Where Can I Find My Pet's Microchip Number?

When a chip is implanted, you should receive a certificate or confirmation email from the registry. This is the primary document and it carries both the number and the registry name.

If it came by email, search your inbox for the word "microchip" plus the year you got your pet.

Many vets record the microchip number on the vaccination card at the same appointment. In an EU-style pet passport, the microchip number is a required field near the front — it is what makes the passport valid.

If your pet has ever been scanned at your practice, the number is in their system. A phone call is usually enough. This is the fastest route if your paperwork is lost.

Pets are very often chipped before rehoming. Check the adoption pack, the sales contract or the rescue's handover sheet — the number is frequently printed there, sometimes alongside the previous registration.

If your pet was chipped by a previous keeper, make sure the registration has actually been transferred into your name. A chip registered to someone else is worse than no chip at all.

If every document is gone, the chip itself is still there. Any vet practice, and most shelters and rescue centres, will scan your pet on request. It takes seconds, causes no discomfort, and is often free.

Write the number down the moment you have it — then store it somewhere that is not only on your phone.