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). 3–10 = DAB, unless you're an applicable-org member (exempt). 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.

Questions about your dog? Reach out any time.

Just WOOF 🐾
BreedBuddies · Commercial in Confidence · BreedBuddies Pty Ltd

Updated on: 09/07/2026

Was this article helpful?

Thank you!