State guide
Maine
Dog licensing in Maine turns on who the official page names. That office is Clerk of the municipality where the dog is kept, or another issuer named in title 7, section 3922. Maine requires a license by January 1 each year for a dog six months or older. A fee from the official page: Statute: $11 if the dog is capable of producing young; $6 if not; $25 late fee after January 31. Section 3922 says the license comes from the clerk of the municipality where the dog is kept, and it also names a dog recorder and certain other issuers.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who sets the license rule
- Municipal clerks, with the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry publishing the program
- Who sells the license
- Clerk of the municipality where the dog is kept, or another issuer named in title 7, section 3922
- Official page
- Official page →
A clerk may not issue a license until rabies immunization proof is filed, unless an exemption the statute describes applies. The late fee goes to the municipality's animal welfare account, in the words of that section. This record is sourced to the official page linked here. Read the linked page before you pay, because a form can change.
Section 3923-A sets $11 for a dog capable of producing young and $6 for a dog that is not. The statute also lists dogs for which a municipal clerk shall not charge the license fee, including a service dog owned or kept by a person with a physical or mental disability, using the section's categories. Use the linked page rather than a third-party summary.
The same section sets a $25 late fee when the license is sought after January 31. Portland's dog-license path did not load, so Portland is not a separate city entry. Rules for a neighboring city are not automatically yours. 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.
Official resources in Maine
License from the municipal clerk for a dog six months or older.
Statutory license fees and the late fee.
Department page that links dog licensing resources.
Key facts for Maine
- Maine requires a license by January 1 each year for a dog six months or older.
- Section 3922 says the license comes from the clerk of the municipality where the dog is kept, and it also names a dog recorder and certain other issuers.
- A clerk may not issue a license until rabies immunization proof is filed, unless an exemption the statute describes applies.
- Section 3923-A sets $11 for a dog capable of producing young and $6 for a dog that is not.
- The same section sets a $25 late fee when the license is sought after January 31.
- The late fee goes to the municipality's animal welfare account, in the words of that section.
- The statute also lists dogs for which a municipal clerk shall not charge the license fee, including a service dog owned or kept by a person with a physical or mental disability, using the section's categories.
What to do next
- Open the official page for Maine before you pay.
- Match the office to the address where the dog lives.
- Bring the rabies certificate if the page says it is required.
- Do not use another state's fee table.
Looking for your city or county in Maine?
We haven't found official city-level pages for Maine we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Maine, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data (distance from Maine's population center, for comparison only):
- Manchester dog license, New Hampshire · about 127 miles
- Salem dog license, Massachusetts · about 142 miles
- Revere dog license, Massachusetts · about 148 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Municipal clerks, with the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry publishing the program
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Maine page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.