In Italy, the rules that every breeder meets first are about identification: each puppy must be microchipped and entered in the dog registry (anagrafe canina) in its first 60 days, and a dog that is not identified and registered may not be sold or given away. The regions run the registries and apply the rules, so this page uses the published regional rules of Lazio and Tuscany as examples.
The most important first
- Every dog must be microchipped and registered in the regional dog registry within 60 days of birth, and in any case before any change of ownership. The microchip alone is not enough: registration happens at the same time as identification.
- Puppies under two months old may not be sold or transferred, except orphaned puppies or those separated from their mother for health reasons with a veterinary certificate.
- Dogs that are not identified and registered may not be sold or transferred.
- Changes of ownership, residence, loss and death must be reported to the local health authority; in Lazio, within 15 days.
- Only veterinarians of the local health authority (ASL) or accredited private veterinarians may identify and register dogs.
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:
- Your region: each region runs its own dog registry and may set its own rules on breeding and selling; check your region’s current rules.
- Your ASL: the local health authority registers dogs and can tell you which notifications apply to a breeder.
- National rules: national rules on identification and on the sale and import of puppies can change; check the Ministry of Health.
- EU rules: the EU welfare and traceability regulation applies in Italy 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
Identification and registration
According to the Region of Lazio’s guidelines for the regional dog registry, dogs must be microchipped within 60 days of birth and before any transfer of ownership, and registered at the same time. Only ASL veterinarians or accredited private veterinarians may identify and register animals. The person who registers the dog is its responsible owner and must be an adult, and the registration certificate stays with the dog. Registration is compulsory for dogs; for cats and ferrets it is voluntary unless they are sold commercially.
The Region of Tuscany gives the same 60-day deadline, and adds that anyone who takes responsibility for a dog older than 60 days must check whether it is registered and, if not, have it identified and registered immediately. The general structure of breeding law is in laws, regulations and kennel clubs.
Selling or giving away a puppy
Under the Lazio guidelines, dogs that are not identified and registered may not be sold or transferred, and puppies under two months old may not be sold, except orphaned puppies or puppies separated from their mother for health reasons, as certified by a veterinarian. When a dog is sold or transferred, the seller must notify the local health authority with the new owner’s details; in Lazio, changes must be reported within 15 days. Record each chip number and transfer in your kennel records.
Breeding
We did not find national limits on breeding age or litters in the sources we could open, and rules on breeding establishments may be set by your region. Ask your region and your ASL which rules apply to your breeding before your first litter.
The EU rules
Italy 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
ENCI is the club listed for Italy by the FCI. 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. The identification and sale rules on this page apply whether or not a litter is registered with ENCI.
Source: FCI, International Breeding Rules. National kennel clubs may set stricter rules.
Last updated: November 8, 2026
Not confirmed, but worth noting
- National law. We could not open the Ministry of Health’s pages, the national ordinance on dog identification or Law 201/2010 on the illegal trade in pets, so this page relies on regional rules.
- Rules for breeding establishments. We did not confirm how regions define and authorize dog breeding.
- ENCI’s own rules. We could not open ENCI’s rule documents.
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 in Lazio plans her litter’s paperwork from the start. She books an accredited veterinarian to microchip and register all the puppies at seven weeks, well inside the 60-day limit, so that each one is registered before it can be sold at two months. She keeps a form for each buyer with the details the ASL needs, and reports every transfer within the 15 days.
(Illustrative, composite scenario.)
Work on it
A few minutes here will teach you more than re-reading the article.
Ask yourself
- Will every puppy be microchipped and registered within 60 days and before it leaves?
- Do I report every change of ownership to the ASL in time?
- Do I know which regional rules apply to breeding where I live?
Find out & check
- Ask your ASL and your region whether your breeding needs an authorization or a notification, and how they count breeding activity.
Do one thing
- Put the 60-day registration deadline for your next litter in your calendar the day the puppies are born.
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Sources & further reading
- Regione Lazio — Guidelines for the regional registry of dogs and companion animals (annex to DGR 920/2006). regione.lazio.it
- Regione Toscana — Anagrafe animali d’affezione (updated June 8, 2022). regione.toscana.it
- 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 France.
- Related: Breeding and selling puppies in the European Union · Pre-breeding regulatory checklist: what to confirm before you breed.
- Return to the area hub: Becoming a responsible breeder.