state, federal and local rules that apply to you. The age question is where people trip.

O.C.G.A. § 4-11-3 requires a license for a pet dealer or kennel operator, but it does not state a puppy sale age. The age comes from Georgia's administrative rule. Rule 40-13-13-.04(2) says pets that are sold, offered for sale, exchanged or offered for adoption must be at the minimum age to sell, and that "Puppies must be a minimum age of 8 weeks prior to sale." The same rule asks for written feeding and care recommendations when an animal is not yet independent of its mother.

So, can you sell at six weeks? Don't plan on it. Whether the rule reaches an occasional breeder who holds no license is a question for GDA or a Georgia attorney, and a wrong guess puts a buyer and a puppy at risk. Eight weeks is the number to build your schedule around. A buyer's contract can also ask for more, and federal and local rules may add their own conditions.

![Four-month-old chocolate Labrador puppy sitting on a braided rug in a bright farmhouse kitchen doorway beside a wooden toy basket](https://dogserv.com/blog/breeding-dogs-in-georgia/puppy-age.jpg)

## What does the pet dealer license cost?

O.C.G.A. § 4-11-3 sets the annual fee at no less than $50 and no more than $400. GDA says your actual fee depends on your total gross sales. The license lasts one year and renews every year. If it expires, renewal carries a 100 percent late fee, and GDA says that fee cannot be waived. Selling with an expired license breaks the Georgia Animal Protection Act rules.

Georgia pet dealer license: the numbers

| Item | Figure | Where it comes from |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ItemLitters sold that trigger a license | FigureMore than 1 in 12 months | Where it comes fromGDA Pet Dealer Licenses |
| ItemAdult dogs that trigger a license | FigureMore than 30 in 12 months | Where it comes fromGDA Pet Dealer Licenses |
| ItemAdult dog | FigureOver 12 months old | Where it comes fromGa. Comp. R. & Regs. 40-13-13-.01 |
| ItemMinimum puppy age | Figure8 weeks | Where it comes fromGa. Comp. R. & Regs. 40-13-13-.04 |
| ItemAnnual license fee | Figure$50 to $400, set by gross sales | Where it comes fromO.C.G.A. § 4-11-3 |
| ItemLicense term | Figure1 year | Where it comes fromO.C.G.A. § 4-11-3 |
| ItemLate renewal | Figure100 percent late fee | Where it comes fromO.C.G.A. § 4-11-3 and GDA |

Because the exact fee for your gross-sales level is set by GDA, ask the department for your number before you apply.

## How does the GDA application and pre-inspection work?

GDA lists these steps:

1.  Apply online.
2.  Give your physical and mailing addresses, contact information, gross sales, ownership information, and any relevant violations or cruelty charges.
3.  Receive a pre-inspection visit.
4.  Correct any problems the inspector finds.
5.  Submit secure-and-verifiable citizenship or residency documents.
6.  Pay after you are approved.
7.  Receive the certificate by mail, generally within one to seven business days after payment.

The license does not move forward until you pass the pre-inspection and the application is approved. For the inspection, Rule 40-13-13-.04 is the best preview. It covers transaction records, the eight-week puppy age, written care recommendations where they apply, and working fire extinguishers on licensed premises. Ask GDA for the current inspection requirements and fee for your sales level before you apply.

Rule 40-13-13-.07 also describes an exemption for a person who sells only animals the person produced. Conditions that can remove it include a [local animal-related business license](https://dogserv.com/georgia-dog-business-license-requirements/), a Georgia sales-tax number for an animal-related business, selling more than one litter in 12 months, and selling more than 30 adult animals in 12 months. Ask the GDA Companion Animal Program whether the exemption fits you before you rely on it.

![Adult Springer spaniel standing on a swept concrete floor in a tidy airy outbuilding beside a raised bed, a steel water bowl and a wall-mounted fire extinguisher](https://dogserv.com/blog/breeding-dogs-in-georgia/inspection-ready.jpg)

## Do I need an LLC, and how much does it cost to register a business in Georgia?

An LLC is not a breeder license. The Georgia Secretary of State handles LLC filings, and the Commissioner of Agriculture issues the pet dealer license. They are separate steps with separate offices.

If you decide an LLC suits your business, the [Georgia Secretary of State](https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-register-domestic-entity) lists these costs:

Georgia LLC costs (Secretary of State)

| Filing | Cost |
| --- | --- |
| FilingArticles of Organization | Cost$100 filing fee plus $10 service charge, $110 total |
| FilingAnnual registration | Cost$50 filing fee plus $10 service charge, $60 total |
| FilingLate annual registration | Cost$25 penalty |

Annual registration is due January 1 through April 1 each year, and the first one is due in the calendar year after you form the LLC. Missing it can lead to administrative dissolution.

Two more registrations sit outside the animal license. The IRS explains business structures and when you need an EIN. The [Georgia Department of Revenue](https://dor.georgia.gov/tax-registration) handles tax registration through the Georgia Tax Center, including [sales and use tax](https://dogserv.com/georgia-sales-tax-on-pet-services/) when the dealer definition applies to you. [Insurance](https://dogserv.com/dog-business-insurance/) and club memberships do not prove you are allowed to breed or sell puppies either. For more on the Georgia business side, see our guide to the general [dog breeder license requirements](https://dogserv.com/dog-breeder-license-requirements/).

## Does a state license replace city or county zoning and animal limits?

No. Georgia has no single statewide limit on how many dogs a home can keep. GDA says some cities and counties limit the number of animals on a property, and that a state license does not remove your local obligations.

Which office answers depends on your address:

- City limits: the city business-license or occupational-tax office, plus the planning or zoning office.
- Unincorporated land: the county business-license office and county zoning staff.
- Either way: local animal control, and the fire marshal or building department if the space is commercial or being altered.
- Private restrictions: your HOA or subdivision management.

Georgia has counties, not parishes, so start with the county clerk or planning office if you live outside a city. Questions to put to them:

- Is breeding or selling puppies allowed in my zoning classification?
- Do I need a home-occupation permit?
- Is there a [kennel or animal-keeping permit](https://dogserv.com/georgia-kennel-license/), and a maximum number of dogs?
- Do setback, noise, sanitation, parking or signage rules apply?
- Does the local rule cover a private litter, or only a commercial kennel?

![Old English sheepdog resting on the mowed lawn of a large fenced yard with a white picket gate, a magnolia tree and a brick ranch house behind](https://dogserv.com/blog/breeding-dogs-in-georgia/local-zoning.jpg)

## Does USDA licensing apply to puppies sold online or sight unseen?

Possibly, and it is a separate federal question. USDA APHIS says retail sellers who offer pets sight unseen to buyers generally need a federal license, subject to federal exemptions. Those exemptions involve animals bred and raised on the seller's premises and limits tied to the number of breeding females.

A Georgia count of litters does not answer that question. If you sell through an online process, deliver without the buyer and puppy being together, broker animals for others or keep several breeding females, contact USDA APHIS Animal Care. APHIS, not a Georgia agency, decides your federal status. Our [dog breeder license requirements](https://dogserv.com/dog-breeder-license-requirements/) page covers the broader federal rules.

## Can I sell puppies at a roadside, parking lot or park?

Not for a commercial transfer. HB 331 (Act 81) took effect on July 1, 2025. It created O.C.G.A. § 4-11-10.1 and amended § 4-11-16. Together they prohibit commercial transfers of dogs, cats and domestic rabbits at listed outdoor spots: roadsides, public rights-of-way, parking lots, sidewalks, parks, recreation areas, fairs, flea markets and similar transient locations.

Transfers at a residence, a veterinary office or another business establishment fall outside that ban, subject to the statute's terms. So, pick a place where the buyer can see the puppy, the dam and the home. Meeting in a store parking lot is exactly the situation the law targets.

![Pembroke Welsh corgi sitting on a covered Georgia farmhouse front porch beside a rocking chair and a potted fern with the front door open behind](https://dogserv.com/blog/breeding-dogs-in-georgia/private-meeting.jpg)

## What can a buyer do when a puppy turns out sick?

Georgia has no general statewide puppy lemon law that covers every private puppy sale. The Georgia Attorney General's consumer education office also says Georgia has no law that generally requires a business to give refunds or accept returns. What a buyer can do depends on the written contract, the advertisement, the payment record and the facts of the sale.

For sellers, that makes paperwork your best protection. Put the deposit terms, health statements, return language and dispute process in writing. Keep the ad, the messages, the receipt, the contract and the vet records.

For a buyer with a sick puppy, the routes are:

- Read the contract, and write to the seller asking for a response.
- File a complaint with the [Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division](https://consumer.georgia.gov/resolve-your-dispute/how-do-i-file-complaint) if the sale may involve an unfair or deceptive practice. The division does not act as a judge and cannot force a business to reimburse a buyer. It also offers a Spanish complaint form.
- Call the GDA Companion Animal Program about a suspected Animal Protection Act violation or an unlicensed seller.
- Call local animal control or law enforcement for suspected cruelty, neglect or an illegal public transfer.
- Talk to a Georgia attorney about contract, fraud, warranty or damages.

## Questions Georgia breeders ask

These answers are practical information, not legal, tax or veterinary advice.

### Is there a Georgia puppy lemon law?

Georgia does not have a general statewide puppy lemon law for every private sale. Your contract, the seller's statements and Georgia's deceptive-practice rules decide most disputes, so bring them to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division or a Georgia attorney.

### Can a groomer rehome puppies without a pet dealer license?

GDA defines the licensed activity as selling, offering to sell, exchanging or offering pets for adoption, and calling it "rehoming" does not by itself take a transfer out of that wording. Whether a [groomer](https://dogserv.com/starting-a-dog-grooming-business-in-georgia/) or [rescue](https://dogserv.com/directory/rescues/) needs a license depends on the facts, so ask the GDA Companion Animal Program before you advertise or accept money.

### Do I need a sales-tax number to sell puppies?

Georgia Department of Revenue registration through the Georgia Tax Center is separate from the GDA license, and sales and use tax registration applies when the state's dealer definition fits your sales. Ask the Department of Revenue about your situation, and note that under Rule 40-13-13-.07 a sales-tax number for an animal-related business is one of the conditions that can remove the occasional-seller exemption.

### Do I need an LLC to sell puppies, and does it replace the license?

An LLC is a Secretary of State filing that costs $110 to form, and it does not replace the pet dealer license. Whether you form one is a business and tax decision for you and your advisers.

### What are the new Georgia dog laws?

The newest one for breeders is the roadside-transfer ban in O.C.G.A. § 4-11-10.1, effective July 1, 2025. It bars commercial transfers of dogs at roadsides, parking lots, parks and similar outdoor locations.

## Your next step this week

I'd start with a call to GDA, because it can answer the three questions that decide everything: whether your count crosses the line, whether the eight-week rule reaches you, and what your fee would be. Then work down this list:

1.  Count litters sold, offered, exchanged or offered for adoption in the last 12 months, and count your adult dogs.
2.  Confirm your puppies will be at least eight weeks old at transfer.
3.  Ask your city or county about zoning and dog limits at your address.
4.  Decide whether an LLC fits, and whether you need an EIN or a Georgia tax account.
5.  Ask USDA APHIS Animal Care whether online or sight-unseen sales put you under a federal license.
6.  If you cross the GDA threshold, apply for the license and schedule the pre-inspection before you sell.
7.  Write your sales contract and keep every transaction, health and payment record.
8.  Choose a transfer spot that is a residence, vet office or business, not a roadside or parking lot.

Don't take a deposit until the first four are done. If you run a dog business and want customers to find you, you can [list your business on DogServ](https://dogserv.com/directory/add-a-business/).

**Quiz: Quick check: Georgia breeder rules**

1. What triggers a GDA pet dealer license for a breeder?
   - Selling any single puppy
   - More than one litter sold, or more than 30 adult dogs, in a 12-month period **(correct answer)**
   - Owning an LLC
2. What minimum puppy age appears in Rule 40-13-13-.04?
   - Six weeks
   - Seven weeks
   - Eight weeks **(correct answer)**
3. Does an LLC replace the GDA pet dealer license?
   - Yes
   - No, they are separate filings with separate agencies **(correct answer)**
   - Only for one litter
4. Where does the roadside-transfer ban apply?
   - Commercial transfers at roadsides, parking lots and parks **(correct answer)**
   - Only transfers at a residence
   - Only transfers of cats

## Sources

- **agr.georgia.gov**: [Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) pet dealer license](https://www.agr.georgia.gov/pet-dealer-licenses)
- **consumer.georgia.gov**: [Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division](https://consumer.georgia.gov/resolve-your-dispute/how-do-i-file-complaint)
- **dor.georgia.gov**: [Georgia Department of Revenue](https://dor.georgia.gov/tax-registration)
- **sos.ga.gov**: [Georgia Secretary of State](https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-register-domestic-entity)