State guide
Wisconsin
Wisconsin does not use one national template. The issuing office documented here is The collecting official in the town, village, or city; Madison describes licensing for city residents. Wisconsin statute section 174.05 says the owner of a dog more than five months of age on January 1, or that reaches five months during the license year, pays the dog license tax and obtains a license. A fee from the official page: Madison 2026 council page: $25 spayed or neutered and $36 unaltered. The statute lets local governing bodies set the tax, with a differential between altered and unaltered dogs.
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 collecting officials under chapter 174; City of Madison publishes its own amounts
- Who sells the license
- The collecting official in the town, village, or city; Madison describes licensing for city residents
- Official page
- Official page →
A specific minimum dollar amount is not restated here. That page lists $25 for spayed or neutered animals and $36 for unaltered animals, for a license year of January 1 through December 31. This record is sourced to the official page linked here. Read the linked page before you pay, because a form can change.
Milwaukee's fee page returned HTTP 403, so Milwaukee's prices are not copied. Those Madison amounts are not the state minimum. 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.
A Madison alder's city page says residents must license a dog or cat five months or older. Rabies evidence is part of issuing the license under chapter 174. 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 Wisconsin
Official resources in Wisconsin
Owner of a dog more than five months old pays the dog license tax.
City residents must license a dog or cat five months or older; amounts printed.
Key facts for Wisconsin
- Wisconsin statute section 174.05 says the owner of a dog more than five months of age on January 1, or that reaches five months during the license year, pays the dog license tax and obtains a license.
- The statute lets local governing bodies set the tax, with a differential between altered and unaltered dogs.
- A specific minimum dollar amount is not restated here.
- Milwaukee's fee page returned HTTP 403, so Milwaukee's prices are not copied.
- A Madison alder's city page says residents must license a dog or cat five months or older.
- That page lists $25 for spayed or neutered animals and $36 for unaltered animals, for a license year of January 1 through December 31.
- Those Madison amounts are not the state minimum.
City license pages in Wisconsin
| City | city | href | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison dog license | Madison | /cities/madison-wi | A Madison resident who owns a dog or cat five months or older must license it. |
* 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin, 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 Wisconsin's population center, for comparison only):
- Chicago dog license, Illinois · about 147 miles
- Minneapolis dog license, Minnesota · about 226 miles
- Saint Paul dog license, Minnesota · about 248 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Local collecting officials under chapter 174; City of Madison publishes its own amounts
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 Wisconsin 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.