Register your pet

All dogs must be registered before they're 6 months old and all cats must be registered before they're 4 months old.

The standard fee to register a desexed animal is $58.

Project Status: When you need to do this

You must register your animal within 28 days of these due dates, or a late fee will be payable with your registration fee.
If your pet goes astray, the pound or vet can use the microchip and registration details to contact you.
Registration is cheaper if your pet is already desexed.
You must also apply for an annual permit for cats over 4 months of age that aren't desexed, and dangerous and restricted dogs.

What you need to do

Register with NSW pet registry
If you’re an owner or breeder
- Pet owners and breeders can create an online profile with the NSW pet registry. You can update your details, notify if your dog or cat is missing, register ownership changes and pay registration fees online.
- Breeders are issued with a breeder identification number to record owner and animal information to help track litters over time.
If you’re a vet

Vets are required to update the register when they desex cats and dogs. Vets are also able to update the register if they believe a pet should not be desexed for medical reasons.

If you’re a pensioner

You need to register with us in person and bring the relevant documents.
Register with us
1. Check that you live within the City of Sydney's boundaries. If not, you must contact your local council.
2. If you don't have a certificate of identification, you must complete a permanent identification form, found below.
3. Complete the lifetime registration form, found below.
4. If you already have a certificate of identification, you must include a photocopy of the identification certificate with the lifetime registration form. We need you to do this so we can contact you to complete your registration.
5. Lodge both forms with us. See details on each form as well as the payment and submitting your documents section below.
Your completed registration

Depending on whether you have certificate of identification or not, your registration takes one of two forms:
1. lifetime registration form and permanent identification form
2. lifetime registration form and certificate of identification.

Permanent identification form

Lifetime registration form

City of Sydney

: GPO Box 1591
Sydney 2001
: 02 9265 9333
: [email protected]

Payment and lodging documents

Residents can lodge the required documents in 1 of 3 ways:

Email your lifetime registration form with the permanent identification form or the certificate of identification along with your desexing certificate to [email protected]. When your paperwork is processed, we will email you a secure link to make your payment online.
Bring your lifetime registration form with the permanent identification form or the certificate of identification along with your desexing certificate to a customer service centre with your payment.
Post your lifetime registration form with the permanent identification form or the certificate of identification along with your desexing certificate and a cheque/money order made payable to the City of Sydney Council.

Before you start

Check if you qualify for a discount

If applicable, there are other forms you can also submit to gain discounts:
- a desexing certificate (if your pet has been desexed) will make your registration cheaper
  
  From 1 July 2020 owners of cats not desexed by 4 months of age will be required to pay an annual permit of $80 in addition to their one-off lifetime pet registration fee. If you need to do this, the annual permit form can be found below.
- pensioner concession card
- a receipt showing that your desexed animal was adopted from an eligible pound/shelter after the 29 October 2015 – the receipt must show the adopted animal's microchip number
  Adoptions from a pound/shelter in NSW are eligible for discounted registration if the animal was adopted after 29 October 2015 from:
  - RSPCA
  - Animal Welfare League NSW
  - Cat Protection Society
  - Council pound
- proof of assistance animal status
- proof of breeder status.
For documentation requirements, see proof of eligibility below.
Make sure your pet is already microchipped and that you have received your certificate of identification

Get your pet microchipped at your local vet or animal welfare organisation - they are accredited to do this procedure.
Check your pet isn’t a restricted breed

Some breeds are restricted under NSW law and these breeds can no longer be sold or given away in NSW. It is illegal to accept ownership of such a dog. If you own a restricted breed you must register the dog with the City.

From 1 July 2020 owners of dogs of a restricted breed or formally declared to be dangerous will be required to pay a $195 annual permit in addition to their one-off lifetime pet registration fee.

If you need to do this, the annual permit form can be found below. Owners of cats not desexed by 4 months of age are also required to do this.

Annual permit form

After you finish

You will receive your certificate of registration once your cat or dog is registered, and where applicable the identification certificate.

Please note: The permanent identification form or a copy of your identification certificate must be included in your submission. Without it, we will not be able to contact you or complete your registration.

The registration fee is a once-only payment and covers lifetime registration in NSW, even if pet ownership changes.

Your registration details will be recorded on the NSW Companion Animals Register.

Other information

Proof of eligibility

To qualify for a discount as a pensioner concession card holder, recognised breeder or if the animal you're registering has assistance animal status, you must provide the following documentation:

Proof of assistance animal status must be from a recognised training body such as Guide Dogs Australia. You must provide:
- a signed statement from the training body or owner that the animal is being used for that purpose.
Recognised breeders are entitled to $50 registration for a cat, and $60 registration for a dog. To prove that you are a recognised breeder, you must provide:
1. proof of current membership as a member of a recognised breeder body
2. documentation verifying that the cat or dog is of a breed accepted by the recognised breeder body, and
3. a signed statement by the member that the cat or dog is to be kept for breeding purposes.

Fees and documentation requirements

Please note that dogs must be registered before they are 6 months old and cats must be registered before they are 4 months old.

In addition to the below, a late fee of $16 is also payable with the registration fee if you don't register your animal within 28 days after this due date. The $16 late fee came into effect on 31 August 2018.

Legislated fees
- Desexed dog: $60
- Desexed cat: $50
- Pensioner (not a City of Sydney resident): $25
City of Sydney subsidised pensioner concession:
- must be City of Sydney resident
- first pet is free
- each additional pet $10.
The following card holders are eligible for the City's subsidised registration fee: aged, disability, widow, carers, supporting parent, service repatriation.

What to bring
- lifetime registration form
- microchip identification
- proof of desexing
- pensioner concession card (if applicable)
Legislated fees
- Desexed dog: $30
- Desexed cat: $25
What to bring
- lifetime registration form
- microchip identification
- proof of desexing
- a receipt showing that your desexed animal was adopted from an eligible pound/shelter - the receipt must show the adopted animal's microchip number
Eligible pounds/shelters and rehoming organisations include:
- RSPCA
- Animal Welfare League
- Cat Protection Society
- Council pound
For desexed animals from eligible pounds/shelters, these items apply from 29 October 2015. For desexed animals from an eligible rehoming organisations, they apply from 1 September 2018.
Legislated fees
- Non desexed dog: $216
- Non desexed Cat: $50 ( + annual permit fee if not exempt)
Not recommended to be desexed for veterinary reasons:
- Dog: $60
- Cat: $50
City of Sydney subsidised pensioner concession:
- must be City resident
- first pet is free
- each additional pet $15.
The following card holders are eligible for the City's subsidised registration fee: aged, disability, widow, carers, supporting parent, service repatriation.

What to bring
- lifetime registration form
- microchip identification
- pensioner concession card (if applicable)
- written statement from Veterinarian
Legislated fees
- Desexed dog: $60
- Desexed Cat: $50
What to bring

Proof of breeder status:
- breeder's card from either Dogs NSW, Waratah Cat Alliance, NSW Cat Fanciers Association
- documentation verifying the cat or dog is of a breed accepted by the recognised breeder body
- a signed statement by the member that the cat or dog is to be kept for breeding purposes
Legislated fees

Free

What to bring
- lifetime registration form
- microchip identification
- proof of assistance animal status

Fines for unregistered pets

If you do not register a dog aged 6 months or older, or a cat aged 4 months or older you can be fined $330 on-the-spot. If you own a dangerous, menacing or restricted breed of dog and don't register it before it is 6 months old you face a $1,760 fine. The maximum penalty for not registering animals is $6,600 (for subsequent offences). For not registering dangerous, restricted and menacing dogs, it is $7,700 (for subsequent offences).

Pocket pets

Pets come in all shapes and sizes and many of our residents keep rats, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs and other pocket-sized pets.

See the NSW RSPCA website for information on caring for pocket pets.

Wildlife

We do not endorse keeping snakes or other native Australian wildlife as pets.

The RSPCA notes that these animals rarely enjoy human company and require specialised housing and feeding.

In NSW, you must have a licence to keep a reptile.

Other requirements

You must be over 18 years old to register a pet. A parent or guardian cannot register cats and dogs on behalf of children and teenagers under 18.
If your address or ownership changes, you need to change your pet registration.
If you are moving to NSW with your pet, you need to change your pet registration.
When dogs or cats are in a public place they must wear an identification disc on their collar that is engraved with their name and their owner's contact number.
We recommend all cats that are allowed to roam should wear a collar and tag. All cats must, by law, be microchipped.

Pet & animal servicesAdopt a pet

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GuidesChildren and dogs - safetyPublished 25 August 2020

Pet & animal servicesFind your missing pet

Pet & animal servicesDesex your pet

GuidesLiving with pets in the cityPublished 18 August 2020

Pet & animal servicesMicrochip your pet

GuidesEmergency advice: pets in emergenciesPublished 15 November 2018

Lists, maps & inventoriesRestricted breeds, menacing and dangerous dogsPublished 19 August 2020

Register your pet

Project Status: When you need to do this

What you need to do

Register with NSW pet registry

If you’re an owner or breeder

If you’re a vet

If you’re a pensioner

Register with us

Your completed registration

City of Sydney

Payment and lodging documents

Before you start

Check if you qualify for a discount

Make sure your pet is already microchipped and that you have received your certificate of identification

Check your pet isn’t a restricted breed

After you finish

Other information

Proof of eligibility

Pensioner concession card

Proof of assistance animal status

Proof of breeder status

Fees and documentation requirements

Desexed animal

Desexed animal from an eligible pound/shelter or rehoming organisation

Non-desexed animal

Recognised breeder

Assistance dogs

Fines for unregistered pets

Pocket pets

Wildlife

Other requirements