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 and receipt 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 $1.00 payable to "New Castle County Dog Licensing" to the mailing address below. Please do not send cash. Please include a copy of your license receipt or a note to designate the pet for which you are purchasing a replacement tag.

New Castle County Dog Licensing
C/O PetData
PO Box 141929
Irving, TX 75014-1929

Only one license tag can be active at one time for a dog. Requests for multiple tags for the same animal cannot be fulfilled.

New Castle County licenses cannot be transferred to a new owner or a different pet. A new license must be purchased.

New Castle County dog licenses are non-refundable.

All dogs must be licensed by March 1st. One-year licenses expire on December 31st of the same year. Two and three-year licenses may also be purchased as long as the rabies vaccination is valid beyond March 1st of the year in which the license would expire.

Kent County SPCA
32 Shelter Cir.
Camden, DE

To report stray animals or for questions unrelated to licensing, please call 302-698-3006.

If the pet that you have found is wearing a New Castle County license tag, please enter the tag number in the tag search box above. If you need assistance, you may call our office at 1-877-730-6347.

If you have found a pet with a State of Delaware license tag from 2007 through 2009, please call our office for assistance.

If an Animal Control Officer finds your pet, and your pet is wearing a current license tag on its collar, Animal Services will contact you. If another citizen finds your pet with its license tag, they may use the tag number to contact you through our online tag search or by calling the phone number on the license tag.

If your pet has been lost, Animal Services recommends that you visit the shelter to look for your pet. The shelter is located at 32 Shelter Cir, Camden, DE.

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 Animal Services monitor compliance with local and state rabies vaccination laws.

Licensing also helps Animal Services identify family pets, should an animal become lost. The fees from licensing are used to care for animals 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

All dogs aged six months or older in New Castle County, with the exception of the City of Wilmington, must be licensed with the County by March 1st.

View the complete New Castle County ordinance

Due Date

All dogs aged six months or older must be licensed prior to March 1st. Unlicensed dogs are subject to a fine after March 1st.

License Term

All dogs must be licensed by March 1st. One-year licenses expire on December 31st of the same year. Two and three-year licenses may also be purchased as long as the rabies vaccination is valid beyond March 1st of the year in which the license would expire.

The State of Delaware voted in 2009 to give the responsibilities for dog control and dog licensing to the counties. New Castle County chose to privatize dog licensing in 2009 to promote animal licensing, to increase the cost-effectiveness of the program, and to provide additional services to its citizens.

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