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# National - Entire Female Dog Rules by State

# Entire Female (Breeding Bitch) Dog Rules — All States & Territories

**BreedBuddies Knowledge Base — Australia**
*Last verified: 9 July 2026*

Breeding rules vary by state, territory and council. In every jurisdiction covered here, the paperwork that comes with breeding — a breeder ID, a supply number, or a breeding licence — is triggered by the dog that produces a litter. That's almost always the female, not the stud. This guide covers what applies to a breeding female in each state and territory.

> [!NOTE]
> General guidance only, current as of July 2026 — not legal advice. Requirements change; always confirm with your local council and state/territory authority before breeding, advertising, or registering a dog.

## National Snapshot

| State | Snapshot |
| ---- |
| **VIC** | Desexing set by council, not the state. 1–2 fertile females = microbreeder; 3–10 = DAB unless an applicable-org member; 11–50 = DAB plus Commercial Dog Breeder Approval. |
| **SA** | Desexing mandatory (dogs born after 2018) unless registered as a breeder through DACO — free with pedigree-org membership, $75/yr otherwise. A stricter licensing scheme is expected in 2027. |
| **NSW** | No desexing mandate. Breeder ID (BIN) required once she has a litter. Cap of 20 non-desexed females per premises; 5 litters and 3 caesareans lifetime max. |
| **QLD** | No desexing mandate. Supply Number required within 28 days of a litter's birth. |
| **WA** | Desexing law passed, not yet in force. "Approval to breed" scheme not yet active. |
| **TAS** | No desexing mandate. Kennel licence required once 3+ dogs are kept on one property. |
| **NT** | No territory-wide rules — set by local council by-laws. |
| **ACT** | Desexing mandatory by 6 months. A breeders licence (separate from the entire-dog licence) is required to breed a litter. |

## Victoria

| Question | Answer |
| ---- |
| **Is desexing mandatory?** | Not by state law, but most councils require it for registration under s10A of the Domestic Animals Act. |
| **Can she stay entire?** | Yes, if she qualifies for an exemption: Domestic Animal Business (DAB) registration, applicable-organisation membership (e.g. Dogs Victoria), or a vet health exemption. |
| **Breeder threshold** | 1–2 fertile females bred for sale = "microbreeder" (no registration).<br>3–10 = DAB, unless you're an applicable-org member (exempt).<br>11–50 = DAB plus Commercial Dog Breeder Approval (50 max). |
| **Identifier needed** | A PER source number, before advertising, selling or microchipping any puppy born after 1 July 2020. |

## South Australia

| Question | Answer |
| ---- |
| **Is desexing mandatory?** | Yes, for dogs born on or after 1 July 2018, by 6 months of age. |
| **Can she stay entire?** | Yes, if registered as a breeder through DACO, or another exemption applies. |
| **Do you need to sell puppies to register?** | No — "kept specifically for breeding" is its own qualifying reason under DACO. |
| **Cost** | Free with current membership of a recognised body; $75/year standalone DACO breeder registration otherwise. |
| **Coming change** | A new breeder licensing scheme is expected to commence in 2027 and will replace DACO breeder registration with a stricter licence. |

## New South Wales

| Question | Answer |
| ---- |
| **Is desexing mandatory?** | No state-wide mandate, but a higher registration fee applies if not desexed by 6 months. |
| **Can she stay entire?** | Yes, no permit needed just to own her. |
| **Identifier needed** | A Breeder Identification Number (BIN), mandatory once she has a litter (from 1 December 2025). |
| **Female dog cap** | 20 non-desexed adult females per premises, unless exempt. |
| **Lifetime limits** | 5 litters or 3 caesareans, whichever comes first. |

## Queensland

| Question | Answer |
| ---- |
| **Is desexing mandatory?** | No. |
| **Can she stay entire?** | Yes, no permit needed just to own her. |
| **Identifier needed** | A Supply Number, required within 28 days of her litter's birth. |
| **Registration body** | Queensland Dog Breeder Register (QDBR), Department of Primary Industries. |

## Western Australia

| Question | Answer |
| ---- |
| **Is desexing mandatory?** | Passed into law (dogs to be desexed by age 2) but not yet in force. |
| **Can she stay entire?** | Yes, currently — no breeding-specific licence applies yet. |
| **What's delayed** | The desexing mandate and "approval to breed" scheme depend on a new centralised registration system (PetsWA) which has no commencement date set. |

## Tasmania

| Question | Answer |
| ---- |
| **Is desexing mandatory?** | No. |
| **Can she stay entire?** | Yes, no breeding-specific licence applies. |
| **Kennel licence trigger** | Required once 3 or more dogs (or 5+ working dogs) are kept on one property. |

## Northern Territory

| Question | Answer |
| ---- |
| **Is desexing mandatory?** | No territory-wide mandate — set by local council by-laws. |
| **Can she stay entire?** | Yes at territory level; check your specific council's rules. |
| **Breeder licensing** | No territory-wide scheme — varies by council. |

## Australian Capital Territory

| Question | Answer |
| ---- |
| **Is desexing mandatory?** | Yes, by 6 months of age, unless licensed to remain entire. |
| **Can she stay entire?** | Yes, with a licence to keep a dog sexually entire from Domestic Animal Services. |
| **Extra licence for breeding** | A separate breeders licence is required to breed a litter from her — the entire-dog licence alone doesn't cover this. |

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