State guide
Virginia
A license in Virginia is issued as the sourced page describes. The issuer is Richmond Animal Care and Control for cats and dogs in Richmond; the statewide section title is Unlicensed dogs prohibited. Virginia Code section 3.2-6524 is titled Unlicensed dogs prohibited and sits in an article on rabies control and licensing of dogs and cats. A fee from the official page: Richmond: $10 per cat or dog, renewed annually. The fetch of that page did not include the section's operative paragraphs, so those paragraphs are not quoted.
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
- Local licensing under the Code of Virginia article titled rabies control and licensing; Richmond Animal Care and Control for Richmond
- Who sells the license
- Richmond Animal Care and Control for cats and dogs in Richmond; the statewide section title is Unlicensed dogs prohibited
- Official page
- Official page →
Richmond says all cats and dogs living in the city must be licensed and have a current rabies vaccination. That permit is listed at $200 per animal. This record is sourced to the official page linked here. 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 cost on Richmond's page is $10 for each cat or dog, renewed annually. Those dollar amounts are Richmond's. 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.
The same page says cats and dogs over six months must be spayed or neutered unless the owner has a breeder's permit. Other Virginia cities were not given fees because their pages did not load. Rules for a neighboring city are not automatically yours. Read the linked page before you pay, because a form can change.
City pages in Virginia
Official resources in Virginia
Section titled Unlicensed dogs prohibited; the operative sentences did not render in the HTML fetch.
All cats and dogs in the city must be licensed; $10 fee.
Key facts for Virginia
- Virginia Code section 3.2-6524 is titled Unlicensed dogs prohibited and sits in an article on rabies control and licensing of dogs and cats.
- The fetch of that page did not include the section's operative paragraphs, so those paragraphs are not quoted.
- Richmond says all cats and dogs living in the city must be licensed and have a current rabies vaccination.
- The cost on Richmond's page is $10 for each cat or dog, renewed annually.
- The same page says cats and dogs over six months must be spayed or neutered unless the owner has a breeder's permit.
- That permit is listed at $200 per animal.
- Those dollar amounts are Richmond's.
City license pages in Virginia
| City | city | href | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond dog license | Richmond | /cities/richmond-va | All cats and dogs living in the city must be licensed and have a current rabies vaccination. |
* 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 Virginia 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 Virginia, 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 Virginia's population center, for comparison only):
- Washington dog license, District of Columbia · about 84 miles
- Harrisburg dog license, Pennsylvania · about 175 miles
- Altoona dog license, Pennsylvania · about 187 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Local licensing under the Code of Virginia article titled rabies control and licensing; Richmond Animal Care and Control for Richmond
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 Virginia 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.