License in Person

Licensing Ordinance

All dogs and cats 4 months of age and older must be licensed with Norfolk. New residents must license their dogs and cats within 10 days of being in the city.

View the complete Norfolk ordinance

Licensing Locations

You may license your pet in person at one of the following locations. Please bring your pet’s rabies vaccination certificate and proof of spay/neuter (if applicable) with you.

Norfolk Animal Care
5585 Sabre Road
Norfolk, VA 23502

Norfolk City Hall
810 Union Street, 1st Floor
Norfolk, VA 23510

Required Paperwork

1. 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.
2. Proof of spay/neuter, such as a signed statement from a veterinarian or an invoice for services, is required if the pet has been altered since the last licensing period and you are applying for the lower spayed/neutered license fee.
3. Proof of age is required to receive the discounted fees for senior citizens age 55 and over.

Your paperwork will not be returned to you, so please retain a copy of your documents for your records.

License Fees

Standard License Fees	1-Year
Unaltered Pet	$25.00
Spayed/Neutered Pet	$5.00
Senior citizens age 55 and over	1-Year
Spayed/Neutered Pet	$2.00
Other Fees
Replacement Tag	$1.00

The cost for licensing unaltered or fertile pets is higher than for licensing spayed or neutered pets in order to promote sterilization and to reduce pet overpopulation.

Download License Application (PDF format) *To use as an electronic fillable form, open in Adobe Reader.

Due Date

Licenses expire annually on December 31st and must be renewed by January 31st each year. If you are licensing for the first time, you must purchase a license within 10 days of obtaining a pet over the age of 4 months or within 10 days of moving into Norfolk.