🪪 Dog License Requirements by State
A dog licence links a dog to its owner and proves rabies vaccination. Some states require licensing in state law; in others it is set by each county or city. Either way, the licence is issued locally.
20 Required by state law31 Set by counties and cities
| State | Status | What the law says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Set by counties and cities | Alabama has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Alaska | Set by counties and cities | Alaska has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Arizona | Required by state law | Yes. Arizona requires dogs 3 months and older kept in the state for 30 days or more to be licensed by the county; proof of rabies vaccination is needed. | Official text |
| Arkansas | Set by counties and cities | Arkansas has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| California | Required by state law | Yes. California requires dogs over 4 months to be licensed at least every two years by the city or county, with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| Colorado | Set by counties and cities | Colorado has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Connecticut | Required by state law | Yes. Connecticut requires dogs 6 months and older to be licensed with the town clerk each year (by June 30), with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| Delaware | Required by state law | Yes. Delaware requires dogs 6 months and older to be licensed by the state (Office of Animal Welfare), with proof of rabies vaccination. A licence from your home state is accepted for visiting dogs. | Official text |
| District of Columbia | Required by state law | Yes. Dogs living in the District must be licensed by DC Health each year, with proof of rabies and distemper vaccination. | Official text |
| Florida | Set by counties and cities | Florida has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Georgia | Set by counties and cities | Georgia has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Hawaii | Required by state law | Yes. Hawaii makes it unlawful to own a dog that is not licensed and microchipped; licences are issued by the county. | Official text |
| Idaho | Set by counties and cities | Idaho has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Illinois | Set by counties and cities | Illinois has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Indiana | Set by counties and cities | Indiana has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Iowa | Set by counties and cities | Iowa has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Kansas | Set by counties and cities | Kansas has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Kentucky | Required by state law | Yes. Kentucky requires dogs to wear a licence tag; licences are issued by the county, with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| Louisiana | Set by counties and cities | Louisiana has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Maine | Required by state law | Yes. Maine requires dogs 6 months and older to be licensed with the town or city clerk by January 1 each year, with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| Maryland | Set by counties and cities | Maryland has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Massachusetts | Required by state law | Yes. Massachusetts requires dogs over 6 months to be licensed with the city or town clerk, with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| Michigan | Required by state law | Yes. Michigan makes it unlawful to own a dog 6 months or older that isn’t licensed and wearing its tag; licences are issued by the county or city with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| Minnesota | Set by counties and cities | Minnesota has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Mississippi | Set by counties and cities | Mississippi has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Missouri | Set by counties and cities | Missouri has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Montana | Set by counties and cities | Montana has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Nebraska | Set by counties and cities | Nebraska has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Nevada | Set by counties and cities | Nevada has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| New Hampshire | Required by state law | Yes. New Hampshire requires dogs 4 months and older to be licensed with the town or city clerk each year by April 30, with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| New Jersey | Required by state law | Yes. New Jersey requires dogs 7 months and older to be licensed each year by the municipality, with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| New Mexico | Set by counties and cities | New Mexico has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| New York | Required by state law | Yes. New York requires every dog 4 months and older to be licensed by the town, city or village, with proof of rabies vaccination; a new owner must apply immediately. | Official text |
| North Carolina | Set by counties and cities | North Carolina has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| North Dakota | Set by counties and cities | North Dakota has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Ohio | Required by state law | Yes. Ohio requires dogs 3 months and older to be registered each year with the county auditor. | Official text |
| Oklahoma | Set by counties and cities | Oklahoma has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Oregon | Set by counties and cities | Oregon has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Pennsylvania | Required by state law | Yes. Pennsylvania requires dogs 3 months and older to be licensed each year (or for life) through the county treasurer. | Official text |
| Rhode Island | Required by state law | Yes. Rhode Island requires dog owners to license their dog each year with the city or town clerk, and within 30 days of getting a dog. | Official text |
| South Carolina | Set by counties and cities | South Carolina has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| South Dakota | Set by counties and cities | South Dakota has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Tennessee | Set by counties and cities | Tennessee has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Texas | Set by counties and cities | Texas has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Utah | Set by counties and cities | Utah has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| Vermont | Required by state law | Yes. Vermont requires dogs and wolf-hybrids 6 months and older to be licensed with the municipal clerk each year by April 1, with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| Virginia | Required by state law | Yes. Virginia makes it unlawful to own a dog 4 months or older that isn’t licensed; licences are issued by the county or city treasurer with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| Washington | Set by counties and cities | Washington has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
| West Virginia | Required by state law | Yes. West Virginia requires dogs to be registered with the county assessor each year, and the dog must wear its tag. | Official text |
| Wisconsin | Required by state law | Yes. Wisconsin requires dogs over 5 months to be licensed each year with the town, village or city, with proof of rabies vaccination. | Official text |
| Wyoming | Set by counties and cities | Wyoming has no statewide dog licensing requirement — counties and cities set their own. Most require a licence with proof of rabies vaccination, so check with your local animal services or clerk. | Official text |
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General information, not legal advice. Laws change and local authorities often add stricter rules. Each row links to its source and was checked on the date shown at the top — confirm with your local authority or a lawyer before relying on it.