DKC vs AKC Litter Registration Compared
To register a litter of puppies, you send a registry the litter's breed, birth date, number of males and females and the names of the sire and dam, and the registry issues registration numbers for the puppies. The American Kennel Club (AKC) registers litters when both parents are AKC registered and of the same breed. Designer Kennel Club (DKC) registers purebred designer dog litters for $100 once the sire and dam are DKC registered.
What Is Litter Registration?
Litter registration is the step where a breeder records a litter with a registry. The registry confirms the parents, the birth date and the number of puppies, then gives the breeder what each new owner needs to register their puppy. It is the link between a breeder's records and a puppy's papers. Without it, a puppy buyer has no registration number to use.
Litter registration is not the same as individual dog registration. The breeder registers the litter once, and each puppy owner then registers their own dog. Registration records a dog and its owner. It is not a health certificate, and no registry guarantees DNA.
Why Breeders Register Litters
Buyers ask for papers. A registered litter lets you hand every family a registration number at pickup instead of answering paperwork requests one at a time. It also keeps a clear record of which sire and dam produced which puppies, which is useful for your own breeding program and for every buyer who contacts you later.
AKC Litter Registration: Requirements, Cost and Deadline
The AKC publishes its litter rules on akc.org. As of November 2026, these are the main ones:
Eligible dogs: the sire and the dam must both be AKC registered and of the same breed.
Where: the litter must be whelped in the United States or its territories.
Fee: the AKC fee schedule lists litter registration at $49.99.
Deadline: litters must be registered within six months of birth. A $65 late fee applies after that.
DNA: some dogs need an AKC DNA profile on file, such as a sire with seven or more lifetime litters or more than three in one calendar year, and imported dogs registered on or after March 1, 2006.
Online registration: the person submitting the dam and the sire's owner both need an email account, and online registration is for a litter from a natural mating with a single sire.
After approval: the breeder receives individual registration applications for the puppies to sign over to the new owners.
Fees and rules change, so confirm the current details with the AKC before you submit.
Why a Designer Dog Litter Does Not Fit AKC Registration
The AKC registers recognized breeds, and its litter rules require both parents to be AKC registered dogs of the same breed. A Goldendoodle litter, a Cavapoo litter or a Bernedoodle litter has two different parent breeds, so it does not meet that rule. That is not a flaw in the dogs. It is how a breed registry works. Breeders of designer dog crosses need a registry built for crosses.
DKC Litter Registration: Requirements, Cost and What You Get
Parents: the sire and dam must be registered with DKC first. If they have no papers, register each one with Foundation registration, which is $65 per dog and does not require existing papers.
Fee: litter registration is $100 per litter.
What you submit: your name, email, phone and address, the breed, your kennel name, the number of males and females, the sire and dam names and the litter's date of birth.
What you receive: registration numbers for each puppy, as a PDF by email within 2–3 business days.
Puppy owners: each owner registers their puppy for $45 using your DKC registration number.
DKC is an independent registry that provides proof of breed and ownership documentation. It does not replace the AKC for AKC breeds or AKC events, and it does not endorse breeding standards.
DKC vs AKC Litter Registration Side by Side
Best for: AKC is for purebreds of AKC breeds. DKC is for designer dog crosses and dogs with no papers.
Parents: AKC needs both parents AKC registered and of the same breed. DKC needs both parents DKC registered, and Foundation registration covers dogs with no papers.
Litter fee: AKC lists $49.99 on its fee schedule (November 2026). DKC is $100.
Deadline: AKC requires registration within six months of birth, with a $65 late fee after that.
Papers: AKC sends the breeder individual puppy applications to sign over. DKC sends registration numbers for each puppy as a PDF by email within 2–3 business days.
Puppy owner step: AKC owners register their puppy individually. DKC owners register for $45 with the breeder's number.
Purebred Breeds Are the Base of Many Designer Breeds
Most designer dogs start with purebred parents. A Goldendoodle is a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. A Labradoodle is a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. A Cavapoo is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle. A Bernedoodle is a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Poodle. A Cockapoo is a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle. A Havapoo is a Havanese and a Poodle, and a Labrabull is a Labrador and a pit bull type.
A breeder can work with both registries. Purebred parents that qualify can keep their AKC registration for the purebred side of the program, and the litter from an intentional cross is registered with DKC. A DKC registered cross of two purebred parents is a purebred designer dog.
Which Registry Should You Use?
You breed an AKC recognized purebred and both parents are AKC registered and of the same breed: AKC litter registration applies.
You breed a cross of two breeds on purpose: register the litter with DKC.
Your breeding dogs have no papers: register the sire and dam with Foundation registration, then register the litter with DKC.
You do both: register purebred litters with the AKC and cross litters with DKC.
Other registries, such as UKC, CKC and ABKC, set their own eligibility and fees. See our comparison of DKC and the Continental Kennel Club if you are weighing them.
How to Register a Litter with DKC, Step by Step
1. Register the sire and dam with DKC. Foundation registration is $65 per dog and needs no existing papers.
2. Open the litter registration page.
3. Enter your details, the breed, your kennel name, the number of males and females, the sire and dam names and the litter's date of birth.
4. Pay the $100 litter fee.
5. Receive the registration numbers for each puppy as a PDF by email within 2–3 business days.
6. Give each puppy family their number. They register their puppy for $45.
What Litter Registration Costs: A Breeder Example
Take a breeder with two dogs that have no papers and a litter of six puppies. With DKC, the two parents cost 2 x $65 = $130 and the litter costs $100, so the first litter is $130 + $100 = $230. The next litter from the same pair is only the $100 litter fee. The six families each pay $45, so 6 x $45 = $270 is paid by the puppy owners, not by the breeder.
If your dogs qualify for AKC registration, the AKC litter fee is lower than DKC's. If they do not qualify, the question is not price. It is whether you can register the litter at all.
Register the Litter Before the Puppies Go Home
Register as soon as the litter is born and both parents are registered, so each family gets their number at pickup. The AKC's six month deadline is a good habit to follow with any registry.
What Litter Registration Does Not Do
No registry guarantees DNA. A DKC certificate creates an official record of the litter and its owners. It does not certify health, temperament or parentage, and DKC does not endorse breeding practices. Health testing of the parents, honest records and good care for the puppies stay with the breeder. A DNA test is the way to confirm which breeds are in a dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register a litter of puppies?
Register the sire and dam with the registry first, then submit the litter's breed, birth date, number of males and females and the parents' names. With Designer Kennel Club, litter registration is $100 and the puppy registration numbers arrive as a PDF by email within 2–3 business days.
How much does it cost to register a litter?
Designer Kennel Club charges $100 per litter, plus $65 for each parent that is not yet registered. The AKC fee schedule lists litter registration at $49.99 as of November 2026, for litters whose parents are both AKC registered. Confirm current fees with each registry.
Can I register a litter if the parents have no papers?
Yes, with Designer Kennel Club. Register the sire and dam through Foundation registration, which is $65 per dog and needs no existing papers, then register the litter. The AKC requires both parents to be AKC registered and of the same breed.
Is DKC the same as the AKC?
No. Designer Kennel Club is an independent registry that provides proof of breed and ownership documentation for designer dogs. It does not replace the AKC for AKC breeds or AKC events.
Can I register a Goldendoodle litter with the AKC?
AKC litter registration requires both parents to be AKC registered and of the same breed. A Goldendoodle litter has two different parent breeds, so it does not meet that rule. Designer Kennel Club registers designer dog litters in every color and coat pattern.
How long does DKC litter registration take?
Registration numbers for the puppies arrive as a PDF by email within 2–3 business days.
What do puppy owners do after I register the litter?
Each owner registers their puppy for $45 using your DKC registration number. Give every family the number at pickup so they can register right away.
Does litter registration guarantee breed or health?
No. No registry guarantees DNA, and registration is not a health certificate. It creates an official record of the litter and its owners. Health testing and honest records remain the breeder's responsibility.
Register Your Litter Today
If you breed designer dogs, you can register your sire and dam, register the litter and give every puppy buyer a registration number. Breeders can start with Foundation registration for each parent, then register the litter for $100. Registration numbers arrive as a PDF by email within 2–3 business days.
