Dog treats are animal feed, not people food, so the licenses that matter come from your state's feed program, often in the department of agriculture, not the health department. Many states require each treat to be registered before it's sold or given away, a market table included, with a feed label that has its own rules: the product name, net weight, a guaranteed analysis of protein, fat, fiber and moisture, the ingredients, and your name and address. Many also collect inspection fees on what you sell, by tonnage reports or a flat fee. FDA's animal food rules add a federal layer: the label basics, and, for a facility that has to register with FDA, the animal food safety rule, with lighter requirements for a very small business. Shipping an online order into another state counts as distributing there, so that state's registration applies too. In the example below, an Oʻahu treat bakery sorts its licenses. Below are the layers, the label, the example, and a free checklist.
The short version
- Dog treats are commercial feed: the state department of agriculture, not the health department.
- In many states, register each treat before distributing it, a farmers market included.
- The feed label: product name, net weight, guaranteed analysis, ingredients, name and address.
- Pay the state's inspection fees, often by quarterly tonnage reports.
- FDA facility registration, unless you sell mostly to consumers directly.
- FDA's animal food rule applies to registered facilities; a very small business has lighter requirements.
- Every state you ship to can require its own registration.
- TaroStack keeps each batch's lot and best-by date, and where every bag went. More below.
The layers
| Layer | Who issues it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Business name and tax license | State and city | The ordinary business layers |
| Commercial feed registration | State department of agriculture | Each product, with its label, before distribution; a fee per product |
| Inspection fees | State department of agriculture | Tonnage reports and fees, or a flat annual fee, depending on the state |
| FDA facility registration | FDA | For a facility that makes animal food, unless it's a retail food establishment |
| Animal food safety rule | FDA, 21 CFR part 507 | For registered facilities; modified requirements for a very small business |
| Other states | Each state's feed program | Before shipping an order there |
FDA's animal food rule, 21 CFR part 507, doesn't apply to an establishment that isn't required to register, and a business with under $2,500,000 a year in animal food sales, adjusted for inflation, is a very small business with lighter requirements (507.3). AAFCO explains why a farmers market or online sale counts as distribution. This is general information, not legal advice.
The feed label
| Line | What it is |
|---|---|
| Product name | The treat's name, matching the registration |
| Net weight | The net weight of the bag |
| Guaranteed analysis | Commonly minimum crude protein and fat, maximum crude fiber and moisture, as the state's rules set |
| Ingredients | Each ingredient by its common or official name, most to least |
| Name and address | The person responsible for distributing it, with "Manufactured for" if someone else made it |
| Feeding directions | Where the state requires them, such as "treat only, feed in moderation" |
A guaranteed analysis is tested, not guessed, so budget a lab test per recipe. The federal name and place rule is 21 CFR 501.5, and how the treats are costed is in how to price homemade dog treats.
An example: an Oʻahu treat bakery
Kaʻena Dog Treats, the made-up dog treat bakery on Oʻahu I use in these examples, bakes peanut butter and pumpkin, sweet potato and taro treats in a rented kitchen, for markets, online orders in Hawaii, pet shops and groomers:
| Layer | Status |
|---|---|
| Trade name and Hawaii general excise tax license ($20, once) | Done, March 2025 |
| Commercial feed registration for each of three treats, HRS 144-3 | Done April 2025, with the labels |
| Feed labels with guaranteed analysis, HRS 144-4 | Done, after a lab test per recipe |
| Quarterly tonnage statement and inspection fees, HRS 144-5 | October's filed; next due January 31, 2027 |
| FDA facility registration | To check with the rented kitchen |
| FDA animal food rule | To check: only if the kitchen must register; a very small business either way |
| Other states | Not needed: online sales stay in Hawaii |
| Product liability insurance | Done March 2026; renews March 2027 |
A fourth treat, a birthday cookie, waits until it's registered and labeled; a new recipe is a new product to the state. Hawaii's law is HRS chapter 144, the business in dog treat business plan, and dog food in dog food business plan.
Get the checklist
Download the dog treat business license checklist. One sheet: each layer, who issues it, what it is, whether you need it, the cost, the date done and the renewal date; the status and the total cost fill in. It's an ordinary Excel file with no macros, and it works in Google Sheets, LibreOffice and Numbers.
Where this stops working
Three registered treats, a lab-tested guaranteed analysis for each, quarterly tonnage reports, and every bag needing a batch code: a checklist doesn't add up the pounds sold for the tonnage report, or say which batch went to which pet shop.
How TaroStack does it
TaroStack keeps each batch's lot and best-by date, and where every bag went.
Each batch a lot. A batch of treats records the flour, pumpkin and peanut butter lots it used, automatically, gets a lot with its best-by date, and lot labels print for the bags.
Sales by product. Orders and sales are kept by product, so the bags of each treat sold in a quarter are in your records when the tonnage report is due.
Where it went. Each pet shop's order records the lots it got, so one recall report shows every customer a batch reached.
| The job | Notebook | In TaroStack |
|---|---|---|
| Which flour went into a batch | Not recorded | Lots recorded on the batch |
| Pounds sold for the tonnage report | Added up from receipts | Sales by product |
| Which pet shops got a batch | Invoices | One recall report |
Lots, batches and recipes are on every plan, from $49 a month. The first 30 days are free, with no credit card. If you'd like a hand setting up, ask, and we'll do it with you.