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 $5.00 payable to "Kansas City Animal Licensing" to the mailing address below. Please do not send cash. Please include a copy of your license receipt or a note to designate for which pet you are purchasing a replacement tag.

Kansas City Animal Licensing
c/o PetData
PO Box 141929
Irving, TX 75014-1929

Tags may not be transferred to another pet or to another owner. If you have recently adopted a pet with a Kansas City, Missouri tag, you are required to license the pet in your name.

You may request a refund if you have made an overpayment greater than $3 for your license or if you have made a duplicate payment. Send your refund request to the mailing address below.

Kansas City Animal Licensing
c/o PetData
PO Box 141929
Irving, TX 75014-1929

The license is valid for one or three years from date of initial license purchase, depending on the license term chosen.

Kansas City, Missouri Animal Shelter
7077 Elmwood Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64132
(816) 683-1383

If the pet is wearing a city license tag, please enter the seven-digit tag number in the tag search box on the left side of the page. If you need assistance, you may call our office toll-free at 1-888-738-3463.

If an Animal Control Officer finds your pet, and your pet is wearing a current license tag on its collar, you will be contacted and told where you can pick up your pet. If another citizen finds your pet, they may use the tag number to contact you through our online search or by calling 1-888-738-3463.

If your pet is not licensed with the City, visit the Kansas City, Missouri Animal Shelter to search for your pet. You may also want to visit the other shelters throughout the metropolitan area. Private shelters include:

• Wayside Waifs - 816-761-8151
• The Humane Society in Kansas City, KS -
  913-596-1000

You may also call the Lost Pet Registry at 816-333-0020.

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 monitor compliance with local and state rabies vaccination laws.

Licensing also helps Animal Control identify family pets, should an animal become lost. The fees from licensing are used to care for animals at the City shelters 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 and cats over four months of age in the city limits of Kansas City, Missouri must be licensed annually or triennially. All dogs and cats must display a current license tag at all times.

View the complete Kansas City, Missouri ordinance

Due Date

Payment for your license is due on the last day of the month in which your previous license expires.

By ordinance, a late fee of $25 is added to each license not purchased within 60 days of the due date.

License Term

The license is valid for one or three years from date of initial license purchase, depending on the license term chosen.

The City of Kansas City, Missouri chose to privatize animal licensing in 2001 to improve the efficiency of the licensing program and provide better service to its citizens.

PetData, Inc., headquartered in Dallas, 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 1994. 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 for those purposes as required 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 clients. PetData does not and will not share or sell client data with any other parties or make client data publicly available unless authorized by the client or required under a legal subpoena. All data belongs to our clients, and PetData serves only as a custodian for client-owned data.

Groups or individuals requesting data should contact their City or County directly as PetData will only release data to our contracted clients.