Microchipping and registration ensure you and your pet can be reunited should they become lost. It is also a requirement of pet ownership and if your pet is not microchipped and registered, or if details are not up-to-date, fines may apply.
Step 1 - Microchipping
In NSW, all puppies and kittens must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age or before being sold or given away, whichever happens first.
Microchips are a small 2mm implant placed under the skin between the shoulder blades. The microchip contains a unique 15-digit number which is assigned to your pet.
Search 'microchipping' on our What's On page for upcoming free microchipping days.
Step 2 - Registration
All puppies and kittens must be registered by six months of age.
The registration fee is a one-off payment, which covers the dog or cat for its lifetime in NSW, regardless of any changes in ownership.
Discounts are available for owners with an eligible pension. When adopting from an approved rescue shelter or animal care facility, registration is free if the animal is desexed.
Lifetime registration can be paid online at petregistry.olg.nsw.gov.au or at any local council in NSW.
To register your pet, you will need to present:
- a signed Lifetime Registration (R2)
- a certificate of microchipping/identification or a letter from a vet
- any other document entitling you to a discount, for example, a pensioner concession card or recognised breeder identification.
Proof of desexing may take the form of a Certificate of Sterilisation, a receipt containing a microchip number from a vet or a statutory declaration from a previous owner stating that the cat or dog has been desexed and is permanently incapable of reproduction.
For further microchipping and registration information, visit olg.nsw.gov.au/public/dogs-cats
Additional fee and annual permits
For dogs not desexed by 6 months of age, an additional once-only fee applies.
Annual permits are required for owners of cats that are not desexed by 4 months of age, restricted dog breeds and dogs declared to be dangerous. For more information, visit petregistry.olg.nsw.gov.au/registration-and-permit-fees/annual-pet-permit-fees
Why desex your pet?
Not only do you avoid paying an additional fee, desexing limits unwanted puppies and kittens and decreases the risk of certain types of cancers.
Desexing your dog can make it less likely to roam and can reduce aggressive behaviour and the likelihood of your dog being the aggressor in a dog attack.
Proof of desexing may take the form of a Certificate of Sterilisation, a receipt containing a microchip number from a vet or a statutory declaration from a previous owner stating that the cat or dog has been desexed and is permanently incapable of reproduction.
Need some assistance? Central Coast Council’s ‘Desexing Saves Lives’ program provides access to low-cost cat and dog desexing for eligible residents. Call the National Desexing Network on 1300 368 992 to find out if you're eligible.
Change of Ownership/Details
Keeping your address and contact information up to date is essential to ensure you are reunited with your pet, should they become lost.
If you sell or give away your pet, it is your responsibility to notify a change of ownership.
You can change your pet’s details at petregistry.nsw.gov.au or at any local council in NSW.
Recognised breeder
In accordance with the Companion Animals Act, a recognised breeder is a person who is a member of one of the three following organisations:
- Dogs NSW (formerly Royal NSW Canine Council)
- NSW Cat Fanciers Association
- Waratah State Cat Alliance
To obtain a discount as a recognised breeder, at time of registration you must show all of the following:
- a current membership card from one of the listed recognised organisations
- evidence that the animal is a purebred
- a signed statement (from the owner) that the animal is kept for breeding purposes.
Fee exemption
Owners claiming a lifetime registration fee exemption for an assistance animal must provide proof that the animal is a genuine assistance animal. This includes a signed statement or documentation from a recognised training body that the animal is (or is being) trained as an assistance animal, and a signed statement from the training body or the owner that the animal is being used for that purpose. Therapy pets are not exempted.
Other animals exempt from microchipping and lifetime registration requirements include:
- working dogs used for tending stock on rural properties that work and live on the property
- greyhounds registered under the Greyhound Racing Act.