🔹 General advertising requirements
What are the rules for advertising a dog for sale or rehoming?
By law, people advertising puppies or dogs for sale or transfer must include certain information.
| For dogs born before 1 December 2025 | For dogs born from 1 December 2025 |
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Get started on the NSW Pet Registry.
Are there any exceptions to this requirement?Â
- If a dog over the age of 6 months is being sold or transferred and there is a breeder identification number or rehoming organisation number recorded in the NSW Pet Registry, the dog’s microchip number; or a breeder identification number or rehoming organisation number can be used.
- If a dog being sold or transferred is under 8 weeks of age, the microchip of the female parent may be displayed and be clearly identified as the female parent along with the breeder identification number or rehoming organisation number, instead of the puppy’s microchip and breeder identification number.
- If the dog being sold is a retired greyhound, the greyhound racing industry participant number allocated under the Greyhound Racing Act 2017 may be used in lieu of a breeder identifier number, requirements for the animals microchip number still apply.
Why do I need a breeder identification number?Â
The requirement for a breeder identification number helps people looking to buy dog learn more about their dog and current owner.
This enables people to do further research and make informed purchasing decisions and promotes responsible dog breeding and selling.
Animal welfare enforcement agencies are also able to use this information to identify unethical breeders and to enforce animal welfare laws.
I don't breed dogs commercially. Do I need to comply with these requirements?Â
Yes, the requirement applies to everyone who is selling or transferring a dog.
I am a rehoming organisation not designated under section 88B of the Companion Animals Act. How do I comply? Â
Rehoming organisations not designated under section 88B of the Companion Animals Act 1998 can apply for a breeder identification number (BIN) to meet the new legislative requirements starting 1 December 2025.
🔹 How to comply
How do I get an identification number?
Microchip number
To get a microchip number, take your dog to a veterinarian or other authorised identifier to have it microchipped. If the dog is already microchipped, they can scan it to give you the microchip number.
In NSW, all dogs, other than exempt dogs, must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age or before being sold or transferred, whichever happens first. To learn more about your responsibilities visit. Microchipping and registration | Office of Local Government.
Breeder identification number
Breeder identification numbers are free and available through the NSW Pet Registry.
Rehoming organisation number
Rehoming organisations must apply for designation as a rehoming organisation under section 88B of the Companion Animals Act 1998 to receive a rehoming organisation number.
Which identification number should I use?
Any advertisement for the sale or transfer of dogs born after 1 December 2025 must include the dogs’ microchip number and the breeder’s identification number. If the breeder is unknown (such as through a rehoming organisation) the rehoming organisation number must be used instead.
In circumstances where an advertisement is not made, this information must still be provided to the purchaser before or at the time of sale.
Information required:
| For dogs born before 1 December 2025 | For dogs born from 1 December 2025 |
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My puppy does not yet have a microchip and I want to advertise them? How can I comply with the requirements? Â
If you are advertising a puppy under 8 weeks of age that is not microchipped you must use your breeder identification number or rehoming organisation number AND the microchip of the female parent must be used and clearly identified as the female parent.
Can I keep using a breeder organisation number or current breeder identification number?Â
Membership numbers from breeder organisations are no longer accepted in place of a breeder identification number.
Any person holding a voluntary breeder identification number automatically had their dog breeder eligibility status set to inactive on 1 December 2025.
To activate, breeders must acknowledge and agree to comply with the new arrangements and provide updated details. Visit the NSW Pet Registry for further details.
What happens if I don’t use an identification number in my advertisements?
By law, it is an offence if a person does not to display the correct identification information in an advertisement. In circumstances where an advertisement is not made, this information must be provided to the purchaser before or at the time of sale. It is also an offence to falsify or provide misleading information.
Breeders and sellers can be issued an on-the-spot fine by an enforcement officer if they do not include an identification number in an advertisement. Fines include:
- a penalty notice offence of $1000 for an individual and $5,000 for a corporation.
Failure to display relevant information, or providing false or misleading information when selling or transferring a dog carries maximum penalties if convicted:
| Penalty description | Penalty amount |
|---|---|
| Operating as a breeder in NSW without a breeder identification number obtained through the NSW Pet Registry. | Up to $11,000 and up to 6 months imprisonment for individuals. |
Advertising a pet for sale or transfer without the necessary identification information:
| Up to $16,500 and up to 6 months imprisonment for individuals, with penalties of up to $82,500 for corporations. |
I want to sell my farm working dogs. Do I have to comply with the advertising requirement?
Some working dogs are not required to be microchipped and registered under the Companion Animals Act 1998, and certain breeders of working dogs may be exempt from the requirement to apply for a breeder identification number.
Farmers who have bred working dogs to keep and use on their property are exempt from obtaining a breeder identification number. This includes working dogs used primarily for the purpose of droving, tending, working or protecting stock, and dog being trained as a working dog; and are ordinarily kept on farm land or in the Western Division of NSW.
Farmers that have bred working dogs to sell or transfer, must comply with these requirements, including obtaining a breeder identification number and ensuring any advertising includes the microchip number of the animal and breeder’s identification numbers (i.e. the breeder identification number or rehoming organisation number.
Owners of exempt working dogs are encouraged to voluntarily microchip and register their valuable animals. If they choose to, fees for registration do not apply. An exempt working dog that has been declared a nuisance dog, a restricted dog, a dangerous dog, or a menacing dog, loses its exemption and must be microchipped and registered. In addition, any dog, including a working dog, that is taken into the custody of a council pound must be microchipped and registered before being returned to its owner
I am a racing greyhound trainer and I want to sell a greyhound to someone for a family pet. What number do I need to use in the advertisement?
You can use the greyhound’s microchip number or the number allocated to you under the GRA 2017 if the dog was previously a racing greyhound in place of a breeder identification number. Alternatively, you could obtain a breeder identification number.
I want to buy a greyhound I have seen advertised online, but I can’t find the identification number on the NSW Pet Registry. What do I do?
If it is a retired racing greyhound, it may be owned by a greyhound racing industry participant. As greyhounds owned by greyhound racing industry participants are not recorded on the NSW Pet Registry, the buyer search function will not return any results related to that animal. If you wish to check whether a vendor is a greyhound racing industry participant, you can call the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission on 13 49 42 to request this information.
If a racing greyhound has been retired and is being sold or transferred to a person outside the racing industry, the new owner must register the greyhound on the NSW Pet Registry.
I am a dog breeder. What information will people be able to access about the dogs I sell?
Buyers can search the NSW Pet Registry to verify certain information.
When people search for a dog's microchip number they can see whether they are registered, the breed, sex, age, whether it is desexed; and whether an annual permit is required.
For persons with a breeder identification number this includes the recorded business name. If the breeder has not provided an ABN when applying for their breeder identification number, they will be listed as an individual.
For organisations with a rehoming organisation number this includes: the name and address or email address.
From 1 December 2025, additional status details for breeder identification numbers and rehoming organisations will be displayed to indicate if the breeder's eligibility status is active, inactive, suspended or cancelled.
Safeguards are in place to ensure personal information is protected.
Visit the NSW Pet Registry website for more information.
🔹 Enforcement and reporting
Who will enforce the advertising requirements?
The advertising requirements are enforced by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 enforcement agencies; these are RSPCA NSW, Animal Welfare League NSW and NSW Police. The Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission can also enforce the requirement for greyhounds that are being advertised by registered greyhound racing participants.
How can I report concerns?
If you suspect that an advertisement does not include relevant identification details, or if it might display false information, you should contact one of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 enforcement agencies: RSPCA NSW, Animal Welfare League NSW, or NSW Police. For more information visit: Reporting and enforcement.
If the advertisement relates to a greyhound owned by a greyhound racing participant, you should contact the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission.
How are the laws enforced?
In New South Wales, enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (POCTAA) and the Puppy Farming Amendment Act 2024 is carried out RSPCA NSW, Animal Welfare League NSW and the NSW police.
When a complaint is received, an inspector will investigate and make a decision based on the evidence provided. For more information visit: Reporting and enforcement.