cattracker.jpg
Share

How to register your pet

If you own a pet, there are 2 steps involved in registering your pet. The first is having your animal microchipped and permanently identified by a vet, the second is registering your pet with the Pet Registry.

Both processes are a legal requirement. They are also helpful if your pet goes missing.

Note: If your pet has only been microchipped and identified, this does not mean they have been registered.

Step 1 - Microchip your pet

In NSW, it is a legal requirement that all cats and dogs (other than exempt cats and dogs) must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age or before being sold or given away, whichever happens first.

As part of the process, the vet will:

  • complete a Permanent Identification Form - P1A
  • enter this information with the NSW Pet Registry on your behalf to make sure they are listed on the NSW Companion Animal Register
  • provide you with a Certificate of Identification. (Note, having a Certificate of Identification does not mean that your pet is registered. You will also need to complete Step 2.)

If the vet or authorised identifier does not enter the information with the NSW Pet Registry, please contact Council who will enter them for you:

For further information on microchipping, visit NSW Pet Registry.

Step 2 - Register your pet

All cats and dogs, other than exempt cats and dogs, must be registered on the NSW Companion Animal Register. Under the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998 No 87, this must be completed by the time your dog is 6 months old or your cat is 4 months old.

Registration is only required once in the state of NSW and remains in place for the life of that animal, even if the owner changes.

Registration information, including the owner’s contact details, must be kept up-to-date by the owner.

If you are unsure of your Pet's registration status, you can contact the NSW Pet Registry on 1300 134 460 or Council on 1300 434 434.

Ways to register

You can register your pet through the NSW Digital Pet Registry.

Alternatively, you can register them using paper forms and send them to Council:

Documents

You will need to provide the following documentation at the time of registration:

  1. Lifetime Registration Form - R2
  2. Desexing Certificate – a certificate, letter or clear receipt from a veterinarian showing the microchip number and date of desexing. A statutory declaration can also be completed by the owner which declares the animal as being desexed if the above mentioned documents cannot be obtained and provided.
  3. Payment of the relevant fee. See pet registration fees or contact Council on 1300 434 434.

See FAQs for information relating to discounted and waived fees. These are only valid if the pet is desexed at the time of registration. Council is unable to change or vary fees as these are set under Part 3 – clause 18 Companion Animals Regulation 2018.

The owner must pay a late fee if they have not paid the registration fee within 28 days of when it was due. The registration late fee is not a 'Council fee'. It is set by The Companion Animals Regulation 2018 and outlined on the NSW Pet Registry website.

Useful Links

NSW Pet Registry

The NSW Pet Registry is the only official registry in NSW.

Once you've created a NSW Digital Pet Registry account you can:

  • Update your contact details
  • report your pet lost
  • register ownership changes
  • pay registration fees online

Council does not have direct control over the online functions of NSW Digital Pet Registry. Please direct any specific pet registry-related queries to The Office of Local Government by phone on 1300 134 460 or email pets@olg.nsw.gov.au

Registering your pet using forms

You can transfer ownership or update your details by paper forms and give to Council by:

Change of owner

If you re-home a pet, you will need to transfer ownership by completing the Change of Owner Form - C3A. The person selling or giving away the pet must complete the form.

If this doesn't happen, the new owner may complete the form and must also give council a statutory declaration to claim official ownership of the pet and then register then.

This document must include:

  • your name and address
  • the pet's microchip number
  • the details of how you came to own the pet, which you are declaring to be true
  • your signature and the signature of an authorised witness (this can be a Justice of the Peace (JP), a legal practitioner or a notary public)
  • the date and location where the declaration was made

Update your details

If you change your contact information, home address or postal address, you'll need to complete the Change of Details Form - C3C within 14 days of the change and give it to Council.

Annual permits for non-desexed cats and restricted and dangerous dogs

In 2020 the NSW Government introduced annual permits for non-desexed cats and restricted and dangerous dogs as part of its commitment to responsible pet ownership and improving animal welfare standards.

  • Owners of cats not desexed by 4 months old are required to pay an annual permit fee in addition to their lifetime pet registration fee.
  • Owners of dogs of a restricted breed or formally declared to be dangerous are required to pay an annual permit fee in addition to their lifetime registration fee.

Pay for annual permits either by:

Exemptions are in place for:

  • cats that were lifetime registered by 1 July 2020
  • dogs and cats kept for breeding purposes by members of recognised breeding bodies
  • dogs and cats which cannot be de-sexed for medical reasons. 

Animal owners who fail to obtain an annual permit risk being fined under NSW Government legislation.

Fees

More information

The Office of Local Government website has more information regarding responsible pet ownership and the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998.

FAQs