Do I need a licence to sell puppies in India?

Yes, if you breed dogs for sale. The Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, 2017 require a certificate of registration from the State Animal Welfare Board for each establishment, granted after an inspection by the Board's representative and a vet. The certificate is valid for two years and must be displayed at the premises.

At what age can puppies be sold in India?

Not before eight weeks. Rule 8 of the Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, 2017 bars the sale of pups less than eight weeks old, and the Pet Shop Rules, 2018 treat pups below eight weeks as un-weaned. Each pup sold must also be microchipped, vaccinated as required and in good health.

Is it illegal to sell puppies on OLX or Instagram?

Selling pets online without registration breaks the Pet Shop Rules, 2018, which say a pet shop includes online platforms over which pet animals are sold, and bar trading in pet animals without a certificate of registration. A seller should be able to show a State Board certificate under these Rules or the 2017 breeding rules.

What happens if a breeder is not registered?

The Rules let the State Board refuse or revoke registration, and an unregistered pet shop can be sealed and its animals confiscated after notice. Rule 10 of the 2017 Rules says that once an appeal is rejected, dogs over six months at the establishment are neutered and younger pups handed to an animal welfare organisation for adoption.

Can I give puppies away for free?

The 2017 Rules regulate breeding and sale, so giving pups away without payment, after eight weeks, to homes you have checked is the usual route for an accidental litter. Talk to your vet first, and consider an AWBI-recognised animal welfare organisation, which can also help with vaccination and finding good homes.

Petym Answers 7 min read

Is it legal to sell puppies at home in India?

Updated October 2026By PetymFacts checked against official sources on 21 October 2026

Quick answer

Only if you are registered. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing) Rules, 2017 say no one may breed or keep dogs for breeding and sale of dogs and pups without a certificate of registration from the State Animal Welfare Board. Even then, pups under eight weeks cannot be sold, and each pup sold must be microchipped.

The Rules contain no exception for a single litter or a home breeder, and selling through an online platform falls under the Pet Shop Rules, 2018, which need their own registration. If your pet has had an unplanned litter, finding homes through an animal welfare organisation, without selling, is the safer course; ask your State Board if unsure.

Who counts as a breeder under the 2017 Rules?

The Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules were notified as G.S.R. 496(E) on 23 May 2017 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Rule 2 defines a breeder as an individual or group of persons who own dogs of specific breeds for breeding and sale of dogs and pups, and says the term includes boarding kennel operators, intermediate handlers and traders. A trader includes anyone who sells dogs and pups from their own breeding facility, or acquired in any other manner.

Rule 3 then says no breeder shall carry on any breeding activity, or own or house dogs for breeding and sale, without a certificate of registration from the State Board for the establishment used. The Rules do not set a minimum number of dogs or litters, and we found no exemption for breeding at home. Rule 13 adds that a local authority cannot license a breeding establishment that has no State Board registration.

What must a registered breeder do before selling a pup?

Rule 8 sets the conditions for every sale. A buyer can use the same list to judge a seller.

Do not sell pups less than eight weeks old. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
Do not sell a dog over six months old without first sterilising it, unless the buyer is another licensed breeder. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
Sell only dogs in good health that have had their inoculations. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
Microchip each pup sold and keep a complete record of treatment and vaccination. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
Do not display pups in public places for immediate sale. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
Give each buyer a receipt, and keep a copy with the pup's microchip number and the buyer's name, address and phone number. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
Give the buyer, in writing, feeding details, the dates of inoculations and deworming, and the name and address of the vet who attended the pup. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
Screen buyers for their ability to care for the breed, and rehabilitate any pup not sold within six months through an animal welfare organisation. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)

Which rules apply to which kind of seller?

	Who registers you	Certificate valid for	Fee written in the Rules
Breeding dogs and selling pups (Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, 2017) Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)	State Animal Welfare Board, after an inspection by its representative and a vet	Two years, one certificate per establishment, not transferable	Rs 5,000, non-refundable, for registration and for each renewal
Selling or trading pet animals, including online (Pet Shop Rules, 2018) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Gazette copy on AWBI's site)	State Animal Welfare Board, with a vet's inspection within three months	Five years, one certificate per premises, not transferable	Rs 5,000, non-refundable, for registration and for renewal

Fees as written in the Gazette text of each set of Rules, read 21 October 2026. Your State Board may charge differently or have revised them; ask it before applying.

Is selling puppies online or on a classifieds app allowed?

Not without registration. The Pet Shop Rules, 2018 define a pet shop as any shop, place or premises where pet animals are sold or kept for sale, and say it includes online platforms over which pet animals are bought and sold, wherever the context permits. Rule 3 bars anyone from carrying on the business of selling or trading pet animals without a certificate of registration, and allows a State Board or SPCA to seal an unregistered shop and confiscate the animals, after notice.

The Pet Shop Rules also treat kittens and pups below eight weeks as un-weaned animals. A breeder registered under the 2017 Rules must not sell a dog to a pet shop that is operating without a licence.

What do people get wrong about selling puppies?

You may have read
It is only one litter from my own dog, so the rules do not apply.
Myth
What the sources say
The 2017 Rules define a breeder by owning dogs for breeding and sale. They set no minimum number of litters and contain no home exemption. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
You may have read
Six weeks is old enough to go to a new home.
Myth
What the sources say
Rule 8 bars selling pups less than eight weeks old, and the Pet Shop Rules treat pups under eight weeks as un-weaned. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
You may have read
Any female can be bred every season.
Myth
What the sources say
The Second Schedule says only healthy females over 18 months, certified by a vet, may be bred, not in two consecutive seasons, and no more than five litters in a lifetime. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
You may have read
Everyone selling puppies must already be registered, so it is fine to buy.
Myth
What the sources say
AWBI wrote to every State in December 2023 that, apart from Maharashtra, no State had reported how many breeders and pet shops it had registered. Animal Welfare Board of India

My dog has had puppies. What can I do?

If You want to find the pups homes
Give them free to homes you have checked, or through an AWBI-recognised animal welfare organisation, after eight weeks. Selling them is what the 2017 Rules regulate. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
If You want to breed regularly
Apply to your State Animal Welfare Board in Form I before you breed again, and meet the Second Schedule's housing, health and breeding standards. Animal Welfare Board of India (Gazette of India copy)
If You do not want more litters
Talk to your vet about spaying. Your vet decides the right timing for your dog.
If The mother or a pup seems unwell
Call your vet now. Newborn pups can go downhill quickly. Signs your pet needs a vet now

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Questions owners ask

Do I need a licence to sell puppies in India?: Yes, if you breed dogs for sale. The Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, 2017 require a certificate of registration from the State Animal Welfare Board for each establishment, granted after an inspection by the Board's representative and a vet. The certificate is valid for two years and must be displayed at the premises.
At what age can puppies be sold in India?: Not before eight weeks. Rule 8 of the Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, 2017 bars the sale of pups less than eight weeks old, and the Pet Shop Rules, 2018 treat pups below eight weeks as un-weaned. Each pup sold must also be microchipped, vaccinated as required and in good health.
Is it illegal to sell puppies on OLX or Instagram?: Selling pets online without registration breaks the Pet Shop Rules, 2018, which say a pet shop includes online platforms over which pet animals are sold, and bar trading in pet animals without a certificate of registration. A seller should be able to show a State Board certificate under these Rules or the 2017 breeding rules.
What happens if a breeder is not registered?: The Rules let the State Board refuse or revoke registration, and an unregistered pet shop can be sealed and its animals confiscated after notice. Rule 10 of the 2017 Rules says that once an appeal is rejected, dogs over six months at the establishment are neutered and younger pups handed to an animal welfare organisation for adoption.
Can I give puppies away for free?: The 2017 Rules regulate breeding and sale, so giving pups away without payment, after eight weeks, to homes you have checked is the usual route for an accidental litter. Talk to your vet first, and consider an AWBI-recognised animal welfare organisation, which can also help with vaccination and finding good homes.

Keep reading

Pet boarding and sitting licence in IndiaWhich other animal businesses need a registration.
Pet registration in India
Banned dog breeds in India
Animal cruelty law in India
Puppies: care and first months