Licensing, records and inspections, explained
Written from the regulations and the statutory guidance, with sources on every page. Updated when the rules change.
Licensing
The selling animals as pets licence in England: a plain-English guide
Who needs a licence to sell pets in England, what the 2018 regulations require, how the inspection and star rating work, and what it costs. With sources.
LicensingPet selling licences across the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compared
Each UK nation licenses pet sellers under its own law. This guide sets out which regulations apply where, who issues the licence, and the main differences.
LicensingAdvertising and selling rules for licensed pet sellers in England
What a pet advert must include, which animals can't be sold and at what age, what buyers must be told, and the rules on puppies and kittens under the 2018 regulations.
Records
The records a licensed pet seller must keep (and for how long)
The animal register, daily checks, written procedures and training records required by the 2018 regulations in England, what goes in each, and the three-year rule.
RecordsWritten procedures and policies a licensed pet shop needs
The written documents the 2018 regulations require of pet sellers in England: training policy, disease control, health monitoring, emergency plan and more.
Inspections
Pet shop star ratings explained: how 1 to 5 stars are decided
How councils in England combine welfare standards and risk into a 1 to 5 star rating for pet sellers, what each rating means for licence length, and how to improve yours.
InspectionsPreparing for your pet shop licence inspection: a checklist
What the inspector checks under the 2018 regulations, the records and documents to have ready, and a room-by-room checklist to run the week before the visit.