🐕 Breed-Specific Legislation by State
Breed-specific legislation (BSL) bans or restricts dogs by appearance — most often pit bull–type dogs. A growing number of states forbid local governments from passing such rules; elsewhere, whether a breed is restricted depends on the city.
12 State prohibits breed-specific rules10 Limited protection29 Cities and counties may restrict breeds
| State | Status | What the law says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Alabama has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Alaska | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Alaska has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Arizona | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Arizona bans breed-specific rules. Counties may only enforce city dog ordinances that are not specific to any breed. | A.R.S. § 11-1005 |
| Arkansas | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Arkansas has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| California | Limited protection | Partly. Local dangerous-dog programs may not be breed-specific, though cities may use breed-specific spay/neuter and breeding rules. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 31683 |
| Colorado | Limited protection | Partly. Local dangerous-dog rules may not be specific to breed. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | C.R.S. § 18-9-204.5(5)(a) |
| Connecticut | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Connecticut bans breed-specific rules. No municipality may adopt breed-specific dog ordinances. | C.G.S.A. § 7-148 |
| Delaware | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Delaware bans breed-specific rules. Municipalities may not pass any law or rule about dogs based on breed or perceived breed, and no dog is dangerous solely because of its breed. | 22 Del.C. § 116; 11 Del.C. § 1327 |
| District of Columbia | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | The District of Columbia has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Florida | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Florida bans breed-specific rules. Local governments may not regulate dangerous dogs by breed, and since a 2023 amendment they may not ban or restrict any breed. | Fla. Stat. § 767.14 |
| Georgia | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Georgia has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Hawaii | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Hawaii has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Idaho | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Idaho has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Illinois | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Illinois bans breed-specific rules. Local rules may not be specific to breed, and dogs may not be classed as vicious by breed. | 510 ILCS 5/15, 5/24 |
| Indiana | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Indiana has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Iowa | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Iowa has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Kansas | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Kansas has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Kentucky | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Kentucky has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Louisiana | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Louisiana has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Maine | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Maine bans breed-specific rules. Municipalities may not adopt breed-specific ordinances. | 7 M.R.S.A. § 3950 |
| Maryland | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Maryland has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Massachusetts | Limited protection | Partly. No dog may be declared dangerous because of its breed. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | M.G.L. c. 140 § 157 |
| Michigan | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Michigan has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Minnesota | Limited protection | Partly. Cities and counties may not regulate dangerous dogs based solely on breed. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | Minn. Stat. § 347.51, subd. 8 |
| Mississippi | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Mississippi has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Missouri | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Missouri has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Montana | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Montana has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Nebraska | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Nebraska has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Nevada | Limited protection | Partly. A dog may not be found dangerous or vicious based solely on its breed. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | N.R.S. 202.500 |
| New Hampshire | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | New Hampshire has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| New Jersey | Limited protection | Partly. The state vicious-dog law overrides local rules about dangerous dogs or specific breeds. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | N.J.S.A. 4:19-36 |
| New Mexico | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | New Mexico has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| New York | Limited protection | Partly. Local dangerous-dog programs may not regulate dogs by breed. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. Law § 107(5) |
| North Carolina | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | North Carolina has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| North Dakota | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | North Dakota has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Ohio | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Ohio has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Oklahoma | Limited protection | Partly. Local dangerous-dog rules may not be breed-specific. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | 4 Okla. Stat. § 46 |
| Oregon | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Oregon has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Pennsylvania | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Pennsylvania bans breed-specific rules. Local dog ordinances may not prohibit or otherwise limit a specific breed. | 3 P.S. § 459-507-A |
| Rhode Island | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Rhode Island bans breed-specific rules. No city or town may enact a rule specific to any breed of dog or cat. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13.1-16 |
| South Carolina | Limited protection | Partly. An animal is not a “dangerous animal” solely because of its breed or species. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | S.C. Code § 47-3-710 |
| South Dakota | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — South Dakota bans breed-specific rules. No local government may enact or enforce any rule specific to the breed or perceived breed of a dog. | S.D.C.L. § 40-34-16 |
| Tennessee | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Tennessee has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Texas | Limited protection | Partly. Counties and cities may add rules for dangerous dogs only if they are not specific to one or more breeds. Other breed-based rules are not expressly prohibited, so check your city’s ordinances. | Tex. Health & Safety Code § 822.047 |
| Utah | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Utah bans breed-specific rules. Municipalities may not adopt or enforce breed-specific rules, and any such rule is void. | U.C.A. § 18-2-101 |
| Vermont | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Vermont has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Virginia | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Virginia bans breed-specific rules. No locality may prohibit owning a particular breed, and no dog is dangerous solely because of its breed. | Va. Code § 3.2-6541.1; § 3.2-6540 |
| Washington | State prohibits breed-specific rules | Yes — Washington bans breed-specific rules. Cities and counties may not ban or restrict a breed unless they meet strict conditions set in the law (including an exemption for dogs that pass a canine good citizen test). | RCW 16.08.110 |
| West Virginia | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | West Virginia has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Wisconsin | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Wisconsin has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
| Wyoming | Cities and counties may restrict breeds | Wyoming has no state law stopping cities and counties from banning or restricting dogs by breed. Whether a breed is restricted depends on where you live — check your city or county ordinances before moving with a pit bull–type or other targeted breed. | Official text |
🔔 Get recall alerts by email
When FDA announces a dog or cat food recall, we email you the brand, the product and what to do.
Or follow the RSS feedMore pet laws
🚗 Dogs in Hot Cars Laws by State💉 Rabies Vaccination Requirements by State⚖️ Dog Bite Liability Laws by State🛡️ Pets in Protective Orders by State🏪 Pet Store Puppy Sale Bans by State✈️ Pet Health Certificate Requirements by State🪪 Dog License Requirements by State🦮 Dog Leash Laws by State🏠 Pet Deposit & Security Deposit Limits by State
General information, not legal advice. Laws change and local authorities often add stricter rules. Each row links to its source and was checked on the date shown at the top — confirm with your local authority or a lawyer before relying on it.