How to License Your Dog in Washington, DC (and Meet the Rabies Rule)

New dog, new home, or a renewal notice

Most people look this up at one of three moments: a new puppy or rescue has just come home, you have moved to DC with your dog, or a license is about to run out. The steps are the same in each case, and most of the work is gathering the right papers before you start.

DC Code § 8-1804(b) says an owner of a dog over the age of four months must get an annual license "before July 1st of each year, or within 10 days of acquiring the dog, or within 10 days after the dog becomes 4 months of age." The same section says the owner must make sure the dog wears "a collar or harness and a license." Each dog needs its own license, and a license cannot be moved from one dog to another.

Rabies and distemper shots come first

DC Code § 8-1803 requires an owner of a dog over four months old to have it vaccinated against rabies and distemper, and § 8-1804(c) says no license may be issued until that is done and any outstanding fines are paid. Cats are covered by the rabies rule too: DC Health says District law requires all cats and dogs over four months old to be vaccinated.

The DC rules give the timing in 24 DCMR 901. A dog must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian before it is four months old, or within 15 days after you become its owner or keeper if it was never vaccinated, whichever is later. The rule then calls for a booster 12 months after the first shots and a rabies shot every three years after that. Your vet will tell you which vaccine your dog received and when the next one is due.

Your vet gives you a signed vaccination certificate and a numbered rabies tag. Under 24 DCMR 901.15, the rabies tag must be attached to your dog's or cat's collar or harness and kept there. DC Health also runs free vaccination clinics during the year, where licenses are sold too; its vaccination page lists (202) 535-2323 for clinic information.

What to gather before you apply

DC Health's dog licensing page says applications that do not meet its document rules will not be approved. Having these ready can save a round of back and forth:

• The full vaccination record on the clinic's official letterhead, showing the veterinarian's name and license number, with proof of current rabies and distemper shots.
• Your name on the records. The owner's name on the vaccination records must match the account name on your application. If the records list a partner, parent or roommate instead, DC Health asks you to have your vet reissue them.
• Adoption papers, if your dog was adopted. Upload the shelter's vaccination records with the adoption paperwork, showing the dog's earlier name and you as the new owner. For a dog given to you by a friend or relative, ask your vet for records in your name.
• Proof of spaying or neutering, or DC Health's certification that the requirement was waived. The fee depends on it, and DC Code § 8-1804 sets no fee for a trained service dog.
• Your complete mailing address, with quadrant, ZIP code and apartment or unit number. DC Health warns that a tag will not arrive if the address is incomplete, which matters in DC apartment buildings.

How to apply and what happens next

DC Health issues dog licenses through its Division of Animal Services, and new licenses and renewals are submitted online through the link on its Dog Licensing page. DC Health asks you to allow 4 to 6 weeks for it to receive, review and process each application, and the tag is mailed to the address on your account. A fee applies; DC Health lists it on the same page.

Licenses are renewed every year. DC Health asks owners to submit renewals 30 days before the expiration date, with proof of current rabies and distemper vaccination and spay or neuter status. Renewing does not bring a new tag: your old tag number stays valid. If the tag is lost, DC Health has a lost dog tag application, and a replacement fee applies.

For questions while you apply, DC Health's licensing page lists the Division of Animal Services at (877) 672-2174, Monday to Friday, 8:15 am to 4:45 pm. It also says owners with seven or more dogs over four months old need a hobby license as well. Rules and fees change, so check the current page before you apply.

Keep copies where your sitter can find them

Once the license arrives, put the tag on your dog's collar with the rabies tag and an ID tag, and keep a copy of the rabies certificate with your pet care notes. Our guide comparing microchips, ID tags and the DC license explains what each one does if your dog gets loose.

If you use a sitter or walker, those papers help in an emergency. The Petsitting Form on our client forms page asks for your pet's medical condition, your veterinarian's name and contact details, and your consent to take your pet to your vet in an emergency. Our post About Dog Care in Washington D.C. covers everyday care; this guide adds the legal paperwork.

Across the line, and what to do next

If you live in Mount Rainier or elsewhere in Prince George's County, Maryland, DC's license does not apply at home; the county has its own rules, which also cover cats and ferrets. Our guide to pet rules in Mount Rainier and Prince George's County explains them.

Licensing is between you, your vet and DC Health. A pet sitter cannot do it for you, and a vet visit for overdue vaccines comes first. Once your dog is licensed, DC's dog park rules still ask for the right tags, as our DC dog parks guide explains, and our DC leash and dog waste rules guide covers everyday walks. When you are ready for help with walks in Woodridge or nearby, see our dog walking service and the areas we cover.