France treats anyone who sells a puppy from their own bitch as a breeder, with registration, advertising and handover duties from the very first sale. Since 2022 every buyer must also sign a certificate of commitment and knowledge and wait seven days, and since 2024 pet shops may no longer sell dogs in store.
The most important first
- Anyone who sells at least one animal born from a breeding female they own is considered a breeder and must register to obtain a SIREN number. Special provisions apply to owners of pedigree (LOF) dogs who produce no more than one litter a year per tax household.
- Only identified puppies older than eight weeks may be sold or given away.
- Every sale advertisement must show the SIREN number, the puppies’ age, their identification number or the mother’s, whether they are LOF-registered, and the number of puppies in the litter.
- At handover, the buyer receives a transfer certificate, an information document, a veterinary certificate and the identification document.
- Since October 1, 2022, every buyer must sign a certificate of commitment and knowledge at least seven days before acquiring the dog, and since January 1, 2024 pet shops may not sell dogs in store.
Last updated: November 8, 2026
Rules last checked: November 8, 2026
We checked this page against the official sources listed below on the date above. Rules can change after that date, and no single page can cover every situation, so something that matters to you may have been amended since, or may not be covered here at all. Before you rely on it, check these as well:
- The Code rural: the rules on breeders, sales and advertising are in the Code rural and can change; check the current text on Légifrance.
- Your departmental service: the DDPP in your department inspects breeders and can tell you how the rules apply to you.
- The LOF provisions: the conditions for owners of LOF dogs with one litter a year are set out by the SCC and the law; check them before you advertise.
- EU rules: the EU welfare and traceability regulation applies in France from 2028 — see the European Union page.
- Business obligations: a breeding business has registration and tax obligations of its own.
Check the current rules at the source before each breeding year and before any sale that is new to you, such as a first litter or a first buyer in another state or country. Ask the authority in writing when the answer matters, and keep a dated note of what you checked and what you were told.
Last updated: November 8, 2026
Who is a breeder
According to French government guidance on the 2016 reform, anyone who sells at least one animal born from a breeding female they own is considered a breeder, and only breeders and pet shops may sell dogs. A breeder must register with the chamber of agriculture to obtain a SIREN number, have the required knowledge and skills, keep premises that meet the health and animal protection rules of the ministerial order of April 3, 2014, and declare the income from sales from the first animal sold. Owners who sell only LOF-registered dogs and produce no more than one litter a year per tax household fall under special provisions; the guidance refers them to the Société Centrale Canine (SCC) for the details. The general structure of breeding law is in laws, regulations and kennel clubs.
Selling or giving away a puppy
Only identified puppies older than eight weeks may be sold. A puppy given away free also has to be identified and over eight weeks, with a veterinary certificate, and the advertisement must say “gratuit”; no SIREN number is needed for a gift.
At handover, the buyer must receive:
- a transfer certificate (attestation de cession);
- an information document on the dog’s characteristics and needs;
- a veterinary certificate confirming good health;
- the dog’s identification document.
The government guidance cites fines of up to 7,500 euros for not registering for a SIREN number and up to 750 euros for leaving out required information in an advertisement. Keep copies of every handover document in your kennel records.
Advertising
Every advertisement for puppies for sale must include the SIREN number, the puppies’ age, their identification number or the mother’s, whether they are registered in a pedigree book (LOF), and the number of puppies in the litter. Under the 2021 animal welfare law, as described by the Senate’s 2025 report, private individuals may not sell pets online, and professionals may do so only on platforms with a dedicated section and prior identity checks.
The buyer’s certificate and the seven-day wait
Since October 1, 2022, anyone acquiring a dog must sign a certificate of commitment and knowledge (certificat d’engagement et de connaissance). According to the Ministry of Agriculture’s instruction of November 14, 2022, the certificate is issued by a qualified person, such as a veterinarian or a professional with the required credential, and becomes valid seven days after it is issued. The buyer cannot waive the delay, and the seller must check that the seven days have passed before the sale. The certificate does not expire and can be used for later acquisitions of the same species. In March 2025, according to the Senate report, the Conseil d’État ruled that the seven days run from the certificate’s issue, not its signature.
Pet shops
Since January 1, 2024, pet shops may not sell dogs or cats in store, and animals kept in shops may not be visible from the street. The Senate’s 2025 report notes that online sales by certain establishments remain possible, and that shows and fairs remain a permitted channel.
The EU rules
France follows the EU rules on pet movement, and the new EU regulation on the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats will apply here from 2028. Both are set out on our European Union page. See also exporting puppies and international sales.
What the kennel clubs say
The Société Centrale Canine (SCC) keeps the LOF, France’s pedigree register, and is the club the government guidance refers breeders of LOF dogs to. In FCI countries, national kennel clubs set their breeding rules on top of the FCI’s International Breeding Rules, which themselves set no age or litter limits.
Source: FCI, International Breeding Rules. National kennel clubs may set stricter rules.
Last updated: November 8, 2026
Rules change, so always check with your own kennel club.
Not confirmed, but worth noting
- The exact conditions for the LOF one-litter provisions. We could not open the current text of the Code rural on Légifrance or the SCC’s rules.
- Training requirements for breeders. Breeders must have the required knowledge and skills; we did not confirm which certificates or diplomas count today.
- Breeding limits. We did not find a minimum breeding age or a litter limit in French law in the sources we could read.
We could not confirm these points in the official text on the date checked, so treat them as questions to put to your authority, not as rules.
Last updated: November 8, 2026
In practice
A breeder with two LOF-registered bitches plans a second litter in the same year, which takes her outside the one-litter provisions. She registers for a SIREN number, updates her advertisement template with the SIREN, the puppies’ age, the mother’s identification number, the LOF status and the number of puppies, and sends every confirmed buyer the details of a veterinarian who can issue the certificate of commitment well over seven days before collection.
(Illustrative, composite scenario.)
Work on it
A few minutes here will teach you more than re-reading the article.
Ask yourself
- Does my breeding fall under the one-litter provisions for LOF dogs, or must I register as a breeder?
- Does every advertisement I publish show all five required items?
- Do my buyers sign the certificate of commitment at least seven days before collection?
Find out & check
- Ask your chamber of agriculture and your departmental animal protection service (DDPP) which obligations apply to your breeding.
Do one thing
- Make a handover checklist with the four documents every buyer must receive.
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Sources & further reading
- Préfecture des Ardennes — New rules for the trade in dogs and cats (government guidance, October 2015). ardennes.gouv.fr
- Ministère de l’Agriculture, DGAL — Instruction technique DGAL/SDSBEA/2022-835: certificat d’engagement et de connaissance (November 14, 2022). info.agriculture.gouv.fr
- Sénat, Commission des affaires économiques — Flash information mission on the rules for selling dogs and cats (June 11, 2025). senat.fr
- Your Europe — Travelling with pets and other animals in the EU. europa.eu
- Fédération Cynologique Internationale — International Breeding Rules of the FCI. fci.be
Where evidence is limited, recommendations rest on established practice and expert judgment, and may be updated as knowledge develops. This is general information, not legal or financial advice: requirements differ between jurisdictions and change over time — confirm the current rules with the authority named here and have your own situation reviewed by a qualified professional where you breed.
Next steps
- Read next: Breeding and selling puppies in the European Union.
- Related: Breeding and selling puppies in Sweden · Pre-breeding regulatory checklist: what to confirm before you breed.
- Return to the area hub: Becoming a responsible breeder.