Common Questions

Please choose the option that best describes the notice you received:

There may be several reasons why you received a bill when you have a current license. We're happy to help with your account information - please fill out this form to begin the process.

We will mail your tag within 10 business days from the day we receive your completed license application and payment. Please allow an additional 3-5 business days to receive your tag in the mail. If we have not received correct payment or required documentation, you will be notified via mail and the processing of your license will be delayed.

You may obtain a replacement tag by sending a check or money order in the amount of $2.00 payable to "B.A.R.C." to the mailing address below. Please include a copy of your license receipt or a note to designate the pet for which you are purchasing a replacement tag.

City of Houston Animal Licensing
C/O PetData
PO Box 141929
Irving, TX 75014-1929

A license may be transferred from one owner to a new owner at no charge. We must receive in writing a request from the original owner naming the new owner of the pet within 30 days of the change of ownership.

A refund may be available only if you have made payment twice for the same licensing term or have overpaid for your license. Please submit your request via mail or email and be sure to include the details of your payments.

By ordinance, licenses are valid for one year from the date of the rabies vaccination or the anniversary of the vaccination date. A license cannot be valid for a longer period than the current rabies vaccination.

Adoptions, licensing, rabies vaccinations and redemptions:
3200 Carr St.

Sick or injured animal drop offs:
3200 Carr St.

To report stray animals, animal bites, or for questions unrelated to licensing, please call the shelter at 713-229-7300.

If the pet is wearing a City of Houston license tag, please call our office toll-free at 1-800-510-7734.

If an Animal Control Officer finds your pet, and your pet is wearing a current license tag on its collar, Animal Services will attempt to contact you via phone or mail. If another citizen finds your pet with its license tag, they can call the toll-free number on the tag. A staff member from BARC or from the Animal Licensing Office will attempt to contact you to let you know who has found your pet.

If your pet has been lost, Animal Services recommends that you visit the shelter to look for your pet. You can also look at the pictures of pets at the shelter on BARC's website to see if your lost pet is pictured. The shelter is located at 3200 Carr St. in Houston.

The primary reason is to prevent the spreading of rabies. Rabies is a constant health threat, and rabies vaccinations are good for your pet’s health. Did you know that rabies is 100% fatal for humans if not treated properly? Animal licensing helps the City of Houston’s Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care (BARC) monitor compliance with local and state rabies vaccination laws. 

Licensing also helps BARC identify family pets, should an animal become lost.  The fees from licensing are used to care for animals at the city animal shelter and investigate complaints about stray animals, among other services.  Other goals of animal licensing are to promote responsible pet ownership and to reduce the tragedies associated with lost pets and pet overpopulation.

Licensing Ordinance

Anyone owning a dog or cat four months of age or older in the City of Houston must have their pet vaccinated against rabies either annually or tri-annually. A city license must be purchased annually.

Read Animal Regulations in Houston

View the City of Houston ordinance

Due Date

Payment for your license is due within 30 days of your pet’s rabies vaccination date or the expiration of your previous license. If you are licensing for the first time, you must purchase a license when the pet reaches 4 months of age or within 30 days of moving into the City or owning the pet.

A late fee of $10 is charged if your license has not been purchased within 30 days of the vaccination date, previous license expiration date, or if you have not completed a license in the past year.

License Term

By ordinance, licenses are valid for one year from the date of the rabies vaccination or the anniversary of the vaccination date. A license cannot be valid for a longer period than the current rabies vaccination.

BARC chose to privatize animal licensing in 2004 to promote animal licensing in the City and provide additional services to its citizens. PetData can also save money for the City of Houston by processing licenses at a lower cost than the City.

PetData, Inc., headquartered in Farmers Branch, Texas, provides animal licensing services for municipalities and animal welfare agencies throughout the United States. The company, a member of the National Animal Control Association, has been in business since 1993. PetData’s goals are to increase animal licensing, to reduce animal euthanasia, to educate the community, and to help solve animal control problems.

We at PetData consider the privacy of our clients to be of paramount importance. PetData has never sold information or data to any third-party. PetData does not use any personally identifiable data collected for any purpose other than those as determined by client contracts.

We do not respond to requests for information from non-client individuals or corporations, nor do we release information without the express written consent of our client agencies. Groups or individuals requesting licensing data should contact the individual client's animal services agency director as we release data only to our contracted client.