If you run a pet business in England, you may need an animal activity licence from your local council before you can legally carry out certain commercial activities. The licence usually applies to a specific activity, such as selling pets, boarding animals, dog day care, dog breeding, or hiring out horses for riding. It does not automatically cover every service, every site, or every UK jurisdiction. To check the correct route, start with GOV.UK’s official collection on animal activities needing licences and the Find a licence service, which warns that results may not include every required approval.
Jurisdiction note: The guidance below is written for England unless stated otherwise. Licensing rules can differ in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and some activities may also require separate planning, animal welfare, food, waste, or transport approvals. Check the relevant authority before trading.
Which pet business model needs which licence?
Use this as a quick activity router. It is not exhaustive, and edge cases should be checked with the local authority and a qualified adviser.
| Business model | Likely licence route in England | Issuing authority | What the permission generally covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet shop / pet seller | Animal activities licence for selling animals as pets | Local authority / council | Commercial sale of pet animals from approved premises or a lawful operating model |
| Kennels / cattery / home boarding / pet boarding | Animal activities licence for boarding | Local authority / council | Boarding dogs, cats, or other covered animals for payment |
| Doggy day care | Animal activities licence for day care for dogs | Local authority / council | Supervised day care for dogs in a registered/licensed setting |
| Dog breeder | Animal activities licence for breeding dogs | Local authority / council | Breeding dogs commercially, where the activity meets the licensing threshold |
| Riding school / horse hire | Animal activities licence for hiring out horses | Local authority / council | Commercial horse-riding hire activity under the animal activities regime |
For the official category list, see GOV.UK’s collection on pets activities you need licences for. If your business model is mixed — for example, boarding plus day care, or breeding plus selling — you may need to assess each activity separately rather than assuming one licence covers all of them.
Who needs an animal activity licence?
You usually need this type of licence if you carry out a commercial animal activity in England that falls within the regulated categories and is not exempt.
GOV.UK groups the main pet-related activities into the following areas:
- selling animals as pets
- providing boarding for animals
- dog day care
- dog breeding
- hiring out horses
The key question is not just what animals you handle, but what you do with them and how you operate. For example:
- a home-based dog boarder may still need a licence if the activity meets the licensing rules;
- a breeder may need a licence even if breeding is not the only business line;
- a riding business may need a licence for horse hire even if it also offers lessons or livery;
- a pet seller may also need additional approvals depending on premises use, waste handling, and any food sales.
GOV.UK’s Find a licence service is a useful starting point, but it explicitly warns that search results may not include every required authorisation. Treat it as a router, not a final legal answer.
What the licence lets you do — and what it does not
An animal activity licence is not a general approval for “pet business” activity. It authorises a specific regulated activity under the local authority’s conditions.
The licence may allow you to:
- operate the named animal activity for which you are licensed;
- use approved premises or a compliant operating model;
- advertise and trade within the scope of the licence;
- continue trading subject to inspection and conditions.
The licence does not automatically:
- authorise unrelated activities, such as animal transport, waste carriage, food sales, or planning use;
- cover every location you might use;
- cover a different species or activity class just because it is “pet-related”;
- remove your duties under animal welfare, public health, transport, or planning law.
This is why the first step is always to identify the exact activity before you submit an application. One business can need more than one approval if it carries out more than one regulated activity.
What councils look for at inspection
Animal activity licensing is inspection-led. The council will usually assess whether your business can meet the required welfare and operational standards before deciding whether to grant the licence and for how long.
Typical evidence areas include:
- animal welfare standards
- cleanliness and disease control
- suitable housing, space, and exercise
- feeding, handling, and supervision
- training and competence of staff
- emergency planning and record keeping
- public liability or other required insurance, where applicable
- premises suitability and secure management
The exact evidence depends on the activity. A dog boarder, a breeder, and a riding business will not be assessed in the same way, even though all may sit under the animal activities framework. Review the specific GOV.UK guidance for the relevant activity in the collection on pets activities you need licences for.
Practical application readiness checklist
Before you apply, gather:
- the exact activity you will carry out;
- business and contact details;
- full address of every site used for the licensed activity;
- floor plans, kennel/stable/layout details if relevant;
- standard operating procedures and cleaning routines;
- staff training records;
- vet contact details or health-care arrangements where relevant;
- animal welfare policies;
- evidence of compliance with local authority requirements.
If your model is unusual — for example, animals moved between sites, mixed-species boarding, or a mobile service — ask the council to confirm which parts are licensable before you file.
How star ratings work
Many animal activity licences are linked to a star rating system. In practice, the council inspects your business against the relevant welfare standards and uses that assessment to decide the licence outcome and duration.
A higher rating generally reflects stronger compliance and better management systems. A lower rating can still result in a licence if the authority is satisfied that the minimum legal standards are met, but conditions and renewal timing may differ. The rating is therefore part of the council’s compliance assessment, not just a marketing label.
Because ratings depend on inspection findings, you should not assume eligibility for a preferred rating based only on business size or previous trading history. The authority may ask for:
- written procedures;
- training evidence;
- premises records;
- welfare logs;
- maintenance and cleaning records;
- emergency arrangements;
- proof that the business can maintain standards consistently.
If you are applying for the first time, build your application around what you can evidence, not around a hoped-for result.
Worked example: which permissions might a mixed pet business need?
Imagine a business in England that does three things:
- sells small animals from a shop unit;
- offers dog day care in a separate room at the same site;
- occasionally boards dogs overnight.
That business should not assume one application covers all three lines. Instead, it should:
- check whether selling animals as pets is licensable for the shop activity;
- check whether dog day care needs a separate animal activities licence or is covered under the same activity grouping and premises;
- check whether boarding is a distinct licensable activity with its own standards;
- confirm with the council whether the business needs one combined licence, multiple activity entries, or separate applications;
- review any other approvals, such as planning use, waste disposal, or food registration if the shop also sells pet food or refreshments.
This is why the right starting point is activity identification, not form-filling.
Related duties that can sit alongside the licence
An animal activity licence is only one part of compliance. Depending on what you do, you may also need other registrations, permits, or approvals.
Common related approvals
- Food business registration: if you sell, cook, store, handle, prepare, or distribute food, you generally need to register with the local authority under Food Standards Agency guidance, including for home, mobile, temporary, and online operations. See food business registration.
- Planning permission or use consent: if your premises use changes.
- Waste and disposal arrangements: especially where animal waste or bedding is involved.
- Transport compliance: if you move animals commercially.
- Insurance and premises safety duties: often required in practice even where not part of the licence itself.
If your business also carries waste, handles vehicles, or transports goods, don’t extrapolate from the animal licence. Other regulated regimes have their own tests, such as operator licensing for goods vehicles and hazardous waste carrier registration. Those are separate systems with separate authorities and thresholds.
What to do next
If you are trying to work out whether your pet business needs council approval, start with the exact activity, then check the issuing authority, the inspection standard, and any linked approvals.
Fast next steps
- Identify your activity: selling, boarding, day care, breeding, or riding.
- Check the relevant GOV.UK guidance in the animal activities collection.
- Confirm with your local council whether you need an animal activity licence, another approval, or both.
- Gather evidence for inspection before you apply.
- Re-check any related registrations, especially food, planning, waste, or transport.
For a broader route check, use the UK business licence finder and the Licence application checklist. If you want to understand the wider licensing family and how local authority permissions fit together, see LF-01.
Next step: identify the licensed activity your business carries out, then confirm the issuing authority and application path before you submit.