Registered dogs
- Acquired dog from owner
- Acquired dog from third party
- Acquired dog from deceased
- Acquired AKC registered dog
Dog not yet registered
I lost my dog’s registration application that the litter owner gave me. How do I obtain another one?
If you lost your dog’s registration application and the dog was not yet transferred into your name, the litter owner will need to request a duplicate dog registration. The litter owner will need to have the following information, when submitting the request:
- Litter number, breed and date of birth
- Litter owners name, address and signature
- Sex of dog they are requesting the duplicate for
- Processing fee (you can either pay by check or money order made payable to the AKC or by charge card. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted)
If they do not have the litter number please provide us with the following in its place:
- Names and registration numbers of the sire and dam, and breed
- Date of birth of the litter
- Litter owners name and address
Request a duplicate registration application here.
When the required information is received your request will be processed and a duplicate registration will be mailed to the litter owner. They will then need to complete the transfer to you on the back of the registration application.
Please remember a duplicate registration application can only be requested by the litter owner on AKC record.
You can also mail your request to:
American Kennel Club
8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27617-3390
For more information you can contact our Customer Service Department at (919) 233-9767. You can also e-mail us at info@akc.org.
I am the second person to obtain my dog and all I have is the registration application. It states on this form that I need a supplemental transfer form. How do I obtain one?
The person or firm named as the New Owner in Section A of the application must complete Section A of a Supplemental Transfer Statement to transfer the dog to the next owner. Each person or firm through whose hands the dog passes must complete Section A of a transfer statement to record the complete chain of transfer for the dog.
You must only complete and sign Section B of the transfer statement in which your name appears in Section A as the New Owner.
I just acquired an AKC registered dog. How do I transfer the ownership to my name?
You can quickly and easily transfer your AKC registered dog online here. Simply follow the step by step instructions for immediate processing.
Or you can transfer ownership via mail by completing the back of the dog’s certificate.
Here is what needs to be completed:
Section A
- Date of Transfer: The date you took physical possession of the dog.
- Name of New Owner: Your name and address information.
- Signature of Former Owner: The former owner’s signature.
Section B
- Signature of New Owner: Your signature.
You will then need to mail the completed form to our Raleigh address for processing. Be sure to include the transfer fee (check or money order in the amount on the form – payable to AKC). After we receive your information we will print a new certificate and mail it to you.
I just lost my dog’s AKC certificate that I obtained from the previous owner and I did not transfer the ownership into my name. How do I obtain another certificate?
If you lost your dog’s registration application and the dog was not yet transferred into your name, the litter owner will need to request a duplicate dog registration. The litter owner will need to have the following information, when submitting the request:
- Litter number, breed and date of birth
- Litter owners name, address and signature
- Sex of dog they are requesting the duplicate for
- Processing fee (you can either pay by check or money order made payable to the AKC or by charge card. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted)
If they do not have the litter number please provide us with the following in its place:
- Names and registration numbers of the sire and dam, and breed
- Date of birth of the litter
- Litter owners name and address
Request a duplicate registration application here.
When the required information is received your request will be processed and a duplicate registration will be mailed to the litter owner. They will then need to complete the transfer to you on the back of the registration application.
Please remember a duplicate registration application can only be requested by the litter owner on AKC record.
You can also mail your request to:
American Kennel Club
8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27617-3390
For more information you can contact our Customer Service Department at (919) 233-9767. You can also e-mail us at info@akc.org.
My spouse/partner is now deceased. What do I need to do to get the dogs transferred?
Assignment of Legal Rights by “Letters Testamentary”:
When a person dies, a court may appoint an Executor or Administrator of the Deceased’s estate by creating a legal document entitled “Letters Testamentary.” The AKC will need a copy of this document and the date of death to establish who should sign for the deceased.
How a Court-Appointed Executor Signs:
Printed name of the deceased (Deceased)
per: Signature of Executor (Executor)
For example, if Joanna Reeves died and the court appointed Melvin Thomas as the Executor of her estate, he could sign all AKC papers for her once the Letters Testamentary were filed with the AKC, as follows:
Joanna Reeves (Deceased)
per: signature of Melvin Thomas (Executor)
Assignment of Legal Rights to the Next of Kin:
If the court does not appoint an Executor of the estate, the next of kin will be the executor of the estate. A “Statement of Legal Rights” form signed by the next of kin and notarized will be required for the next of kin to be able to sign for the deceased. Once the next of kin has completed and returned the forms, he/she may sign for the deceased on AKC papers. The manner of signature is exactly the same as with a court-appointed Executor, except that instead of following his/her signature with the word “Executor,” the relationship to the deceased is indicated.
For example, if instead of Melvin Thomas being appointed by a court, Joanna’s brother, John Reeves, became the executor of her estate, he would need to complete a “Statement of Legal Rights” form and would sign as follows:
Joanna Reeves (Deceased)
per: signature of John Reeves (Brother)