How Much Does It Cost to Enter an AKC Agility Trial? $22 to $28 for the First Run, With AKC's $4.50 Fee Already Inside
Entering a dog in an AKC agility trial costs less per run than most people expect, but the bill is built from several parts: a per-run entry fee that already contains an AKC recording fee, a cheaper rate for extra runs on the same day, and a few small charges around the edges. This guide uses the premium lists that four clubs published for 2026 trials, so every figure below comes from a club's own entry paperwork. Clubs set their own prices, so treat these as a range rather than a national rate.
What one run costs at four clubs
A premium list is the entry packet a club posts before each trial. The Dog Gone Fun Agility trial in Magnolia, Texas, on September 11-13, 2026 lists $28 for the first entry of each dog, $25 for the second and $19 for the third through fifth. The Mound City Obedience Training Club trials in Caseyville, Illinois, on June 5-7, 2026 list $22 for the first and second entry and $19 for each additional. The York County Dog Training Club in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania lists $25, $25 and then $15 for the third through sixth entry. The Dalmatian Club of North Texas, in Fort Worth, lists $26, $22 and $19.
The AKC's $4.50 is already inside
Several of these lists say that the entry fee includes a recording fee paid to the American Kennel Club. The Texas lists describe it as a $4.50 per run fee that is new for 2026, charged on the first entry each day and on each additional entry. In other words, a $28 first run is about $23.50 for the club and $4.50 for the AKC. Do not add the $4.50 on top of the listed price.
A weekend budget
Most handlers enter two runs a day, typically a standard course and a jumpers course. At the Texas trial that is $28 plus $25, or $53 a day, so three days is $159. At the Illinois trial it is $44 a day, or $132 for three days. At the Dalmatian Club trial, whose list prints a ladder of daily totals, one run is $26, two runs $48, three runs $67 and six runs $124, which works out to about $20.67 a run at the top of the ladder. Add the cost of getting there, a hotel and food and the entry fee is often the smaller part of the trip.
Small charges around the entry
Printed catalogs are usually optional. The Texas list sells them prepaid for $10, and the Pennsylvania list sells them for $5 if prepaid and $10 at the site. The Dalmatian Club trial is held at Watt Arena in Fort Worth, where the list says the City of Fort Worth charges $15 parking each day, which is not a club fee. A returned check is another trap: the Texas and Pennsylvania lists add $30, and the Illinois and Fort Worth lists add $25.
What your dog needs before you can enter
Entry requires an AKC number, so the first cost for many owners is the paperwork. The AKC's agility regulations say dogs must be at least 15 months old, and they accept dogs with an AKC registration, a PAL or ILP listing, or an AKC Canine Partners listing number. The AKC's paper Canine Partners application shows a one-time $35 listing fee, and the AKC says enrolled dogs can compete in agility, obedience, rally and other events. Our guide to what AKC registration costs covers the purebred route. Not every trial accepts mixed breeds, so check that the premium list says so.
Refund rules to read before you pay
Entry fees are mostly non-refundable once the closing date has passed. The Fort Worth list refunds all but $10 a day for a bitch in season with a veterinarian's note, the Illinois list keeps $5 a day for that reason and $10 for an injured dog or handler, and the Pennsylvania list keeps $20 a day for either case. The Pennsylvania list also charges $5 a day to process a refund requested before closing. A dog that is absent, disqualified or sick is generally not refunded, so entering fewer runs is cheaper than cancelling.
Skills first, trials second
The entry fee is only the end of the spending. Most teams train for months before a first trial, either in classes or privately. Our guides to what dog training costs and to PetSmart and Petco class packages show what that stage looks like. A related AKC program with a lower bar to entry is the Canine Good Citizen test, which many owners take first.
A quick checklist
Confirm the dog's AKC number or Canine Partners listing, the dog's age, the fee per run and the day's total, the closing date, the catalog and parking charges, and the refund rule. Figures here are the prices printed in each club's 2026 premium list and may change, so use the current list for any trial you plan to enter.
This guide covers costs only. It is not veterinary advice and does not say whether your dog is physically ready for agility; ask your veterinarian. Prices vary by club, region and event.
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