Pet selling licences across the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compared

Animal welfare is devolved, so a business that sells pets is licensed under different law depending on where each site is. The requirements are broadly similar in spirit (a licence from the local authority, conditions on housing, care, records and sales, and inspections), but the regulations, their dates and some details differ. This guide gives the map; the links under Sources take you to each set of rules.

At a glance

England

The 2018 regulations (SI 2018/486) replaced the Pet Animals Act 1951 licence in England. Selling animals as pets is one of five licensable activities, with general conditions in Schedule 2 and specific conditions in Schedule 3. Licences last one to three years depending on a star rating from 1 to 5. Since April 2020 licensed sellers may only sell puppies and kittens they bred themselves.

We cover England in depth in the selling animals as pets licence in England and star ratings explained.

Scotland

The Scottish 2021 regulations (SSI 2021/84) came into force on 1 September 2021 and require a licence from the local authority for selling animals as pets in the course of a business, including selling for resale and keeping animals with a view to selling them.

The Scottish Government’s guidance for pet sellers sets out how councils decide whether someone is operating “in the course of a business”. They are told to consider whether the person aims to make a profit, earns commission or fees, how often they sell and how many animals they keep for sale, along with signs like Companies House registration, premises open to the public, animals re-advertised quickly after purchase, and the variety of species traded. Low sales volume doesn’t automatically mean a licence isn’t needed, especially where prices or margins are high. Hobby breeders who breed three or more litters of dogs or cats, or six or more litters of rabbits, in a year are directed to the breeding licence instead. Horses and other equines aren’t normally treated as pets.

Licence conditions in Scotland follow the same broad structure as England (environment, diet, monitoring, handling, protection from disease, emergencies, records and sales rules) but the detail is in the Scottish schedules and guidance, which you should read for your own sites.

Wales

The Welsh 2021 regulations (WSI 2021/416, W. 135) came into force on 10 September 2021 and license selling animals as pets in Wales. Schedule 5 of the regulations repeals the Pet Animals Act 1951 licensing provisions for Wales. Licences are issued by the local authority for the area where the activity takes place.

The Welsh Government’s guidance for local authorities explains the licensing criteria. As in Scotland, the test is whether animals are sold in the course of a business, and the guidance lists similar signs: a business that sells animals, Companies House registration, premises open to the public where animals can be bought. Infrequent sales of surplus offspring by hobby breeders and non-commercial rehoming are excluded. Selling pet animals as a business from a market or stall remains prohibited.

Wales has its own statutory guidance and schedules of conditions. If you run sites in Wales, work from the Welsh documents rather than the English ones; the headings look alike but the paragraph numbers and some requirements differ.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland did not adopt the 2018 or 2021 model. Pet shop licences are administered by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA): you apply through a local DAERA veterinary office, DAERA inspects the premises, and the licence runs for one year and must be renewed annually. GOV.UK gives the application fee as £20 at the time of writing; check with DAERA for current figures and conditions, which can be attached to each licence.

Running sites in more than one nation

• One licence per site, under that nation’s regulations. A licence can’t be transferred across the border.
• Records travel better than licences. Every nation expects an animal register, daily care records, written procedures and staff training records. If you keep the same records everywhere, the differences come down to wording and the specific conditions you map them to.
• Check the specific conditions for each nation before relying on a policy written for another. Sale rules, advertising requirements and the paperwork given to buyers are the areas most likely to differ.
• Welsh language. If you have customers or staff in Wales, offering care information and records in Welsh is good practice, and some councils will expect it.

PetCompli keeps a separate licence record, conditions and evidence for each site, so a group with shops in England and Wales can manage both from one place. Book a demo

This guide explains the law and statutory guidance in plain English for licensed pet businesses. It isn't legal advice: check the current legislation and your own licence conditions, and ask your local authority's licensing team if you're unsure. Last reviewed 14 October 2026.