Identification and registration

In NSW, around 80,000 dogs and cats are lost, hurt or stolen each year. Many are not able to be identified and returned to their owners. To prevent this from occurring, the Companion Animals Act 1998 requires that all cats and dogs be microchipped and registered for life. This easy two-step process will help return your pet to you if it is hurt, lost or stolen.

Step 1

The NSW Companion Animals Act states that your pet must be microchipped by the person, group or shop who is selling it to you. If you bred the pet yourself it must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age. This permanent form of identification is the size of a grain of rice and is placed by injection under the skin of your dog or cat's neck, between the shoulderblades. The chip is inert and does not interfere with the animal.

Each chip contains a unique number that links the animal to the owner's contact details. This information is placed onto the NSW Pet Registry, a statewide register that can be accessed by all councils, pounds and veterinarians within NSW. If you travel interstate with your pet, it is worthwhile to also register their microchip with a privately run, Australia-wide registry.

If you obtain an animal that has not been microchipped, it becomes your responsibility to microchip your pet. The penalty for selling or giving away an animal without a microchip, or for owning a pet without a microchip, exceeds $165.

Step 2

From 1 July 2024 the Office of Local Government has introduced a new two step payment system which enables split payment for registration and non desexed fees when due.

Registration for dogs and cats is now required to be paid at 12 weeks of age or upon an animals first transfer. An additional fee payment is necessary in cases where an owner does not desex their dogs by 6 months of age or an annual permit is required for a cat not desexed by the relevant 4 months of age.

To lifetime register your cat or dog, please visit the NSW Pet Registry website, create a profile, and 'claim' your pet. Once claimed, you can follow the prompts to Lifetime Register. You can also use the Pet Registry to:

• Update contact information – address and phone number
• Transfer Ownership
• Pay registration fees
• Report their pet missing or deceased

To create a NSW Pet Registry profile, you must validate your identity using either a driver’s license, a Medicare card or an Australian passport. Your name must exactly match the owner information listed on your pet's Registry listing. Should these not match, you won’t be able to claim your pet.

For example, if your name is Matthew, but your animal's Pet Registry owner listing is under the name Matt, Council will need to update the record to Matthew for the profiles to match.

If you having difficulty registering your pet online via the NSW Pet Registry website, please contact council directly on 9391 7000 for assistance. Alternatively, you can complete the Lifetime Registration Form(PDF, 147KB) and bring it to Council with identification to make your payment.

As well as the above, your dog is also required to wear a collar with a tag showing their name and your address or telephone number whenever in public.

Current prices for lifetime registration

New registration fees are in accordance with sections 18 and 27 of the Companion Animals Regulation 2018.

These prices are applicable from 1 July 2024.

Registration Category	Registration Description	Species	Registration Fee
			Fee	Fee with Late Fee
Dog - Registration	Registration fee for dogs at 12 weeks of age or when first transferred.	Dog	$78.00	$100.00
Dog - Registration including additional fee	Combined registration fee and additional fee for a dog not desexed by the relevant desexing age of 6 months	Dog	$262.00	$284.00
Dog - Registration (sold by pound/shelter)	Desexed dog sold by an eligible pound/shelter	Dog	$0	$0
Dog - Registration (eligible pensioner)	Animal owned by an eligible pensioner	Dog	$34.00	$56.00
Dog - Registration (recognised breeder)	Animal not desexed and kept by a recognised breeder for breeding purposes	Dog	$78.00	$100.00
Dog - Registration Desexing - Not Recmd	Registration fee for dogs at 12 weeks of age for animal with written notification from a vet that it should not be desexed	Dog	$78.00	$100.00
Dog - Registration Desexing - Not Recmd (eligible pensioner)	Animal owned by an eligible pensioner with written notification from a vet that it should not be desexed	Dog	$34.00	$56.00
Dog - Service of the State	Dog in the service of the State, for example, a police dog	Dog	$0	$0
Dog - Working	Working dog	Dog	$0	$0
Assistance Animal	Animal under 6 months of age training to be an assistance animal, for example, a guide dog	Dog/Cat	$0	$0
Cat - Registration Desexed or Not Desexed	Registration fee - for cats at 12 weeks	Cat	$68.00	$90.00
Cat - Registration Desexed (eligible pensioner)	Animal owned by an eligible pensioner	Cat	$34.00	$56.00
Cat - Registration Desexed (sold by pound/shelter)	Desexed cat sold by an eligible pound/shelter	Cat	$0	$0
Cat - Registration Not Desexed - Not Recmd (eligible pensioner)	Animal owned by an eligible pensioner with written notification from a vet that it should not be desexed	Cat	$34.00	$56.00
Cat - Registration Not Desexed - Not Recmd	Animal with written notification from a vet that it should not be desexed	Cat	$68.00	$90.00
Cat - Registration (recognised breeder)	Animal not desexed and kept by a recognised breeder for breeding purposes	Cat	$68.00	$90.00
Registration late fee	A late fee is applicable if a registration is not paid for by 28 days after the registration requirement.	Dog/Cat	$0.00	$22.00
Additional Fee	Additional fee is due if the animal is not desexed by 6 months.	Dog	$184.00	$206.00

 

Current prices for annual animal permits

From 1 July 2020 the NSW Government introduced new rules for some pet owners. The rules apply to owners of non-desexed cats, restricted breed dogs, or dogs declared to be dangerous. Owners of these pets will be required to pay an annual permit fee, in addition to their lifetime pet registration fee. An additional late fee is applicable if payment of the annual permit is not made by the prescribed time.

Annual Permit fees from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025

An additional $22 Late fee is applicable if a permit is not paid for by 28 days after the permit requirement took effect.

Permit Type	Permit Description	Permit Fee	Permit Fee with Late Fee
Undesexed Cat	Cat not desexed by 4 months of age	$96	$118
Dangerous Dog	Dog declared to be dangerous	$230	$252
Restricted Dog	Dog declared to be a restricted breed or restricted by birth	$230	$252

 

For further details visit The Office of Local Government website.

Annual Permits and Additional Fees

If you have have not desexed your dog or cat by the required age then please complete this form - Companion Animal -(PDF, 186KB) Non-desexed cat and dog fees(PDF, 186KB) as required under the Companion Animal Act 1998. Owners of non-desexed cats over 4 months of age must pay an annual permit fee. Owners of non-desexed dogs over 6 months of age must pay a once-only additional fee.

For dog owners required to pay an annual permit fee for dogs declared to be dangerous or restricted, as required under the Companion Animals Act 1998 please use this form - Companion Animal - Restricted or dangerous dog annual permit fees(PDF, 145KB).

Please send the form to records@woollahra.nsw.gov.au or PO Box 61, Double Bay NSW 1360. You may also lodge the form in person at our Customer Service Centre, 536 New South Head Road, Double Bay NSW 2028.

Updating microchip information

Remember, the microchip details are only valuable if they are current! If your contact information changes (such as address, phone numbers or email address), or if your animal is sold or given away you must update the pet's microchip information within fourteen days of the change. You must also notify Council within 28 days if your pet dies. The penalty for not completing these actions within the prescribed timeframes is $165.

To update your pet's identification information, or mark your pet as deceased, please visit the NSW Pet Registry website. If you are unable to update your pet's information online via the NSW Pet Registry website, please contact council directly on 9391 7000 for assistance.