Anyone who is, or wants to be, a dealer, breeder, or exhibitor must have a valid license. You must be 18 or older to apply, and you must fill out an applicaton form which can be obtained from the APHIS, REAC Sector Supervisor in the State in which you wish to operate. After completing the form (which must include a vaild address where the animals and records may be inspected), you can file it with the APHIS, REAC Sector Supervisor.
In addition to the application fee of $10 required to be paid upon the application for a license, license renewal, or changed class of license under § 2.1, each licensee shall submit to the APHIS, REAC Sector Supervisor the annual license fee prescribed in this section. Paragraph (b) of this section indicates the method used to calculate the appropriate fee. The amount of the fee is determined from Table 1 or 2 in paragraph (c) of this section.
Class ``A'' license. The annual license renewal fee for a Class ``A'' dealer shall be based on 50 percent of the total gross amount, expressed in dollars, derived from the sale of animals to research facilities, dealers, exhibitors, retail pet stores, and persons for use as pets, directly or through an auction sale, by the dealer or applicant during his or her preceding business year (calendar or fiscal) in the case of a person who operated during such a year. If animals are leased, the lessor shall pay a fee based on 50 percent of any compensation received from the leased animals and the lessee shall pay a fee based upon the net compensation received from the leased animals, as indicated for dealers in Table 1 in paragraph (c) of this section.
Class ``B'' license. The annual license renewal fee for a Class ``B'' dealer shall be established by calculating the total amount received from the sale of animals to research facilities, dealers, exhibitors, retail pet stores, and persons for use as pets, directly or through an auction sale, during the preceding business year (calendar or fiscal) less the amount paid for the animals by the dealer or applicant. This net difference, exclusive of other costs, shall be the figure used to determine the license fee of a Class ``B'' dealer. If animals are leased, the lessor and lessee shall each pay a fee based on the net compensation received from the leased animals calculated from Table 1 in paragraph (c) of this section.
The annual license renewal fee for a broker or operator of an auction sale shall be that of a class ``B'' dealer and shall be based on the total gross amount, expressed in dollars, derived from commissions or fees charged for the sale of animals, or for negotiating the sale of animals, by brokers or by the operator of an auction sale, to research facilities, dealers, exhibitors, retail pet stores, and persons for use as pets, during the preceding business year (calendar or fiscal).
In the case of a new applicant for a license as a dealer, broker or operator of an auction sale who did not operate during a preceding business year, the annual license fee will be based on the anticipated yearly dollar amount of business, as provided in paragraphs (b)(1), (2), and (3) of this section, derived from the sale of animals to research facilities, dealers, exhibitors, retail pet stores, and persons for use as pets, directly or through an auction sale.
The amount of the annual fee to be paid upon application for a class ``C'' license as an exhibitor under this section shall be based on the number of animals which the exhibitor owned, held, or exhibited at the time the application is signed and dated or during the previous year, whichever is greater, and will be the amount listed in Table 2 in paragraph (c) of this section. Animals which are leased shall be included in the number of animals being held by both the lessor and the lessee when calculating the annual fee. An exhibitor shall pay his or her annual license fee on or before the expiration date of the license and the fee shall be based on the number of animals which the exhibitor is holding or has held during the year (both owned and leased).
The license fee shall be computed in accordance with the following tables: Table 1-Dealers, Brokers and Operators of an Auction Sale Class ``A'' and ``B'' License
| Over | But Not Over | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $500 | $30 |
| 500 | 2,000 | 60 |
| 2,000 | 10,000 | 120 |
| 10,000 | 25,000 | 225 |
| 25,000 | 50,000 | 350 |
| 50,000 | 100,000 | 475 |
| 100,000 | 750 |
| 1 to 5 | $30 |
| 6 to 25 | 75 |
| 26 to 50 | 175 |
| 51 to 500 | 225 |
| 501 and up | 300 |
If a person meets the licensing requirements for more than one class of license, he shall be required to obtain a license and pay the fee for the type business which is predominant for his operation, as determined by the Secretary.
In any situation in which a licensee shall have demonstrated in writing to the satisfaction of the Secretary that he or she has good reason to believe that the dollar amount of his or her business for the forthcoming business year will be less than the previous business year, then his or her estimated dollar amount of business shall be used for computing the license fee for the forthcoming business year: Provided, however, That if the dollar amount upon which the license fee is based for that year does in fact exceed the amount estimated, the difference in amount of the fee paid and that which was due under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section based upon the actual dollar business upon which the license fee is based, shall be payable in addition to the required annual license fee for the next subsequent year, on the anniversary date of his or her license as prescribed in this section.
For the more information, check the full text of the USDA Animal Welfare Act Regulations