Iowa · city rule
Des Moines dog license
If the dog lives in Des Moines, read the rule from Des Moines City Clerk. Any dog or cat over six months of age needs a license. The official page states this fee: $20 altered; $50 unaltered. One cat and one dog at $10 each for an owner 65 or older. Late fee $25 per animal after March 31. Service animals: no fee with the proof listed. The fee is due January 1 with a grace period through March 31. Read the linked page before you pay, because a form can change.
Checked against the official page on October 11, 2026. Ordinances change. Confirm the fee and the office before you pay.
- Licensing office
- Des Moines City Clerk
- What the official page says
- Any dog or cat over six months of age needs a license.
- Fee
- $20 altered; $50 unaltered. One cat and one dog at $10 each for an owner 65 or older. Late fee $25 per animal after March 31. Service animals: no fee with the proof listed.
- Official page
- Official page →
Any dog or cat over six months of age needs a license. A current tag from another city can be exchanged at no charge with a current rabies certificate. That is the rule taken from the fetched page, not from a neighboring city. Read the linked page before you pay, because a form can change. This entry does not add a phone number or a penalty that the page does not show.
The official page states this fee: $20 altered; $50 unaltered. One cat and one dog at $10 each for an owner 65 or older. Late fee $25 per animal after March 31. Service animals: no fee with the proof listed. Households are limited to three licensed dogs unless a waiver applies. The state context is Iowa, and the city page controls if it is more specific.
In Des Moines, start with the office named above and the linked government page. A rabies certificate from a veterinarian shows the vaccine. It is the city or county license only if that official page says the certificate is the license. Tags issued by another city do not automatically transfer when you move to Des Moines. Ask whether the page's age rule, late fee, and spay or neuter difference apply to your dog before you pay.
Key facts for Des Moines
- Any dog or cat over six months of age needs a license.
- Fee on the official page: $20 altered; $50 unaltered. One cat and one dog at $10 each for an owner 65 or older. Late fee $25 per animal after March 31. Service animals: no fee with the proof listed.
- The fee is due January 1 with a grace period through March 31.
- A current tag from another city can be exchanged at no charge with a current rabies certificate.
Official sources
Official page used for the city rule.
What to do next
- Use Des Moines City Clerk for a dog kept in Des Moines.
- Bring the proof the page names, usually a rabies certificate.
- Ignore a fee that is not on the official page.
Statewide context is on the Iowa guide. Other verified cities are on the city index.