How to get dog license

Find out where to get a dog licence, how much dog licences cost and how long they are valid for. You can also find details on 'block licences', microchipping and what could happen if you do not have a dog licence.

Table of Contents Show

Block licences
Refunds and discount
Concessions
Microchipping
Record keeping
Dog collars and identification
If you don't have a valid licence
When you cannot hold a dog licence
Dog breeding licence
More useful links

It is an offence to own an unlicensed dog, unless the dog is:

a puppy under six months old and kept by the person who was also the keeper of the bitch that gave birth to the puppy
an assistance dog used by a disabled person
a dog kept, and on offer for sale, in a licensed pet shop
a police dog
a dog kept under a block licence, on the premises to which the block licence relates

Domestic pet dogs must be licensed individually.

A dog licence costs £12.50. There are reduced licence fees for some dog owners.

Licence

A dog licence lasts for 12 months. Application forms for a dog licence, or for the renewal of a dog licence, are available from council offices and in many cases on the website of your local council.

Block licences

In certain circumstances, the owner of three or more dogs may apply for a ‘block licence’ at an annual fee of £32.

A block licence is available to an owner of three or more dogs kept on the same premises as long as at least three are unsterilised bitches, which between them breed less than 3 litters in a 12 month period, or the premises are registered guard dog kennels, or where at least three dogs are registered with one of the following bodies:

the Kennel Club
the Irish Coursing Club
the Masters of Foxhounds Association
the Masters of Harriers and Beagles Association
the Northern Ireland Masters of Hounds Association
the International Sheep Dog Society

Refunds and discount

If you are issued with a licence but do not take possession of the dog, or dispose of it within 30 days of the date the licence was issued, or the dog dies within 30 days of the issue date of the licence, you can apply for a refund of the licence fee.

Concessions

If you are aged 65 or over, you do not need to pay a fee to license one dog. If you are aged 65 or over and have more than one dog, you are eligible for a reduced licence fee of £5 for those other dogs.

You are also eligible for a reduced rate licence if you are on certain income related benefits at the date on which you apply for the licence. The benefits are:

State Pension Credit
Income Support
Housing Benefit
Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Working Tax Credit

You may be asked to prove that you are receiving the benefit.

The £5 licence fee is also available if the dog has been sterilised. You may be asked to prove this with a vet’s certificate.

Microchipping

All dogs in Northern Ireland must be microchipped at eight weeks old.

All dogs must be microchipped before an owner applies for a dog licence.

Dog owners are responsible for ensuring that the contact details held against their dog’s microchip number are accurate. If the details are not accurate, the dog is not considered as microchipped and the dog licence will not be valid.

Record keeping

Block licence holders are required to keep records which include:

microchip details of each dog kept at the premises
date of sale, transfer or death of any dog
the name and address of the person to whom any dog is sold or transferred
the new keeper’s dog licence or block licence number

All Information about the sale, transfer or death of any dog should be recorded within seven days of its sale, transfer or death.

Dog collars and identification

Dogs, other than those mentioned below, must wear a collar with the owner's name and address inscribed on it, or on a plate or badge attached to the collar.

It is an offence if your dog does not wear the right collar identification and could result in a maximum fine of £1,000.

Collar tags are not needed for:

a dog which is a member of a pack of hounds
a dog being judged in a competition
a dog being used for any sporting purposes, the capture or destruction of vermin or for driving or tending sheep or cattle

If you don't have a valid licence

Keeping a dog without a valid licence may result in:

a warning
a formal caution
a fixed penalty or prosecution
a fine of up to £1,000

It is also an offence to take possession of a dog (whether you paid for it or not) before you have obtained a licence for it. You can be prosecuted for this offence and may be liable to a maximum fine of £1,000. The person who gave or sold you the dog is also guilty of an offence.

When you cannot hold a dog licence

If you are under 16 years old, or if you have been disqualified from keeping animals under animal welfare legislation, you are disqualified from obtaining or holding a dog licence.

Dog breeding licence

If you keep only one or two breeding bitches, you do not need a dog breeding licence.

Hunt clubs and charities also don’t need a licence to keep a breeding establishment.

Find out when you do need a dog breeding licence at the link below:

Council licensing of dog breeding establishments

Notes[]

Just like any other NPC, the Town Dog requires valid housing with proper size, background walls, a table, a chair, and a light source. However, it can share a house already occupied by another NPC, although not with another town pet.
While it is possible to purchase multiple Dog Licenses, only one Dog License can be used per world. Attempting to use a second one will not result in the arrival of another Town Dog, and the item will not be consumed.

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All dogs over the age of three months must be registered and microchipped.

Dogs can be registered for:

One year
Three years
The lifetime of the dog.

All dog registrations in the City of Joondalup expire on 31 October each year.

New registrations can be completed using the online form, via email or in person at the City’s Customer Service Centre in Joondalup.

Dog registration fees as of November 2013.

	1 year	3 years	Lifetime
Unsterilised	$ 50.00	$120.00	$250.00
Sterilised	$ 20.00	$ 42.50	$ 100.00
Pensioner	$ 10.00	$ 21.25	$ 50.00
Unsterilised – Pensioner	$ 25.00	$ 60.00	$125.00

Pensioner concessions can only be applied on production of a current Pensioner Concession Card, State Concession Card, Veteran’s Card or a Senior’s Card together with a Commonwealth Senior’s Health Card.

Sterilised fees will apply upon production of either:

Veterinary Surgeon’s Certificate
Statutory Declaration signed by dog owner
By an officer of the City sighting an ear tattoo.

Some dogs may be exempt from microchipping due to old age or ill health that would prove detrimental to the dog. Proof of microchip exemption must be provided by a veterinarian.

Providing an alternative contact person when registering your dog is essential. This can provide City Officers with an alternative contact if your dog has been found and you are not contactable.

All dogs in New York City must have licenses, and the licenses must be attached to their collars while in public. Dog owners may be fined for violating these requirements. Dog owners can purchase a license that is valid for one year or up to five years. The cost of the license depends on its length and whether the dog is spayed/neutered.

A dog license can help dog owners:

Find lost dogs.

Let their dog go off-leash With proof of current dog license and rabies vaccination, dogs can run off-leash at New York City park dog runs.

Simplify medical follow-ups. This is especially important if your dog bites someone.

Support animal shelters. Licensing fees help fund shelters and pay for free and low-cost spay and neuter programs.

Apply

You can apply for a dog license online, or by downloading and mailing in an application.

Dog License Application and Instructions (PDF)
Other Languages: Español

To receive a paper copy of the application by mail, call 311.

You will receive your dog license within two to four weeks after payment is processed.

You can also get for a new license, renewal or lost tag replacement at one of the same-day licensing or vaccination events listed below.

When your license is almost expired, you will receive a renewal notice in the mail that you can return with payment. You can also renew your license online.

2022 Same-Day Licensing/Vaccination Events

Dog owners attending a licensing event will not be cited for not having a license, and the $2 late fee for renewing an expired license will be waived. Some events also feature free vaccines for dogs and cats. At those events, unhealthy pets or pets with a history of allergic reactions to vaccines will not be eligible.