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License Online
Licensing Ordinance
All dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies and licensed by the age of 3 months or within 60 days of acquiring the animal. Cats in the City of San Bruno are not required to be licensed.
View the complete San Mateo County ordinance
Instructions to License Online
Ready to purchase your license? If you would like to license online, a cost recovery fee of $2.00 will apply for each transaction. Any required documents, such as your pet's current rabies certificate, may be scanned and uploaded or submitted later by fax, mail or email. The license will be issued after all required documents are received.
Please Note: no-fee service dog licenses are not currently supported in the online payment system. Renewal no-fee service dog licenses may be applied for by mail.
If you prefer to pay by another method, click here to view your other payment options.
Required Paperwork
- A current rabies vaccination certificate is required if the rabies vaccination on file has expired. Please check your certificate to make sure that your address is correct and your pet’s description is correct and complete. A primary breed should always be included, even if the animal is a mixed breed.
- 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.
- Proof of age, such as a copy of any document listing the owner’s name and date of birth. Please feel free to mark out any sensitive information, such as ID numbers, on the copy before submission.
Note: Please send legible copies of your paperwork and maintain a copy for your records.
License Fees
License Fees Effective 4/1/24
| Dog License Fees | 1-Year | 3-Year | |
| Unaltered Dog | $55.00 | $160.00 | |
| Spayed/Neutered Dog | $25.00 | $70.00 | |
| Senior Discount (60+) | 1-Year | 3-Year | |
| Unaltered Dog | $23.00 | $64.00 | |
| Spayed/Neutered Dog | $10.00 | $25.00 | |
| Other Fees | |||
| Late Fee (30 days past lic. expire) | $20.00 | ||
| Replacement Tag | $10.00 | ||
| A license is required for all dogs in the County. | |||
| Cat License Fees | 1-Year | 3-Year | |
| Unaltered Cat | $20.00 | $55.00 | |
| Spayed/Neutered Cat | $8.00 | $19.00 | |
| Senior Discount (60+) | 1-Year | 3-Year | |
| Unaltered Cat | $12.00 | $31.00 | |
| Spayed/Neutered Cat | $5.00 | $12.00 | |
| Other Fees | |||
| Late Fee (30 days past lic. expire) | $7.00 | ||
| Replacement Tag | $5.00 | ||
| All cats, except cats in the City of San Bruno, are required to be licensed. | |||
In an effort to reduce pet overpopulation and starvation, licensing unaltered pets is higher. In addition, the County includes a $1 surcharge in all licensing fees. This surcharge is placed in the Animal Population Trust Fund used to assist pet owners with their pet’s sterilization fees.
 | Download License Application (PDF format) *To use as an electronic fillable form, open in Adobe Reader. |
Due Date
Your license is due on the first of the month in which your license expires. There is a grace period of 30 days in which to make payment for your pet’s license.
By ordinance, a late fee is added if payment is not made within 30 days of the due date.