diff --git a/src/dataregistry/registrar/base_table_class.py b/src/dataregistry/registrar/base_table_class.py
index 01a2e01e..9f06ad77 100644
--- a/src/dataregistry/registrar/base_table_class.py
+++ b/src/dataregistry/registrar/base_table_class.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ def __init__(self, db_connection, root_dir, owner, owner_type):
         # Database engine and dialect.
         self._engine = db_connection.engine
         self._schema = db_connection.schema
+        self._dialect = db_connection._dialect
 
         # Link to Table Metadata.
         self._metadata_getter = TableMetadata(db_connection)
diff --git a/src/dataregistry/registrar/dataset.py b/src/dataregistry/registrar/dataset.py
index b10f6793..35e659fa 100644
--- a/src/dataregistry/registrar/dataset.py
+++ b/src/dataregistry/registrar/dataset.py
@@ -118,13 +118,11 @@ def _validate_register_inputs(
             if kwargs_dict["owner"] != "production":
                 raise ValueError("`owner` for production datasets must be 'production'")
         else:
-            if (
-                self._metadata_getter.is_production_schema
-                or kwargs_dict["test_production"]
-            ):
-                raise ValueError(
-                    "Only owner_type='production' can go in the production schema"
-                )
+            if self._dialect != "sqlite" and not kwargs_dict["test_production"]:
+                if self._metadata_getter.is_production_schema:
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        "Only owner_type='production' can go in the production schema"
+                    )
 
         # Validate the keywords (make sure they are registered)
         if len(kwargs_dict["keywords"]) > 0: