Selling or transferring a dog

By law, people advertising puppies or dogs for sale or transfer must include certain information. This includes:

• a microchip number implanted in the animal, AND
• a relevant breeder identification number, such as a
  • breeder identification number allocated under the Companion Animals Act 1998
  • membership number of a recognised breeder organisation under the Companion Animals Act 1998
  • identification number of the parent of the animal allocated under the Greyhound Racing Rules for retired racing greyhounds.
• a rehoming organisation number allocated under the Companion Animals Act 1998.

Get started on the NSW Pet Registry.

New rules apply from 1 December 2025

There are some exceptions to these new arrangements:

• If a dog over the age of 6 months is being sold or transferred and there is a BIN or RON recorded in the NSW Pet Registry, the dog’s microchip number; or a BIN or RON 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 BIN or RON, instead of the puppy’s microchip and BIN.
• 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.

The requirement for a BIN helps people looking to buy dog learn more about their dog and current owner, including: The breed, sex and age of the dog, whether it is desexed, whether or not it is already registered, and whether it requires an annual permit.

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.

Microchip number

A microchip number is a 15-digit unique identification 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.

If you are selling or transferring a dog, it must be microchipped. To use a microchip number in an advertisement, you can take your dog to a veterinarian or other authorised identifier and have it microchipped. If your dog is already microchipped, a veterinarian or other authorised identifier can use a scanner to retrieve the number for you.

If you are advertising a puppy under 8 weeks of age that is not microchipped you must use your BIN or RON AND the microchip of the female parent must be used and clearly identified as the female parent.

Breeder identification number

Breeder identification numbers are free and available to dog breeders. Further details are available on the NSW Pet Registry.

The rules are changing from 1 December 2025

Any person wishing to sell or transfer a dog must obtain a breeder identification number before an animal is sold or transferred.

Prior to 1 December 2025 the application process for dog breeder identification numbers is changing.  A membership number of a recognised dog breeder organisation will no longer be acceptable.  On 30 November 2025, all existing dog breeder identification numbers that have been issued voluntarily will be cancelled.

For dogs bred by a greyhound racing industry participant—the greyhound racing identification number issued under the Greyhound Racing Act 2017 can be used in lieu of a breeder identification number.

To register a dog or find a breeder identification number or a rehoming organisation number, visit the NSW Pet Registry.

Rehoming organisation number

The Office of Local Government issues rehoming organisation numbers to local councils, pounds and shelters, approved animal welfare organisations and designated rehoming organisations under the Companion Animals Act 1998.

This helps local councils and other organisations that rehome a large number of dogs and improves traceability of dogs in NSW.

The rules are changing from 1 December 2025

From 1 December 2025 the application process to become a designated rehoming organisation and be allocated a rehoming organisation number is changing.  From early 2025, all rehoming organisations will be required to apply for a rehoming organisation number under new arrangements.

Find out more information about rehoming organisations.

To comply with the rules when advertising a dog, you must have at least one of the following:

• a microchip number implanted in the animal, or
• a relevant breeder identification number, such as a:
  • breeder identification number allocated under the Companion Animals Act 1998
  • Membership number of a recognised breeder organisation under the Companion Animals Act 1998
  • identification number of the parent of the animal allocated under the Greyhound Racing Rules for retired racing greyhounds
• rehoming organisation number allocated under the Companion Animals Act 1998.

The rules are changing from 1 December 2025

If you are selling a dog in NSW born after 1 December 2025 you must include the microchip number, and the Breeder Identification Number (BIN) or Rehoming Organisation Number (RON) allocated under the Companion Animals Act 1998 in the advertisement.  There are exceptions to these arrangements in the following circumstances:

If a dog over the age of 6 months is being sold or transferred, and there is a BIN or RON recorded against the dog’s microchip number in the NSW Pet Registry, the dog’s microchip number; or a BIN or RON 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 BIN or RON, instead of the puppy’s microchip.

If the dog 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.

Maximum penalties will apply from 1 December 2025 for persons not complying with these requirements are up to $82,500 for a corporation; and $16,500 for an individual or imprisonment for 6 months, or both.

The requirement applies to all persons selling or transferring a dog, whether or not the person selling or transferring them is a breeder or is a subsequent owner of the pet.

Exemptions for a BIN apply for working dogs that are born and remain on the property on which they were born.

Yes, the requirement applies to all people who are selling or transferring a dog.

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 (BIN).

Farmers who have bred working dogs to keep and use on their property are exempt from obtaining a BIN. 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 BIN and ensuring any advertising includes the microchip number of the animal and breeder’s identification numbers (i.e. the BIN or RON).\

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.

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 $330 applies to both an individual and corporation;
• From 1 December 2025, a penalty notice offence of $500 for an individual and $2,500 for a corporation will apply.

Failure to display relevant information, or providing false or misleading information when selling or transferring a dog carries maximum penalties if convicted:

• For dogs, a maximum penalty of $5,550 until 1 December 2025, after which for a corporation a maximum penalty of $82,000; and for an individual $16,500 or imprisonment for 6 months, or both.

Buyers can search the NSW Pet Registry to verify certain information.

For a dog this includes the companion animal’s microchip number, whether they are registered, and 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.

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 number is active, suspended or cancelled.

Safeguards are in place to ensure personal information is protected.

Visit the NSW Pet Registry website for more information.

If a registered greyhound racing industry participant wishes to sell or transfer a greyhound they own, the advertisement needs to display an identification number.

You can use the greyhound’s microchip number and your greyhound racing industry participant number in place of a breeder identification number. Alternatively, you could obtain a BIN.

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 (GWIC) to request this information on 13 49 42.

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.

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 (GWIC) can also enforce the requirement for greyhounds that are being advertised by registered greyhound racing participants.

If you suspect that an advertisement does not include relevant identification details, or if it might display a 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. Local councils will not have these powers.

If the advertisement relates to a greyhound owned by a greyhound racing participant, you should contact the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission.

When a complaint is received, an inspector will investigate and make a decision based on the evidence.

The inspector may take one or more of the following actions:

• provide advice on appropriate care
• officially warn the person/s
• issue directions to the owner to address welfare issues
• issue an infringement notice
• collect evidence to begin a prosecution
• seize the animal/s

The inspector may then re-visit an individual and/or premises to ensure that directions or advice have been followed.  If these directions or advice have not been followed, further action may be taken.

Inspectors can exercise discretion to ensure appropriate action is taken where someone is not complying with the advertising requirement.