License Requirements

Licensing Ordinance

All dogs and cats 4 months of age and older must be licensed with Montgomery County and continuously vaccinated against rabies. Residents of the City of Rockville and City of Gaithersburg are required to license their pet through their respective Department of Animal Control instead of through Montgomery County.

View the complete Montgomery County ordinance

Due Date

Payment for your license is due within 30 days of the expiration of your current license. If you are licensing for the first time, you must purchase a license within 30 days of obtaining a pet over the age of 4 months.

License Term

Licenses are valid for 1, 2, or 3 years until the next anniversary of the pet’s rabies vaccination, but not beyond the expiration of the pet’s vaccination. A free juvenile pet license is only valid for 1 year. Please note that a rabies vaccination must be valid for at least two months to issue a pet license.