The cost for licensing unaltered or fertile pets is higher than that
for licensing spayed or neutered pets in order to promote sterilization
and to reduce pet overpopulation and starvation.
Payment for your license is due by the expiration date of your current
license. All dogs, cats and ferrets 4 months of age or older are required
to have both a current rabies shot and a current animal license. New
residents of Charlotte-Mecklenburg have 30 days to license their pets.
A late fee of $10.00 is charged if your license has not been purchased within
30 days of the due date.
Payment Options
If you are licensing by mail, you may pay for
your license with a check or money order made payable to "City of Charlotte."
If you have received a billing or renewal notice in the mail, you may
be eligible to pay for your license online
with a major credit card.
Required Paperwork
A current rabies vaccination certificate is required if the rabies
vaccination on file has expired. Please check your certificate for
correct address and pet information.
Proof of spay/neuter, such as a signed statement from a veterinarian,
an invoice for services or a copy of a receipt for a pre-paid appointment
for surgery that is within 30 days of the license due date, is required
if the pet has been altered since the last licensing period and you
are applying for the lower spayed/neutered license fee.
Proof of age is required to receive the discounted fees for senior
citizens age 62 and over.
If you are licensing an unaltered show dog, you must furnish proof
of participation in at least three nationally recognized conformation
or obedience shows within the past 12 months. The exemption rate only
applies to the dogs or cats in the owner's household of the same breed
that were shown. Proof of participation must go beyond records showing
that a filing fee was paid, and the owner must validate the actual
showing of the animal.
This proof must be furnished each time you license the dog, and you will
be charged at the sterile or spayed/neutered rate for the license.
Your paperwork will not be returned to you, so please retain a copy of
your documents for your records.
Mailing Address
Please mail all required documentation, along with your check or money
order payable to "City of Charlotte" to the address below. Please
do not send cash.
