Spain’s Law 7/2023 on the protection of the rights and welfare of animals, in force since September 29, 2023, sets national rules for everyone who keeps or breeds dogs. Its core rule for breeders is simple: only people registered in the official breeders’ registry may breed dogs, and dogs may be sold only by registered breeders. Several of its provisions depend on later regulations, and regional rules may also apply.
The most important first
- Only people registered in the Registry of Companion Animal Breeders may breed dogs, and commercial breeding by unregistered breeders is banned. The registry covers both commercial and occasional breeding.
- Dogs, cats and ferrets may not be sold in pet shops or displayed for sale; they may be sold only by registered breeders.
- A dog may not be sold, given away or offered for adoption unless it is identified and registered in the name of the person handing it over.
- Owners must prevent uncontrolled reproduction, and breeding that selects for traits causing serious health problems is banned.
- Dog owners must complete a free training course and hold civil liability insurance for the dog; how these work depends on regulations.
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:
- Regulations under Law 7/2023: the law leaves several points to regulations, including registry details, breeding categories and species standards; check which ones have been adopted.
- Your region: regional animal protection rules and registries may also apply; ask your autonomous community.
- The sale and breeding articles: check the current text of the law’s chapter on breeding and sale for selling age and advertising rules.
- EU rules: the EU welfare and traceability regulation applies in Spain 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
The breeders’ registry
Under Article 10, the Registry of Companion Animal Breeders (Registro de Criadores de Animales de Compañía) records breeders and their breeding animals, covering both commercial and occasional breeding, and is part of the central system of animal protection registries. Registration is made on the basis of a sworn declaration, and a breeder may start on the day it is filed. People disqualified from activities with animals or from owning animals may not be registered. Article 3 defines a registered breeder as the person responsible for breeding who is entered in this registry, and Article 26 says breeding may be carried out only by registered breeders. The general structure of breeding law is in laws, regulations and kennel clubs.
Selling a puppy
Article 27 lists the main prohibitions:
- commercial breeding of companion animals by breeders who are not registered;
- selling dogs, cats and ferrets in pet shops, or displaying them for commercial purposes — they may be sold only by registered breeders;
- selling, giving away or offering for adoption any animal that is not identified and registered in the name of the person handing it over;
- genetic selection that causes serious health problems.
Identify and register each puppy in your name before it leaves, and record the chip numbers and new owners in your kennel records. We could not open the articles on sales and breeding conditions further on in the law; see the note below.
Owners’ duties
Article 26 requires owners to prevent uncontrolled reproduction. Article 30 requires dog owners to complete a training course, which is free and valid for life, and to hold civil liability insurance for the dog. Several of the law’s duties depend on later regulations, so check which ones apply now before you advise buyers.
The EU rules
Spain 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 RSCE is the club listed for Spain 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. Under Law 7/2023, breeding a litter also requires registration in the national breeders’ registry, whether or not the litter is registered with a kennel club.
Source: FCI, International Breeding Rules. National kennel clubs may set stricter rules.
Last updated: November 8, 2026
Not confirmed, but worth noting
- Minimum selling age, advertising and breeding conditions. These are in the law’s chapter on breeding and sale, which we could not open in full. Selling from eight weeks is widely reported, but we did not confirm it in the text.
- The owner course and insurance. News reports in 2025–2026 describe delays and new rules on these duties; we did not confirm their current status.
- The RSCE’s own rules and full name. We could not open the RSCE’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 Spain who has had one litter at home plans another. She files a sworn declaration to enter the breeders’ registry before the mating, makes sure each puppy is microchipped and registered in her name before any reservation is finalized, and stops a planned sale through a local pet shop, since dogs may now be sold only by registered breeders.
(Illustrative, composite scenario.)
Work on it
A few minutes here will teach you more than re-reading the article.
Ask yourself
- Am I entered in the breeders’ registry, as the law requires for any breeding?
- Is every puppy identified and registered in my name before I hand it over?
- Do my buyers know about the training course and insurance that apply to dog owners?
Find out & check
- Ask your region which animal protection law and registry apply to you, and which regulations under Law 7/2023 are in force.
Do one thing
- Make a pre-handover checklist with identification, registration in your name and the transfer to the buyer.
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Sources & further reading
- Boletín Oficial del Estado — Ley 7/2023, de 28 de marzo, de protección de los derechos y el bienestar de los animales (consolidated text). boe.es
- 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.