The NSW Pet Registry

Annual permits apply from 1 July 2020

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

Cats

From 1 July 2020 owners of cats not desexed by 4 months of age will be required to pay an $96 annual permit in addition to their once-off lifetime registration fee which is due by 12 weeks of age (+28 day grace period).

In December 2020 the Office of Local Government confirmed that if a cat was desexed by 1 July 2020 no permit is required for it, irrespective of when it is registered. Pet owners must have evidence to prove that desexing occurred before this date to qualify for this exception.

Dogs

From 1 July 2020 owners of dogs of a restricted breed or formally declared to be dangerous will be required to pay a $230 annual permit in addition to their once-off lifetime registration fee which is due by 12 weeks of age.

How to pay for a permit or registration fee

Pet owners can pay for annual permits via the NSW Pet Registry website or through their local council. If you would like assistance with this process click here to lodge a Council request online.

For more information visit the Office of Local Government website.

Annual permit FAQs

You must now lifetime register your pet by 12 weeks of age

In NSW dogs and cats must be registered by the time they reach 12 weeks of age. You must take two steps to lifetime register your pet: microchipping and registration. These two steps will help return your pet to you if it is lost, hurt or stolen.

Council recommends desexing of all companion animals. If your pet is desexed and you can provide proof, a reduced registration fee applies.

Lifetime registration fees have changed

The once-only registration fees, as set by the Companion Animals Act 1998, are listed below. These fees are effective from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.

A late fee of $22 applies if pet registration fee is not paid by 12 weeks of age (+28 days grace period)

Dog registration fee categories	Fee
Dog registration fee due at 12 weeks of age (or when sold, if earlier than 12 weeks of age)	$78
Registration fee for a dog not desexed by 6 months of age	$262 (i.e. registration fee $78 + non desexed fee $184)
Desexed dog purchased from an eligible Council pound/shelter or an approved rehoming organisation*	$0
Registration fee for dog not desexed + written notification from vet at 12 weeks of age that desexing is not recommended#	$78
Dog registration fee for eligible pensioner** (note that a non desexed fee of +$184 applies if not desexed by 6 months of age)	$34
Dog registration fee for eligible pensioner** + written notification from vet that desexing is not recommended#	$34
Registration fee for dog not desexed, kept by a recognised breeder for breeding purposes~	$78
Registration fee for a working dog	$0
Registration fee for a dog in the service of the State e.g. police dog	$0
Registration fee for an assistance animal under 6 months of age, training to be e.g. a Guide Dog^^	$0

Cat registration fee categories	Fee
Cat registration fee due at 12 weeks of age (or when sold, if earlier than 12 weeks of age)	$68
Registration fee for a cat not desexed by 4 months of age	$68 + annual permit fee of $96
Desexed cat purchased from an eligible Council pound/shelter or an approved rehoming organisation*	$0
Registration fee for cat not desexed + written notification from vet at 12 weeks of age that desexing is not recommended#	$68
Cat registration fee for eligible pensioner**(note that a non desexed fee of +$184 applies if not desexed by 6 months of age)	$34
Cat registration fee for eligible pensioner** + written notification from vet that desexing is not recommended#	$34
Registration fee for cat not desexed, kept by a recognised breeder for breeding purposes~	$68

Annual permit fee categories	Fee
Cat not desexed by 4 months of age	$96 annually
Dangerous dog or restricted breed	$230 annually
Permit late fee (if permit fee has not been paid within 28 days after the date on which the permit is due)	$22

Step 1: Microchip your pet

Vets, animal welfare organisations and other authorised people can microchip your cat or dog.

A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and contains a unique 15 digit identification number that is quickly implanted under your pet's skin, between the shoulders. In the event a pet is lost or stolen, the microchip can be scanned when they are found.

The information on the microchip can be used to reunite lost pets with their owners so remember to keep your contact details up-to-date!

Step 2: Register your pet

There are two ways to register your pet:

Online through the NSW Pet Registry website

To register your pet online, you must first create a profile on the NSW Pet Registry website. Visit www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au, select "Register" and follow the on-screen instructions to create a profile.
If you've already created a profile, go to petregistry.nsw.gov.au, log in to your profile, and select "My Pets".
Select "Pay Online Due" for the relevant pet.
Check the details are correct, and select "Pay Now" to continue.
Note: If your pet has been desexed but is appearing on the website as not being desexed, please contact Council for assistance.
Follow the on screen instructions until your payment is finalised. A receipt will be shown on screen, where you can print it or request to receive a copy by email.
For a detailed step-by-step guide to using the NSW Pet Registry website, see their user guide.

In person at any local council

When you register your pet in person you will need:

A certificate of microchipping or a letter from your vet
Proof of desexing (if applicable) from your vet or a statutory declaration; the Companion Animal Legislation encourages responsible pet ownership, part of which includes desexing your pet
Any documents which entitle you to a discount such as a pensioner concession card, veterans card, registered breeder membership card

A copy of the Lifetime Registration Application Form is available on this page

Annual permits from 1 July 2020

From 1 July 2020 the NSW Government will introduce annual permits for owners of non-desexed cats and dangerous and restricted dogs.

These changes have been created to improve health and wellbeing of pets and to encourage owners in better management of their pets.

Payment for annual permits can be made through the NSW Pet Registry website or through any local council.

Owners of non-desexed cats

Owners of cats that are not desexed by four months of age will be required to pay an $96 annual permit in addition to the once-off lifetime pet registration fee.

This will create a stronger incentive to desex cats, improve health and wellbeing of pets, lower demand on pounds, reduce euthanasia rates, and help to address concerns about feral, stray and roaming cats.

Exemptions will be in place for cats that are registered by 1 July 2020 and for cats kept for breeding purposes by members of recognised breeding bodies.

Owners of dangerous dogs and restricted dogs

Owners of dogs of a restricted breed or declared to be dangerous will be required to pay a $230 annual permit in addition to their once-off lifetime pet registration fee.

This will serve as a further disincentive to owning these dogs and encourage owners to better manage the behaviour of their animal.

For more information visit the Office of Local Government Website.

Selling or giving away a cat or dog? The rules have changed.

From 1 July 2019, people advertising kittens, cats, puppies or dogs for sale or to give away in NSW will need to include an identification number in advertisements. The identification number can be either:

a microchip number
a breeder identification number, OR
a rehoming organisation number.

The rules will apply to all advertisements, including those in newspapers, local posters, community notice boards and all forms of online advertising, including public advertisements on websites such as the Trading Post, Gumtree and social media sites.

For more information visit the Department of Primary Industries website.

For detailed information about microchipping and registration visit the Office of Local Government website

* Proof an animal was purchased from a Council pound/shelter or an approved rehoming organisation MUST include:

A receipt of purchase/transfer containing the animal's microchip number or,
The animal's record on the NSW Companion Animals Register (CAR) has been flagged as eligible for the discount, or
The animal's certificate of identification is marked (on the 2nd page) with text notifying the animal's eligibility for the discount

An approved rehoming organisation includes Animal Welfare League, RSPCA, the Cat Protection Society or any other organisation that is designated as a rehoming organisation by the OLG under section 88B.

View the current list of approved rehoming organisations here .

** An eligible pensioner includes a person in receipt of the aged pension, carer payment, disability support pension, jobseeker, youth allowance and parenting payment and including Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) payment.

# Proof a cat or dog is not recommended to be desexed MUST be provided in writing by a veterinary practitioner, specifying that:

A cat or dog should not be desexed at any time of its life as it would constitute a serious health risk to the cat or dog, or
A cat or dog should not be desexed until it reaches the age specified by the vet (up to 18 months of age). If the cat or dog is not desexed by the age specified by the vet, additional fees or penalties will apply

~ Proof of Recognised Breeder MUST include:

Proof of current membership as a breeder member of a recognised breeder body defined under clause 3(1) of the Regulation; and
Documentation verifying that the cat or dog is of a breed accepted by the recognised breeder body; and
A signed statement by the member that the cat or dog is to be kept for breeding purposes

A recognised breeder body as of 30 June 2020 includes:

Dogs NSW (Royal NSW Canine Council)
NSW Cat Fanciers Association
Australian National Cats Inc. (previously the Waratah State Cat Alliance)
Master Dog Breeders and Associates
Mini Foxie Club of Australia Inc.
Cats NSW Incorporated

^^ From the Office of Local Government website: Councils are entitled to request reasonable proof that your animal is a genuine assistance animal. This means proof:

that you have a disability;
that your animal has been trained to alleviate the effect of the disability; and
that your animal is trained to meet standards of hygiene and behaviour appropriate for an animal in a public place.

Importantly, a person with a disability has the right to train their own assistance animal so long as they can provide proof that training means the animal meets the definition of an assistance animal.

Refer to the Exercise of Functions Guidelines for advice about what kinds of proof are acceptable.

Registration as an assistance animal under the Companion Animals Act 1998 does not necessarily provide proof the animal is an assistance animal for the purposes of entering a public place or public transport.

The new and improved NSW Pet Registry

The release of the new Registry is an important step towards ongoing upgrades to improve the management of dogs and cats in New South Wales.

Now even easier to create an online profile and register your pet
Easy payment of lifetime registration fees online

Buyer search function

Prospective pet owners can access info about a cat or dog before buying

I.D. Photo

Upload a photo of your beloved pet in case they become lost

You can help reunite lost pets with their owners

If you find a lost pet you will be able to send the owner a secure message and arrange for its return home

Benefits for breeders

Easier for breeders to add litters to their online pet profile

NSW Pet Registry website

Pet owners can now access the new NSW Pet Registry website to update their contact details, report a missing pet, change a pet's ownership information and make a payment for 'lifetime registration'.

The NSW Pet Registry is an online database of microchipped and lifetime registered dogs and cats that live in NSW. All pets previously listed in the NSW Companion Animals Register and now available through the NSW Pet Registry.

Accessing the Registry begins with creating your online profile, which you can then use to link the pets that you own. To link a pet to your profile you'll need to know your pet's microchip number and the contact number for the listed owner. If your pet is listed on the Companion Animals Register, you can refer to your pet's certificate of identification/registration for these details.

How to pay lifetime registration for your pet online

To register your pet online, you must first create a profile on the NSW Pet Registry website. Click "Register" and follow the on-screen instructions to create a profile.
If you've already created a profile, go to the NSW Pet Registry website, log in to your profile and select "My Pets".
Select "Pay Online Due" for the relevant pet.
Check the details are correct and select "Pay Now" to continue. Note: If your pet has been desexed but is appearing on the website as not being desexed, please contact Council for assistance.
Follow the on-screen instructions until your payment is finalised. A receipt will be shown on the screen, where you can print it or request to receive a copy by email.

For step-by-step details on using the NSW Pet Registry website see the web user guide.

For more information visit the registration fees and microchipping section of Council's website.