Pet Shop Licence

How to apply for a pet shop licence and guidance on the process

Introduction

If you want to run a business that sells animals as pets, you will need a licence.

When we get your application, we’ll arrange an inspection. We’ll check licence conditions that cover:

  • accommodation
  • food, drink and exercise
  • precautions to prevent the spread of disease
  • measures in the event of an emergency
  • records kept at the premises

After inspection, you’ll get a star rating between 1 and 5. You can find out more about the rating system in the DEFRA guidance notes.

We strongly advise you to read Guidance Notes for Selling Animals as Pets for more information on best practice.

Application form

To apply for this licence please complete the animal boarding application form

Report unlicensed pet shop

If you know or suspect someone is selling animals as pets without a licence, you can report it to us by using our contact us page.

We will investigate reports to check if the premises has a licence.

Fees and charges

Current fees and charges can be found on our Fees and charges page.

Register of licensed animal businesses

You can find a list of registered animal businesses on our public registers page.

Last updated: November 15, 2024

Next review due: May 15, 2025

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