Microchipping and Registration

Lifetime Registration

Owners of dogs are required to identify (microchip) their dogs at 3 months of age or before they are sold or given away. This means that when purchasing or receiving a companion animal (cat or dog) the person selling or giving away that animal is guilty of an offence if the animal has not been permanently identified before the transaction is finalised.

Registration is required at 6 months of age or if one of the following occurs before 6 months:

• The dog is impounded
• The dog is declared dangerous;  or
• The dog is declared a nuisance

Under the Companion Animals Act 1998, dogs that meet the definition of a 'working dog' are exempt from microchipping and registering when:

• the working dog resides on land defined and rated as farmland under the Local Government Act 1993,  or
• the working dog is kept in the Western Division of NSW, being not within a local government area

All working dogs MUST be microchipped and registered.  However, registration is free.

Complete this Declaration form and return to Council to declare your dog(s) as working animals.

Register your cat or dog online and give them the best chance of being returned home

Owners now has access to the NSW Pet Registry to register your pet, update your contact details, report your pet missing, transfer ownership and pay most lifetime registration fees from your computer or mobile device.

Take a few simple steps to make sure your pet's registration is up-to-date by creating an account with the NSW Pet Registry to check or update any details.

Microchipping your animal will ensure that if lost they will be returned to you. If you have moved house or Shire you must complete the Change of Ownership Details form so the Pet Registry can be updated.  Council also recommends that you put a secondary contact on file in case you are not home or unavailable to collect your beloved pet. 

Who is responsible for microchipping cats and dogs in NSW

Under NSW law, whoever is selling or giving away the animal must microchip it. This applies whether they’re a professional breeder, a rehoming organisation, or a friend whose pet has had an accidental litter of puppies or kittens.

All cats and dogs must be microchipped before being sold or given away, or by 12 weeks of age.

If you buy a cat or dog in NSW that is not microchipped, please report this to your local council. They can investigate and act, if appropriate.

If those selling or giving away the animal do not microchip it by 12 weeks of age, they may be issued with a fixed penalty notice for $180 or a court may impose a maximum penalty of up to $880. 

Added identification for pets

All dogs, except working dogs, must wear a collar or tag when they're outside your property. This needs to show their name and your address or phone number.

Penalties apply for pet not wearing an ID Colar:

Dog not wearing ID collar: Owner must pay the penalty if their dog is not wearing a collar or tag showing their name and the owner's address or phone number when outside their property. Note: Working dogs are exempt. Penalty $880

Dangerous, menacing or restricted dog not wearing ID collar: Owner must pay the penalty if their dog has been declared dangerous, menacing or restricted, and is not wearing a collar or tag showing their name and the owner's address or phone number at all times. Penalty $5,500.

Fees and Charges for the registration are set by the Office of Local Government. All other fees associated with Companion Animal Fees and Charges(PDF, 595KB)  including microchipping, all costs associated with impounding and releasing animals are set by Council.

Looking after your Dog in Public

When away from your property, your dog must wear a collar and be micro chipped and registered and be controlled on a leash (except in council off-leash areas). Outside your property, you must pick up your dog's droppings. Council must provide bins in areas used for exercising dogs. Your dog must not enter eating areas, schools or childcare grounds, wildlife protection areas or within 10 metres of children's playground equipment. The rules in the Companion Animal Act are important for pets, pet owners and other people. Dog and cat owners who ignore the rules face strong penalties, including fines and court action.

Dog in the Pound

If your dog is found unleashed in a public place, it can be seized by council officers and put in the pound. You have 14 days (for a registered dog) or 7 days (for unregistered dogs) to claim your pet from the pound. Dogs which are chipped will be scanned and their owners notified. All unclaimed animals are put up for adoption or rehomed through a register rehoming organisation.

Nuisance Dogs

Your local council can issue a Nuisance Order if your dog repeatedly barks, damages other people's property or chases people, animals or vehicles. If you don't stop your dog doing these things you can be fined.

Restricted Dog Breeds

Four breeds of dogs are subject to import restrictions by the Federal Government. They are the American Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosas, Argentinian Fighting Dogs and the Brazilian Fighting Dog.

Dog Attacks

Depending on the severity of an attack and other factors in an investigation, Council may take one of the following actions against the owner of a dog:

Menacing dog declaration

A menacing dog declaration may be placed on a dog that has; displayed unreasonable aggression towards a person or animal or without provocation, has attacked a person or animal but without causing serious injury or death. This gives Council the opportunity to place control requirements on your dog even if they have not caused injury to a person or animal.

Dangerous dog declaration

A dangerous dog declaration may be placed on a dog that has; without provocation, attacked or killed a person or animal or repeatedly threatened to attack or repeatedly chased a person or animal. A dangerous dog declaration comes with a number of control requirements that you must follow. This includes a dangerous dog enclosure that needs to comply with Companion Animal regulations which could cost you upwards of $10,000 to install new. You are also subject to paying an annual permit fee of $195 for owning a dangerous dog.

Penalty infringement notices

You may be subject to a penalty infringement notice in relation to an attack. The current minimum penalty if your dog rushes at, attacks, bites, harasses or chases any person or animal (other than vermin), whether or not any injury is caused to the person or animal is $1320. The maximum penalty is $22,000. You also may receive an infringement if your dog is in a public place and not under effective control ($330), your dog is not registered ($330) and a number of other offences. These infringements will cost you more if your dog is declared dangerous or menacing. Failure to pay infringement notices could result in enforcement actions from Revenue NSW such as driving restrictions (drivers licence suspension, vehicle registration cancellation or restrictions from conducting business with Transport for NSW) or even deductions from your wages or bank account.

An infringement may be issued to the owner or the person (over the age of 16 years) in charge of the dog at the time of the incident. If the dog is uncontrolled in a public place and no one is in charge of it, the owner will receive the infringement.

Change of Owner C3A form - this form must be completed when rehoming a companion animal or your move house. Whenever possible please include a secondary contact person. 

Pet Registration R2 form - this form is to be completed prior to attending the Council to register your companion animal. Please ensure that the Microchip Number is correct. If you do not know the microchip number any local Vet can scan an animal to establish the microchip number. 

Verification of existing microchip M1 form - this form is to be completed by the vet to verify the microchip number of your pet. 

Digitial NSW Pet Registry

In NSW, you can register your cat or dog online in a few simple steps.

1. Create a NSW Pet Registry profile

Your Service NSW log in credentials grant you access to the NSW Pet Registry. If you don't have a MyServiceNSW Account, you will need to create one before you can access the NSW Pet Registry.

2. Do your research

Support pet welfare by doing your research and purchasing your pet from a responsible breeder, pet shop or approved rehoming organisations.

3. Transfer ownership

Using the details on your NSW Pet Registry profile, the breeder or seller will instantly transfer you official ownership once you’ve confirmed your pet purchase. You’ll receive a confirmation notification from the NSW Pet Registry.

4. Pay your once-only registration fee online

Always confirm pet details are accurate on the NSW Pet Registry, and update pet photos and other information when necessary. Up-to-date details on the NSW Pet Registry can help reunite you with lost pets.