Ireland regulates dog breeding through its local authorities, with national laws on breeding establishments, microchipping and the sale of pet animals. A major reform of the breeding law was proposed in May 2026 and has not yet been passed, so this page sets out what applies now and, separately, what the government has proposed.
The most important first
- Premises where six or more bitches over six months old and capable of breeding are kept must be registered as a dog breeding establishment with the local authority.
- A dog or cat may not be sold or supplied before eight weeks of age, and a dog may not leave the place where it was born, or be sold or supplied, until it is microchipped and registered.
- Advertisements for dogs must show the dog’s age, microchip number and country of origin, and the seller’s registration number where the seller must be registered.
- Every dog over four months old needs a dog license; a general license covers multiple dogs kept in one place, such as a kennel.
- In May 2026 the government proposed limits on breeding age, litters and cesareans and a ban on third-party sales. These are proposals until the law is passed.
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 reform Bill: the proposed breeding limits and sales rules apply only once the Bill is passed and commenced. Check its status before each breeding year.
- Your local authority: registration, inspections and dog licenses are handled locally; ask your council how it applies the rules to your premises.
- The guidelines: the national guidelines for dog breeding establishments set detailed standards; ask your local authority for the current version.
- EU rules: the EU welfare and traceability regulation applies in Ireland 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 must register
Under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010, a dog breeding establishment is a premises where at least six bitches are kept that are over six months old and capable of breeding. It must be registered with the local authority, which can inspect it. Revised national guidelines for breeding establishments have applied since January 1, 2019; according to the government’s announcement, they gave clearer guidance on socializing puppies, put more weight on record keeping, reduced the staff-to-breeding-bitch ratio from 1:30 to 1:25, and confirmed that local authority veterinary services can make unannounced inspections. The general structure of breeding law is in laws, regulations and kennel clubs.
Separately, the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pet Animals) Regulations 2019, in force since February 1, 2020, require people who sell or supply pet animals to register as sellers, with an exemption for anyone who sells or supplies no more than five pet animals in a calendar year, and for holders registered under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act.
Breeding limits: what applies now and what is proposed
We could not find a minimum breeding age, a litter limit or a cesarean limit in the law as it stands; the government’s proposals would add them. On May 19, 2026, the Minister for Agriculture announced a draft General Scheme to amend the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. It proposes:
- no breeding from a female under 12 months, or over eight years without written veterinary certification;
- no more than one litter a year and four in a lifetime, extendable to six with veterinary approval;
- no breeding after two cesarean sections;
- puppies at least eight weeks old before they leave the premises, sold only from the place where they were born and raised and seen with their biological mother, and a ban on third-party sales;
- a staff ratio of one worker per 20 breeding dogs, inspection before a new establishment is registered, a national online register and higher penalties.
The government has asked for priority drafting of a Bill, and the proposals have gone to the Oireachtas agriculture committee for pre-legislative scrutiny. No commencement date has been set. Our article on litter limits and age rules compares limits in other countries.
Selling a puppy
Under the 2019 regulations, a dog may not be sold or supplied before it is eight weeks old. Under the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015, a dog must be microchipped and registered by 12 weeks of age, and before it is moved from the place where it was born or sold or supplied. Only a veterinarian, a veterinary nurse or a trained implanter listed on a database website may microchip and register it, and the operator or staff of a breeding establishment may not do it.
At the sale, the seller must see the buyer’s identification and a utility bill from the past three months, write the buyer’s name and address on a copy of the certificate of registration, give it to the buyer, and notify the microchip database of the buyer’s details. Record each chip number and handover in your kennel records.
Advertising
Under the 2019 regulations, an advertisement for a dog must include the dog’s age, its microchip code and its country of origin, and the seller’s registration number where the seller must be registered. A registered breeding establishment includes its own registration number.
Dog licenses
Every dog over four months old must be licensed, with an annual or lifetime license, and must wear a collar with a tag showing the owner’s contact details. Kennel owners can buy a general dog license from the local authority, which covers the kennel and all dogs in it for 12 months.
Imports and exports
A dog brought into Ireland must be microchipped and registered within 21 days. Ireland follows the EU rules on pet movement and the new EU welfare and traceability regulation, which are set out on our European Union page. Ireland is one of the countries that require tapeworm (Echinococcus) treatment for dogs arriving under the pet movement rules. See also exporting puppies and international sales.
What the kennel clubs say
The Irish Kennel Club announced in its Rule 233, effective January 1, 2018, that it does not register litters from a bitch under 12 months or over eight years at mating, or from a sire under seven months or over 12 years, unless supported by satisfactory veterinary evidence. A bitch may have no more than three litters in any three-year period and no more than four in her lifetime, and no more than two litters delivered by cesarean section.
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: The Irish Kennel Club, Rule 233 (notice, 2018) and 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
- Breeding limits in the current law. We found no minimum breeding age or litter limit in the Act or in the government’s description of the 2019 guidelines, but we could not read the full 2019 guidelines.
- The Irish Kennel Club’s current rule text. The limits above come from the club’s 2018 notice; check the current registration rules with the club.
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 five breeding bitches keeps a promising young female from her last litter, and when that female turns six months the household has six bitches over six months. Before her first season the breeder contacts the local authority about registering as a dog breeding establishment, books a vet to microchip the next litter before any puppy leaves, and updates her advertisement template with each puppy’s age, chip number and country of origin.
(Illustrative, composite scenario.)
Work on it
A few minutes here will teach you more than re-reading the article.
Ask yourself
- How many bitches over six months old and capable of breeding do I keep, and when will the next one reach six months?
- Do my advertisements show each dog’s age, microchip number and country of origin?
- Would my breeding plans still fit if the proposed limits become law?
Find out & check
- Ask your local authority whether you must register, and follow the progress of the Bill to amend the Dog Breeding Establishments Act.
Do one thing
- Write down the age, litter dates and cesareans of each of your breeding bitches, so you can check them against the limits if they are passed.
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Sources & further reading
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine — Minister Heydon announces new legislative changes to improve standards for dog breeding establishments (May 19, 2026). gov.ie
- gov.ie — Minister Kyne announces publication of revised guidelines for dog breeding establishments (updated April 11, 2025). gov.ie
- Irish Statute Book — S.I. No. 63/2015, Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015. irishstatutebook.ie
- Irish Statute Book — S.I. No. 681/2019, Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pet Animals) Regulations 2019. irishstatutebook.ie
- LocalGov.ie — Dog ownership (dog licenses, microchips and identification). localgov.ie
- gov.ie — General dog licence for kennel owners. gov.ie
- Your Europe — Travelling with pets and other animals in the EU. europa.eu
- The Irish Kennel Club — Attention breeders: new rules from January 2018 (Rule 233). ikc.ie
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 United Kingdom.
- 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.