State guide
Rhode Island
Before paying anyone in Rhode Island, match the seller to this description: City or town clerk where the owner or keeper resides, unless a police board or Newport's chief of police performs that duty under section 4-13-14. Rhode Island says every owner or keeper shall each April obtain a license effective May 1 through the city or town clerk where the person resides. A fee from the official page: Statute: $5, with different amounts the same section states for Cumberland and Glocester. The statute sets the fee at five dollars and then states different amounts for Cumberland and for Glocester.
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
- City or town clerk
- Who sells the license
- City or town clerk where the owner or keeper resides, unless a police board or Newport's chief of police performs that duty under section 4-13-14
- Official page
- Official page →
No license is issued unless the dog has been inoculated against rabies for the license period. Providence's animal-control page says dogs are licensed at four months and lists a $10 city fee, plus $1.23 if the tag is mailed. This record is sourced to the official page linked here. Read the linked page before you pay, because a form can change.
A new owner has thirty days to obtain a license. The state $5 and Providence's $10 are both printed on official pages; use the page for the city where you live. Use the linked page rather than a third-party summary. 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.
Section 4-13-14 says police commissioners, or Newport's chief of police, perform the clerk's duties where they grant the licenses. The license year Providence describes runs April to April. 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.
City pages in Rhode Island
Official resources in Rhode Island
Annual April license at the city or town clerk; $5 fee in the statute.
City page: license at four months; $10 city fee.
Key facts for Rhode Island
- Rhode Island says every owner or keeper shall each April obtain a license effective May 1 through the city or town clerk where the person resides.
- The statute sets the fee at five dollars and then states different amounts for Cumberland and for Glocester.
- No license is issued unless the dog has been inoculated against rabies for the license period.
- A new owner has thirty days to obtain a license.
- Section 4-13-14 says police commissioners, or Newport's chief of police, perform the clerk's duties where they grant the licenses.
- Providence's animal-control page says dogs are licensed at four months and lists a $10 city fee, plus $1.23 if the tag is mailed.
- The state $5 and Providence's $10 are both printed on official pages; use the page for the city where you live.
City license pages in Rhode Island
| City | city | href | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence dog license | Providence | /cities/providence-ri | Dogs must be licensed by four months of age, or within 30 days after a dog over four months is brought into the city, and the license must be renewed before it expires. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Open the official page for Rhode Island 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.
Not seeing your city or county?
We list a city only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Rhode Island, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Rhode Island's population center, for comparison only):
- Fall River dog license, Massachusetts · about 23 miles
- Tewksbury dog license, Massachusetts · about 37 miles
- Concord dog license, Massachusetts · about 37 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.City or town clerk
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 Rhode Island 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.