How Much Does AKC Registration Cost?

AKC is the largest and most well-known registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States.

Now first thing off, AKC registration does not imply the dog’s quality. It simply means that the dog is an offspring of an AKC-registered parent of the same breed.

So if you’ve bought a dog for the first time or got a new addition to your canine squad, you must consider getting your dog registered to the American Kennel Club as a responsible pet owner/parent.

How to Register?

When buying a new a puppy, always demand a registration form. The form should be the responsibility of the seller or breeder to have. It is also mostly the reason as to why “dogs with papers” are way expensive than those which do not have.

The registration paper should have the name of the breed, the registered name and numbers of its parents, the dog’s date of birth, the name of the breeder, and the certificate number. These are the information that you will need to register your dog. A new puppy bought with no paper can’t be registered to AKC.

Puppies can either be assigned as full and limited registration. Limited registration simply means that the dog will not be used as breeding animals.

Cost of AKC Registration

As advised above, a dog registered in American Kennel Club does not mean that the dog is healthy. It does not also imply that the puppy is the best of its kind. This is a way to give your dog an identity and a family tree.

If you already have all the necessary documents then you are now ready to register your new dog with AKC. As for how much, the following are the American Kennel Club Registration Fees.

• Basic Individual dog registration – $30
• Silver package – $42.99
• Gold package – $59.99
• Platinum package – $79.99

What are Included in the Packages?

The four AKC registration packages and the inclusions of each are briefly discussed below:

Basic – This package will give you an official registration certificate, an AKC pet insurance for 30 days with up to $1,500 in coverage and a new puppy handbook.

Silver – This includes the AKC reunite lifetime enrollment privilege plus all the inclusions of the basic package. The AKC Reunite will help reunite you with your buddy with a custom collar tag and 24/7/365 protection.

Gold – You will have all the benefits of the silver package with the addition of Complimentary Vet Office Visit and Pet Poison Helpline Lifetime Access.

The Complimentary Vet Office Visit will entitle you to a free initial appointment at an AKC Veterinary Network Provider. On the other hand, the Pet Poison Helpline will give you 24/7 advise from professionals.

Platinum – being the highest package, this will entitle you to all the privileges of the Gold package plus the addition of AKC GoodDog! Training Helpline and AKC Certified Pedigree.

The training helpline is a live telephone support and advice from trainers 24/7. The AKC certified pedigree, however, will give you a frameable document of your pet’s ancestry.

Also, dogs certified with AKC entitle them to a variety of sports and other events that both you and your buddy best friend will surely enjoy.

Other Costs to Consider

• Late Registration

Additional fees will be paid for late registration. Depending on the package selected, an addition of $4.99 will be collected for over 6 months, $35 for over 12 months. A $65 addition will be collected for over 24 months after litter registered.

• Litter Registration

As for litter registration, the cost is $25 and an additional $2 for every puppy. Litter registration from artificial insemination will cost $30 plus $2 per puppy. Litter registration with a foreign sire or male parent of the dog will cost $25 plus $2 per puppy.

Register litter as early as possible to avoid penalty. A $65 penalty will be collected for registrations over 6 months after birth date.

• Other Services

Other than dog and litter registration, AKC also offers other services such as correction of certificates and registration of imported dog to name a few.

Corrected dog registration certificate cost $20. If you have an imported dog, you can have him registered for $100. Reactivation fee will cost you $50; this applies to applications that are inactive after 12 months.

In addition to that, AKC also offers the Foundation Stock Service. This is AKC’s answer to rare breed financiers. It is a record service for purebreds that are not yet registrable with AKC.

Dog recording only cost $10. Recording plus pedigree is $27. Dog recording, pedigree, plus dog care training video cost $37.

Register as early as possible to avoid extra cost. Additional $30 per service will be collected for recording over 12 months. An extra $60 fee will be added for recording over 24 months after the litter recorded.

Additional Notes

• Avoid late registration to avoid additional costs
• Take note that applications fees are not refundable

Having dogs at home requires a lot of responsibility. Like having new babies, there are documentations that you must take care of. Go on and register your new puppy with the American Kennel Club. Lots of exciting sports and events await you and your new best friend.