For after hours urgent public health matters including environmental health, radiation safety, food poisoning and communicable disease management phone:
As a dog owner you must register your dog and pay a one-time fee. Each year you must renew your registration, free of charge.
You can now register a new pet, renew or cancel your registration and update your pet’s details on the new Pet Registration Portal using your ACT Digital Account. If you do not have an account, you can register for one as part of this process.
If you do not have an ACT Digital Account and do not wish to sign up for one, you can renew your pet’s registration details by:
completing the online form
contacting Access Canberra on 13 22 81 (select option 3)
If you have moved interstate, or your dog has passed away or has a new owner, select ‘cancel’ on the update/renew pet details form. You will not be prompted to update your dog's details the following year.
If you have difficulty using the above forms please contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
If you cannot see your pets on your ACT Digital Account, it may mean that some of your details recorded on your pet’s registration do not match. Please contact Domestic Animal Services on 6207 2959.
Pet registration services have been integrated with the ACT Digital Account, granting you access to the new Pet Registration Portal. Within the Pet Registration Portal, you can view or update your pet's registration details, easily register a new pet, renew your pet's registration annually for free, or cancel their registration if a pet is no longer with you. You can also update your personal details from the Pet Registration Portal.
The ACT Digital Account offers easy navigation and convenient access to other ACT Government services. If you don't already have an ACT Digital Account, you can create one as part of this process. You will need your email address, first name, last name, and will be asked to provide consent to share your information with the ACT Government.
If you already have an ACT Digital Account, you can do this by updating or renewing your details using the Renewal/Update Form.
Dog registration requirements
Keeping dog registration details updated means we can:
return lost dogs to their owners
follow up on reports of dangerous dogs, dog attacks or animal nuisance
gather data so we can target educational activities.
Dog registration is compulsory in the ACT for dogs which:
are over the age of 8 weeks old
have been in the ACT for 28 days or more, and
have a keeper who has been a resident of the ACT for 28 days or more.
An infringement notice of $150 can be issued if you do not renew your dog’s registration annually.
It does not cost money to update dog registration details or renew each year. There is only a fee for owners registering their dog for the first time. The one-off registration fee is detailed on the fees page.
Annual renewal
Domestic Animal Services sends you a notification 14 days prior to your dog’s registration renewal date. The notification asks you to renew your dog’s registration details free of charge. For instance, if your dog was registered on 1 September 2020, then your renewal date will be 1 September each year.
Notifications are sent via email, text message or letter depending on the contact details recorded with the dog’s registration. If required, a second reminder is sent 7 days prior to the due date.
If you no longer have the dog because it has passed away or ownership has been transferred, or you no longer live in the ACT, you can cancel your dog’s registration by selecting ‘cancel' on the pet registration form. You can also contact 13 22 81 if you’d prefer to speak to someone.
You can only renew your dog’s registration details online once you have received your annual renewal notice from Domestic Animal Services. However, if you haven’t received a notification but want to update your details now, select 'update your dog's details' on the pet registration form or contact 13 22 81.
You can update/confirm your:
address (residential and postal)
email address
contact phone numbers
dog’s name
dog’s desexed status
dog’s microchip number.
You will also be able to notify Domestic Animal Services if you no longer live in the ACT, if your dog has passed away or if you no longer own the dog.
Confirm details
If your details are up to date, you still need to renew your registration every 12 months by completing the pet registration form. You can also contact Access Canberra if you’d prefer to speak to someone.
Register multiple dogs at once
You can update the details of your dogs at any time by selecting 'update' on the pet registration form or contacting 13 22 81 if you’d prefer to speak to someone.
Please note you will still receive an annual dog registration renewal notice and you will need to renew your dog's registration details at that time.
If you own 4 or more dogs, you will also need to apply for a multiple dog licence (fees apply).
Transfer ownership
Under the Domestic Animals Act 2000 you must notify Domestic Animal Services if you are no longer the keeper/carer of a dog.
Once you have notified Domestic Animal Services you are no longer the keeper/carer, the dog’s registration under your details will then be cancelled.
You can cancel your dog's registration by selecting 'cancel' on the pet registration form. You can contact 13 22 81 if you have difficulty using the form.
