What Maine law says about licensing a boarding kennel or daycare, pets nobody picks up, and rabies. Checked November 2, 2026.
State license
The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry licenses boarding kennels that keep 3 or more pets for a fee. The fee is $125 a year; you start with a conditional license that becomes standard once you pass inspection.
Covers kennels
Boarding kennels and daycares are covered: if the owner doesn't claim the pet within 10 days after notice by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, it is presumed abandoned. You must then arrange adoption, sale, or placement with a licensed shelter.
Required
Dogs must be vaccinated within 30 days of turning 3 months old.
The state care rules (chapter 701) are being rewritten, so check the current text.
Sources: 7 M.R.S. § 3932 17 M.R.S. § 1038 7 M.R.S. § 3916 DACF animal welfare forms
Facts, not legal advice. Laws change, and your county or city may have its own kennel permit: call them before you rely on any of this.
| State | Kennel license | Pets nobody picks up | Rabies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | State license | Covers kennels | Required |
| New Hampshire | No state license | Covers kennels | Required |
Zoning, your county or city, and the fire marshal come too. The Opening Kit walks you through all of them, with the questions to ask each office, then insurance, policies, prices and your first twenty clients.
$99
Eleven chapters, plus three free months of Goodstay from the day you open
Opening in Maine? See the kit