License Requirements

Licensing Ordinance

All dogs 4 months of age and older must be licensed with the City of Santa Ana within 15 days of being in the city.

Due Date

Payment for your license is due upon expiration of your current license. If you are licensing for the first time, you must purchase a license within 15 days of obtaining a pet over the age of 4 months or within 15 days of moving into Santa Ana.

A penalty fee is added to the license fee if your license is not purchased or renewed by the due date. The penalty fee is $48 and accumulates annually. To avoid the assessment of a $48 penalty fee, please remit the payment and/or rabies certificate, if required, by the due date. A penalty fee may be assessed for the following reasons: late payment, revaccination of the dog after the rabies expiration date, or failure to provide the rabies vaccination certificate.

License Term

Your dog’s license will be valid from the date of the last license expiration until the last day of the month one year later, but it cannot exceed the expiration of the rabies vaccination. If the vaccination expires earlier, then a new rabies vaccination is required before the license can be issued.