Last updated 2026-08-17
TL;DR
Alabama has no single statewide cattery license. You need a USDA APHIS Class A license if you sell cats commercially and meet the dealer threshold, a county business license in almost every jurisdiction, and a local animal facility permit where your city or county requires one. First-year government fees usually run $150 to $600. Federal licensing takes 4 to 12 weeks.
Do you need a license to run a cattery in Alabama?
Yes, but no single state agency hands you one. Alabama does not run a unified state cattery license the way a few other states do. The obligation comes from three overlapping layers: federal law, county or municipal business registration, and local animal facility rules.
The federal layer matters most. If you sell, transfer, or exhibit cats to the public or to dealers, the USDA Animal Welfare Act (AWA) may require you to hold a USDA Class A (breeder) or Class B (dealer/reseller) license issued by APHIS. The AWA defines a "dealer" as any person who sells or offers to sell, buys or offers to buy, or transports in commerce live animals for use as pets, and it names cats directly [1]. Hobby breeders who sell only from their own breeding stock and meet the retail pet store exemption may fall outside USDA jurisdiction, but that exemption tightened in 2013: breeders who sell to buyers they have never met in person and who keep more than four breeding females must be licensed regardless of annual sales [2].
At the state level, Alabama's Department of Agriculture and Industries regulates commercial pet dealers under the Alabama Pet Shop Act, but that statute targets retail pet stores, not breeders running their own facilities. There is no Alabama-specific cattery breeder license from the Department of Agriculture as of this writing. Confirm current requirements with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries before assuming no state form applies.
At the county and city level, nearly every Alabama county requires a basic business license, and many cities add a separate animal facility or kennel permit. Jefferson County, Madison County, and the City of Montgomery each have ordinances covering facilities that house multiple animals for commercial purposes. Check with your specific county probate office and city clerk.
Which federal license applies to a cattery in Alabama?
The USDA APHIS Animal Welfare Act license is the federal document most Alabama catteries need to sort out first. APHIS runs two license classes that matter to cat breeders [1]:
| License Class | Who It Covers | Annual Fee (FY2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Class A (Breeder) | Sells animals from own breeding stock only | $30 - $750 depending on annual gross income from regulated animals |
| Class B (Dealer/Broker) | Buys and resells, or handles others' animals | $30 - $2,625 depending on gross income |
| Research Facility | Institutions using animals in research | Separate registration, not a standard cattery path |
The fee amounts above come from the APHIS Animal Care fee schedule, which APHIS adjusts periodically [3]. Confirm the current figure at the APHIS Animal Care site before you send payment.
The exemption that trips up new breeders most often is the four-or-fewer breeding female rule. The 2013 final rule states that persons who maintain a total of four or fewer breeding female dogs or cats and who sell only the offspring born of those animals for pets or exhibition are not dealers under the AWA [2]. Planning to grow past four queens? Budget for the USDA license from day one.
To apply, you submit APHIS Form 7003 (Application for License), pay the fee, and then pass an inspection from a USDA APHIS Animal Care inspector before the license issues. Alabama falls under APHIS Animal Care's Eastern Region. Inspections after that first one are unannounced, so your facility has to meet AWA housing, ventilation, sanitation, and veterinary care standards every day [1].
For the wider picture on starting from scratch, see how to start cattery in Alabama.
What Alabama county and city permits does a cattery need?
Every Alabama cattery running as a business needs a county business license. Business licenses in Alabama are administered at the county probate court level and, separately, by the municipal revenue department if you operate inside city limits [4]. The Alabama Department of Revenue gives you a central starting point, but the license itself is issued locally.
Beyond the general business license, many Alabama counties and cities carry animal facility or kennel ordinances. They are not uniform. Jefferson County and Madison County have adopted detailed animal control ordinances that require permits for facilities housing multiple cats commercially. Montgomery runs city animal ordinances through its Animal Services division. Fees swing widely: some jurisdictions charge $50 to $100 for an animal facility permit; others tier the fee by the number of animals on site.
Zoning is a separate hurdle. Running a cattery from a residential property in Alabama means checking your local zoning classification first. Plenty of residential zones allow home-based businesses in general but ban animal breeding operations specifically, or cap the animal count. Confirm zoning compliance with your county or city planning department before you sign a lease or build anything.
If your cattery sits in an unincorporated area, the county probate office handles the business license, and county animal control or the county health department handles any animal facility permit. Call both. Requirements genuinely change from one county to the next, and no Alabama state portal pulls them together.
How much does getting a cattery license in Alabama cost?
There is no single fee. The real number is the sum of several filings, and it moves with your operation size and location. Here is a realistic range for a first-year cattery in Alabama:
USDA APHIS Class A License fee: $30 to $750 per year, based on gross annual income from regulated animals [3]. A new cattery under $250,000 in gross income pays well below $500. The fee tiers are published by APHIS and update periodically, so check the current schedule directly.
Alabama county business license: $50 to $300 for most small operations, though some counties charge a percentage of gross receipts instead of a flat fee [4].
Municipal animal facility or kennel permit (where required): $50 to $200 in most Alabama cities that have this requirement. A few larger cities charge more for facilities above a certain animal count.
Veterinary health certificate costs: Not a license fee, but you need a licensed veterinarian to run the health inspection APHIS requires before your USDA license issues. A vet inspection for licensing commonly runs $100 to $300 depending on facility size and the vet's travel.
First-year realistic total government fees: $150 to $1,200, with most small Alabama catteries landing in the $200 to $600 range before professional fees.
CatteryPath's $149 one-time USDA + State Cattery Kit (at /start) bundles the federal and state form set for Alabama into one download if you would rather not hunt each document down alone. Every form in it is also free from the agencies directly.
How long does getting a cattery license in Alabama take?
It depends on which license you mean. The USDA APHIS Class A license runs 4 to 12 weeks from a completed application to issuance in most cases, though APHIS does not publish a guaranteed processing time [5]. Once your application is accepted, APHIS schedules an initial inspection. That scheduling window is where most of the variability lives. Inspections can sometimes be booked within 3 to 4 weeks of application, but understaffed stretches push that to 8 to 10 weeks. Plan for the long end.
An Alabama county business license is usually issued same-day or within a few business days at the probate court if you show up in person with complete paperwork [4]. Online or mail applications add 1 to 2 weeks.
A municipal animal facility permit, where required, usually takes 1 to 4 weeks depending on whether the city inspects the facility before issuing. Some Alabama cities require that inspection; others issue on paperwork alone.
The sequence most Alabama cattery operators follow: file county and city paperwork first (fast and cheap), then submit the USDA application while the county permits process. Do not accept animals for commercial sale before your USDA license issues if you are above the AWA threshold. Operating without a required USDA license is a federal civil violation with penalties that can reach $10,000 per violation per day [1].
Want to compare Alabama's timeline and fees with a neighbor? See cattery license in Arkansas.
What are USDA Animal Welfare Act housing and care standards for Alabama catteries?
Once you hold a USDA Class A license, your cattery falls under AWA standards for cats (9 CFR Part 3, Subpart A) on an ongoing basis [6]. These standards set minimum cage space per cat, temperature ranges (the AWA requires ambient temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit for cats), lighting, ventilation, sanitation frequency, watering, feeding, and veterinary care.
The minimum floor space for a single adult cat under the AWA is the cat's body length plus six inches, squared. In practice, APHIS inspectors expect primary enclosures to run meaningfully larger than the bare minimum, and facilities that meet only the floor tend to draw citations. Plan for real space.
You also need a written program of veterinary care on file. That is a document signed by a licensed veterinarian covering vaccination protocols, parasite control, disease surveillance, and emergency care. The vet does not have to be on-site daily, but you need the written agreement before your initial inspection [6].
Annual unannounced inspections are standard after licensing. Violations get classified as direct (immediate threat to animal health), indirect (not immediate but requiring correction), or critical. Repeat direct violations can end in license suspension or revocation. Keep the facility ready every day, more than when you expect a visit.
Does Alabama have any state-level animal welfare law that affects catteries?
Alabama's cruelty statute (Code of Alabama Section 13A-11-14) sets criminal liability for animal cruelty and neglect [7]. It is not a licensing statute, but violations can bring misdemeanor or felony charges that would end your ability to operate.
Alabama also enacted Act 2018-101, which added requirements around the sale of animals from retail outlets, but that primarily targets pet stores, not private catteries [8]. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries' Animal Industries Division oversees livestock and some companion animal disease reporting, but as of this writing it does not issue a separate cattery breeder permit. Verify current requirements with the Division at (334) 240-7253, because state law can change.
One area where Alabama does keep active requirements is disease reporting. Certain contagious diseases in cats, including rabies, are reportable to the Alabama Department of Public Health [9]. If a cat in your facility is confirmed or suspected rabid, you have legal reporting obligations whether or not you hold a cattery license.
For a look at another nearby state's structure, see cattery license in Arizona.
Do small or hobby catteries in Alabama need any license at all?
Yes, with some qualifiers. Even hobby breeders who fall below the USDA AWA threshold (four or fewer breeding females, selling directly to the public only) still need a county business license if they run any recurring commercial activity. Most Alabama counties treat the sale of animals as a taxable commercial activity regardless of scale.
The AWA exemption for hobby breeders is real and worth understanding. The rule says a breeder who maintains four or fewer breeding females and sells only offspring born on their own premises to buyers they meet in person may sit outside the dealer definition [2]. That federal exemption has no bearing on county business license requirements or zoning restrictions.
Some very small operations (one or two litters a year, sales under $2,000 annually) do run without any formal county permit and never face enforcement. That is a risk tolerance decision, not a legal one. The exposure is back taxes and potential county fines if you are ever reviewed. Most serious breeders decide the county business license is cheap and operating above-board is worth far more than the $75 to $200 filing fee.
The honest answer to "do I really need a license for my small cattery" is this: you need at least a county business license if you sell cats commercially in Alabama, and you need the USDA license if you meet the AWA dealer definition. Whether anyone comes looking for either is a separate question.
What records does an Alabama cattery licensee have to keep?
USDA-licensed catteries have to keep acquisition and disposition records for every animal on the premises. The AWA record-keeping rules (9 CFR Part 2, Subpart E) require you to document each animal's species, breed, sex, color, distinctive markings, date of birth (or estimated age), source, and disposition [10]. Records have to be kept for at least three years and be available during any APHIS inspection.
For each cat sold, you must give the buyer a written record showing the cat's identification information, the health status at sale, and the seller's name and license number. That doubles as consumer protection: buyers who get this record can verify your USDA license status through the APHIS public search tool.
At the county level, most Alabama jurisdictions do not require ongoing record submissions from catteries beyond annual business license renewal. If your county has an animal facility permit, though, some require annual reporting of animal counts or updated vet health certifications.
Good records protect you during disputes too. Document every sale with a contract, vaccination records, and a health certificate. Alabama does not mandate a specific sales contract form for cat sales, but a contract signed by both parties is the single best thing you can do to head off buyer complaints that escalate into formal complaints to USDA APHIS.
Step-by-step: how to get your cattery license in Alabama
Here is the practical sequence that keeps delays down.
Step 1: Confirm your zoning. Before anything else, contact your county planning office or city zoning department and confirm that running a commercial cattery is permitted at your address. This takes a phone call or email and costs nothing. Do not skip it.
Step 2: Register your business entity. If you operate as anything other than a sole proprietor under your own name, file your LLC or corporation with the Alabama Secretary of State. The filing fee for a domestic LLC is $200 as of this writing, but confirm with the Secretary of State's office [11].
Step 3: Get your county business license. Visit your county probate court with proof of address, your business name and entity type, and a description of your business activity. Pay the fee. This part is usually fast.
Step 4: Get any required municipal permit. Inside city limits, contact city revenue and city animal control or animal services to confirm whether you need a separate city business license and an animal facility permit.
Step 5: Establish your veterinary relationship. Find a local veterinarian willing to serve as your facility vet, build a written program of veterinary care, and schedule the facility inspection APHIS will want documented.
Step 6: Submit USDA APHIS Form 7003. Download the application from APHIS, complete it, and submit it with your fee. APHIS accepts applications by mail and through some online pathways. Confirm current submission methods at the APHIS Animal Care website [5].
Step 7: Prepare for your APHIS inspection. APHIS will contact you to schedule the initial pre-licensing inspection. Have your facility fully compliant with 9 CFR Part 3 standards that day.
Step 8: Receive your license and post it. Your USDA license number has to be displayed at your facility and referenced in all advertising.
Want an Alabama-specific document checklist in one place? CatteryPath offers a $149 one-time kit at /start covering the USDA forms plus the state and county paperwork sequence.
How does Alabama compare to other states for cattery licensing?
Alabama sits in the lighter-regulation tier among U.S. states. It has no state-level breeder licensing program the way California (AB 485, mandatory CDFA reporting) or Colorado (Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act with specific cattery inspection requirements) do [12]. Fewer state forms, but also fewer consumer protection backstops.
The trade-off shows up in enforcement. States with active state-level breeder oversight tend to run more consistent inspection programs. Alabama leans almost entirely on USDA APHIS inspections for commercial breeders and on county animal control for local ordinance enforcement. County resources vary dramatically. Jefferson County (Birmingham) runs a well-staffed animal control operation; many rural Alabama counties carry minimal enforcement staff.
For a multistate comparison before you pick where to locate, see cattery license in California and cattery license in Colorado for a sense of the regulatory range.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license for a cattery in Alabama?
Yes. At minimum you need a county business license to sell cats commercially in Alabama. If you keep more than four breeding females or sell to buyers you have not met in person, you also need a USDA APHIS Class A license under the Animal Welfare Act. There is no single unified Alabama state cattery license, but the mix of federal and local requirements applies to most commercial operations.
How much does a cattery cost to license in Alabama?
First-year government fees for a small Alabama cattery usually run $150 to $600. The USDA APHIS Class A license fee ranges from $30 to $750 depending on gross annual income from regulated animals. A county business license adds $50 to $300. A municipal animal facility permit, where required, adds $50 to $200. A required veterinary facility inspection before USDA licensing commonly costs $100 to $300.
How long does getting a cattery license in Alabama take?
The USDA APHIS Class A license takes 4 to 12 weeks from application to issuance, depending on how fast an inspector can be scheduled. County business licenses in Alabama are usually issued same-day or within a few business days if you apply in person. Municipal animal facility permits take 1 to 4 weeks. Budget at least 8 weeks from start to fully licensed for a new Alabama cattery.
Does Alabama have a state cattery breeder license?
No, not as of this writing. Alabama does not have a state-level cattery or cat breeder license issued by a state agency. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries regulates some commercial pet dealers under the Pet Shop Act, but that targets retail stores. Commercial cat breeders in Alabama are regulated federally by USDA APHIS and locally by county and city permits. Confirm with the Alabama Department of Agriculture for any updates.
What is the USDA AWA exemption for small cattery breeders in Alabama?
Under the Animal Welfare Act as amended by USDA's 2013 final rule, breeders who keep four or fewer breeding female cats and sell only offspring born on their premises directly to buyers they meet in person may be exempt from USDA dealer licensing. This federal exemption does not remove county business license requirements. If you sell online to buyers you have never met in person, the exemption likely does not apply.
Does a home-based cattery in Alabama need a permit?
Yes, with two caveats. First, confirm your residential zoning allows commercial animal breeding. Many Alabama residential zones ban it or cap the number of animals. Second, get a county business license even for a home-based operation. The commercial activity (selling cats) triggers the business license requirement no matter where the business sits. Some counties also require a home occupation permit on top of the business license.
What happens if I operate a cattery in Alabama without a USDA license?
Operating a cattery that requires a USDA APHIS Animal Welfare Act license without one is a federal civil violation. Penalties can reach $10,000 per violation per day under 7 U.S.C. 2149. USDA APHIS can also issue cease-and-desist orders and confiscate animals. Repeat or egregious violations can bring criminal referral. The risk is real, and the enforcement record shows APHIS does pursue unlicensed dealers, especially those flagged through complaints.
Do I need a veterinarian on staff to run a cattery in Alabama?
You do not need a full-time veterinarian, but USDA-licensed catteries must have a written program of veterinary care signed by a licensed veterinarian before the initial APHIS inspection. The vet acts as your consulting veterinarian of record. You also need access to veterinary care for sick or injured animals at all times. Alabama has no state law specifying a vet-on-staff requirement for catteries beyond what USDA mandates.
How do I find out if my Alabama county requires an animal facility permit?
Call your county probate court or county license office and ask specifically whether your county has an animal facility, kennel, or commercial animal operation permit requirement. Then call your county animal control office and ask the same. Because Alabama has no state portal aggregating local animal ordinances, you have to contact both offices directly. Inside city limits, also call city revenue and city animal services.
Can I sell cats in Alabama at farmers markets or pet expos without a cattery license?
If you sell or offer to sell cats at a public venue to buyers you have not met in person, the USDA's 2013 rule on retail sales likely applies, meaning you may need a USDA dealer license regardless of venue. Selling at a farmers market or expo also typically requires the event organizer's vendor permit and your underlying county business license. Operating without a required USDA license at a public sales event is a common enforcement trigger.
How often does USDA APHIS inspect a licensed cattery in Alabama?
USDA APHIS Animal Care inspects licensed facilities at least once per year, with the possibility of extra unannounced follow-up inspections if a previous one found violations. Facilities with a history of direct or repeat violations may be inspected more often. Inspections after the initial licensing visit are always unannounced, so your facility has to meet AWA standards at all times, more than when you expect a visit.
What records do I have to keep for an Alabama cattery licensed by USDA?
Under 9 CFR Part 2, Subpart E, USDA-licensed catteries must keep acquisition and disposition records for every animal: species, breed, sex, color, markings, estimated birth date, source, and disposition. Records have to be kept for at least three years and be available during any inspection. For each cat sold, you must give the buyer a written record of the cat's health status, identification, and your USDA license number.
Is there a limit on how many cats an Alabama cattery can have?
There is no statewide Alabama cat number cap. Limits come from three sources: USDA AWA space standards (minimum square footage per cat), local zoning ordinances (which may cap animal counts on a residential or commercial parcel), and county or city animal facility permit conditions. Some Alabama counties cap the number of animals in a permitted facility. Check your local zoning and your county animal facility permit conditions for any numerical limits.
Do I need a separate license to board cats in Alabama versus breeding them?
Boarding (holding cats owned by others for a fee) and breeding are treated differently. USDA AWA licensing covers commercial breeding and dealing. Boarding operations generally fall outside the AWA unless you also buy, sell, or transport animals in commerce. Cat boarding operations in Alabama still need a county business license and may need a local animal facility or kennel permit. Some Alabama counties have specific boarding kennel permit requirements distinct from breeder permits.
Sources
- USDA APHIS, Federal Register Final Rule 78 FR 57227 (Sept. 18, 2013), 'Retail Pet Stores and Licensing Exemptions': Breeders with more than four breeding females who sell to buyers they have not personally met must obtain a USDA dealer license regardless of annual revenue; breeders with four or fewer breeding females selling only their own offspring to buyers they meet in person may be exempt.
- USDA APHIS Animal Care, License and Registration Fees: USDA APHIS Class A license fees range from $30 to $750 per year based on gross annual income from regulated animals; Class B dealer fees range from $30 to $2,625.
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Business License Information: Alabama business licenses are administered at the county level through county probate courts and at the municipal level through city revenue departments.
- Code of Federal Regulations, 9 CFR Part 2, Subpart A, Licensing: USDA APHIS requires submission of a license application and payment of applicable fees, followed by a pre-licensing facility inspection, before a Class A or Class B license is issued.
- Code of Federal Regulations, 9 CFR Part 3, Subpart A, Standards for Dogs and Cats: AWA standards for cats include minimum enclosure space, ambient temperature range of 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit, ventilation, sanitation frequency, and requirement for a written program of veterinary care.
- Alabama Legislature, Code of Alabama Section 13A-11-14, Cruelty to Animals: Alabama's cruelty statute establishes criminal liability for animal neglect and cruelty, applicable to cattery operators.
- Alabama Legislature, Act 2018-101, Animals - Pet Shops: Alabama Act 2018-101 imposes requirements on retail pet store animal sales and targets retail outlets, not private cattery breeders.
- Alabama Department of Public Health, Reportable Disease List: Rabies in animals is a reportable condition in Alabama under state public health law, creating legal reporting obligations for cattery operators with a confirmed or suspected case.
- Code of Federal Regulations, 9 CFR Part 2, Subpart E, Records: USDA-licensed facilities must maintain acquisition and disposition records for each animal for at least three years, including species, breed, sex, color, markings, estimated birth date, source, and disposition.
- Colorado Department of Agriculture, Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) Program: Colorado's PACFA program requires state inspection and licensing of cat breeders and catteries above specified thresholds, representing a more active state-level regulatory structure than Alabama's.