Your Licensing Guide

San Diego County Animal Services

Why License?

In accordance with state and local laws, pet licenses are mandatory in San Diego County. In fact, licenses are mandatory in nearly every community across North America. Why? Because licenses help keep pets and the communities they live in safe. DocuPet was brought on board to simplify and improve pet licensing to benefit not only pet owners like you, but the entire community. DocuPet makes it easy for San Diego County Animal Services to deliver a successful pet licensing program with a streamlined software and management solution that makes licensing a breeze for pet owners and administrators alike.

Check out the ways you can license your pet below and feel good knowing that 100% of licensing revenue funds are given to San Diego County Animal Services to support important animal welfare initiatives helping to improve your community.

What will you need?

Licensing your pet will require specific information and proof. Having these items at the ready allows for the fastest experience. You have the option to upload a document as a saved or scanned file, or you may take a photo directly from your device on our upload page.

Payment

We securely process payment online and accept all major credit and debit cards as forms of payment.

Documents

Spay/neuter certificate

This document is required to qualify for the discounted rate and is only needed once and will be saved to your pet’s profile upon upload for future renewals. This proof declaring that your pet has been spayed or neutered may be in the form of a statement or receipt from the veterinarian, shelter, or clinic that performed the procedure.

Rabies vaccination proof

This document serves as formal proof that your pet has received a California-approved rabies vaccination. This document may be in the form of a Rabies Vaccination Certificate that has been signed by a veterinarian or certified professional. It is the law that pets must be up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations, so new documents will need to be uploaded to your pets profile as they receive their booster shots.

How to License

The fastest and easiest way to license or renew is right here. You’ll create a profile for your pet, upload any necessary documents, process your license registration, and receive purchase confirmations via email. Payment can be made using a credit card or Visa/Mastercard debit card. Each year, you just need to log in to your existing account and renew - it’s super easy!

Renew my pet's license

My pet has a license, but it has expired or will very soon.

Renew now

License a pet for the first time

I've never licensed a pet with San Diego County Animal Services before.

License now

San Diego County Details & Fees

Pet licenses are required for all dogs living in San Diego County. Licenses are available for 1, 2, and 3 year terms and must be renewed prior to the expiration date. You will receive reminders from us about upcoming license expirations via mail, phone, and email.

Dog Licenses 1 Year Fee 2 Year Fee 3 Year Fee
Altered Dog $20.00 $35.00 $50.00
Unaltered Dog $60.00 $100.00 $150.00
Altered Dog
1 Year Fee $20.00
2 Year Fee $35.00
3 Year Fee $50.00
Unaltered Dog
1 Year Fee $60.00
1 Year Fee $100.00
3 Year Fee $150.00

A replacement San Diego County tag is available for a $10.00 fee.

A valid rabies certificate is required to complete the licensing process. You must upload or present your certificates at time of purchase.

All licenses expire the day they were purchased, 1, 2, or 3 years in the future depending on the term of the license purchased, so long as the rabies vaccination remains valid for the duration of the chosen license. If your pet’s rabies vaccination expires prior to the selected license term, the license will expire on the rabies vaccination expiration date.

A spay/neuter certificate is required to qualify for the discounted rate.

Licensing for Service Dogs must be completed in person.

When licensing a Dangerous Dog for the first time, licensing must be done in person. Future renewals may be done online once the status is verified.

Late fees of $25 apply 30 days following license expiration. Failure to license your pet may result in a fine.

Licenses are required for all dogs over 5 Months of age.

Residents of San Diego County are allowed to own a maximum of 6 dogs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP

You may have entered your address incorrectly or we may not have your address in the address database for your community. Please double-check all spelling and ensure you are using the abbreviated form for your street type ex. St instead of Street. You may contact San Diego County directly if you believe you reside within their jurisdiction but your address is not being accepted by the system.

HELP DESK

Visit our Help Desk for more information: https://docupetinc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us

LICENSING OPTIONS, DATES, AND LOCATIONS

Licenses expire at the end of the license term selected unless your pet's current rabies vaccination expiration date falls prior to the end of the term. A license cannot be valid at any time a pet's rabies is expired. If you provide new proof of rabies expiration extending beyond the original term selected prior to the license expiration date, your pet's license may be extended to the full term originally selected.

All pets over the age of 5 months are required to be licensed.

Refunds may be granted for a license if a pet passes 30 days of the license purchase.

You may renew your pet's license within 60 days of your pet's current license expiration date. If you renew prior to the upcoming expiration date, your pet's new license will start the day after expiration, not on the date of purchase.

You may license in person at the South Shelter located at 5821 Sweetwater Rd., Bonita, CA 91902, or the North Shelter located at 2481 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92011.

As per California State law, a pet license may not be valid at anytime a pet's rabies vaccination is expired.

Temporary licenses expire after 30 days. To convert a temporary license into a full license you must provide new proof of rabies expiration prior to the temporary license expiration date. If the rabies expiration date extends beyond the original term selected your pet's license may be extended to the full term originally selected. If the newly provided rabies expiration date falls prior to the term end, the new license expiration date will be the same as the rabies vaccination expiration date.

Please visit a County Animal Shelter in person as kennel licensing is not processed through DocuPet. They are located at either the South Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Rd., Bonita, CA 91902, or the North Shelter at 2481 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92011.

San Diego County provides licensing services for the following areas: the Unincorporate areas of San Diego County.

FEES AND FINES

In order to receive the discounted licensing rate, you will need to upload the appropriate documentation stating that your pet has been spayed/neutered to your online account. Once the documentation has been approved by San Diego County, you will be eligible to receive the new discounted rate. Otherwise, you can visit in person at either the South Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Rd., Bonita, CA 91902, or the North Shelter at 2481 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92011, and show proof of spay/neuter there.

Please visit a County Animal Shelter in person if you are qualifying for this rate for the first time. You can go to either the South Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Rd., Bonita, CA 91902, or the North Shelter at 2481 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92011. Once the team there verifies your designation, you will be able to renew online in future years.

If your dog has received the dangerous dog designation, please note that you will need to purchase both a standard license and pay the additional dangerous dog fee.

Late fees come into effect if a license is not renewed within 30 days of the original expiration date.

No, there is no discount for licensing multiple pets. Each pet will be charged the appropriate licensing fee.

TAGS

Please visit the South Shelter located at 5821 Sweetwater Rd., Bonita, CA 91902, or the North Shelter located at 2481 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92011 and they will be able to assist you.

ACCOUNT UPDATES

We’re sorry! Unfortunately, unless you update your account to reflect that a pet is no longer in your care, we have no way of knowing. Have you already told us? You may have a duplicate account. Get in touch with your licensing organization or our DocuPet customer service team to update your record.

If you are moving, please be sure to update your address by logging into your online account and navigating to your Profile Settings page. Even though you are moving, you’ll still be able to keep your pet's tag and access your pet's online account. However, your current license may not be valid in the new community you are moving to. Please get in touch with the pet licensing provider in the new community you are moving to in order to find out more information.

We're sorry for your loss. You can update a pet's profile via your online account by editing your pet's profile and selecting 'Remove this Pet'.

CITY INFORMATION AND CITY ORDINANCES

Visit this page for information on licensing ordinances/bylaws.

You are allowed a maximum of 6 dogs per dwelling.

The following species are required to be licensed: Dogs

Please get in touch with the County Department of Animal Services at 619.236.2341

DOCUMENT SUBMISSION

Documentation uploaded via the online system is typically reviewed within two to three business days.

A valid rabies proof is required to purchase a pet license. A 30-day temporary license may be issued if you do not have rabies proof at the time of licensing. Proof of spay/neuter is required to receive the discounted altered rates.

If you can’t locate the document you received after the procedure was done, you will need to contact your vet to obtain your pet's records. Be sure to specify any and all pets you require documentation for.
Once you’ve got the paperwork in your hands, take a look to ensure:

  • The document provided is the right type of proof required.
  • Pet and pet owner account data matches your own.
  • The document is clear and legible.

To qualify for a rabies exemption, you must complete the required paperwork and visit a County Animal Shelter in person. You can go to either the South Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Rd., Bonita, CA 91902, or the North Shelter at 2481 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92011.

You will need to complete the required paperwork and visit a County Animal Shelter in person to qualify for the spay/neuter exemption. This can be done at either the South Shelter (5821 Sweetwater Rd., Bonita, CA 91902) or the North Shelter (2481 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92011)