District of Columbia · city rule
Washington dog license
Washington does not leave you to guess the counter: it is DC Health, Division of Animal Services. An owner of a dog over four months must obtain an annual license before July 1, or within 10 days of acquiring the dog, or within 10 days after the dog turns four months. The official page states this fee: No fee for a qualifying service animal; $15 if certified neutered, spayed, or unable to endure the procedure; $50 otherwise. Replacement tag $5. Rabies and distemper proof is required. 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
- DC Health, Division of Animal Services
- What the official page says
- An owner of a dog over four months must obtain an annual license before July 1, or within 10 days of acquiring the dog, or within 10 days after the dog turns four months.
- Fee
- No fee for a qualifying service animal; $15 if certified neutered, spayed, or unable to endure the procedure; $50 otherwise. Replacement tag $5.
- Official page
- Official page →
An owner of a dog over four months must obtain an annual license before July 1, or within 10 days of acquiring the dog, or within 10 days after the dog turns four months. Seven or more dogs over four months require a hobby license. 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.
The official page states this fee: No fee for a qualifying service animal; $15 if certified neutered, spayed, or unable to endure the procedure; $50 otherwise. Replacement tag $5. The dog must wear a collar and the license. The state context is District of Columbia, and the city page controls if it is more specific. Read the linked page before you pay, because a form can change.
In Washington, 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 Washington. Ask whether the page's age rule, late fee, and spay or neuter difference apply to your dog before you pay.
Key facts for Washington
- An owner of a dog over four months must obtain an annual license before July 1, or within 10 days of acquiring the dog, or within 10 days after the dog turns four months.
- Fee on the official page: No fee for a qualifying service animal; $15 if certified neutered, spayed, or unable to endure the procedure; $50 otherwise. Replacement tag $5.
- Rabies and distemper proof is required.
- Seven or more dogs over four months require a hobby license.
Official sources
Official page used for the city rule.
What to do next
- Use DC Health, Division of Animal Services for a dog kept in Washington.
- 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 District of Columbia guide. Other verified cities are on the city index.