Does your Dog or Cat have a Virginia Beach Animal License?
It shall be unlawful for any person to own a dog or cat four (4) months old or older in this City unless such dog or cat is licensed.
Any Virginia Beach resident may obtain a one, two, or three-year city dog or cat license by making an oral or written application to the City Treasurer or an appointed agent, accompanied by the amount of the license tax and the evidence of vaccination required.
A quarterly prorated license tax shall be imposed on any dog or cat owner when he or she moves to Virginia Beach or purchases, adopts, or otherwise acquires a dog or cat that has a current rabies vaccination. The proration shall be based on the date of residence or date of purchase as compared to the date of rabies expiration. Verification of these dates must be provided at the time of licensing. Quarterly proration of the license fee shall be determined based upon the amount of time remaining before the rabies vaccination expires.
Note: Prorated Licenses are not available at PetData or our Veterinarian/Agents, only at any one of the five (5) Treasurer Offices.
How much is it?
A license tax is hereby imposed on dogs and cats required to be licensed in the following non-refundable amounts:
Type of Animal
| 1 Year | 2 Year | 3 Year |
|---|
| Dog or Cat, unspayed/unneutered | $10 | $20 | $30 |
| Spayed/Neutered Dog | $7 | $14 | $21 |
| Spayed/Neutered Cat | $5 | $10 | $15 |
No license will be issued that exceeds the expiration date of the rabies certificate or where it is known that there are more than 4 dogs at one residence.
Kennel of five to twenty dogs, or Cattery of five to twenty cats . . . . . . . . . $35.00
Kennel of twenty-one or more dogs, or Cattery of twenty-one or more cats . . . $50.00
Kennel Licenses are required to have approval from the
Zoning Department and complete the process of obtaining a
Conditional Use Permit via the Planning Department prior to the application of a Kennel License.
Cattery licenses are not required to have approval prior to application if the cattery is for personal and not business use.
Kennel and Cattery licenses are required to renew annually.
Service Dogs are eligible for a license at no charge with the completion of a
Service Dog Affidavit, found in our Document Library to the left. A license is still issued and expires on the same date as the rabies expiration date. If applying for an exemption, the affidavit must be signed before a City Treasurer employee. Emotional Support Dogs, although recognized as Service Dogs, are NOT exempt from paying the license fee.
How can I apply for an animal license?
Effective May 2010, PetData Inc. will be maintaining the daily operations of the animal licensing program for the City of Virginia Beach Treasurer's Office.
We chose to privatize the animal licensing program to promote animal licensing, to increase the cost-effectiveness of the program, and to provide additional services to our citizens.
Mailing licensing notices and follow-up notices to citizens.
Offering online licensing with credit card payment, provided that all documentation requirements can be met.
A website,
www.petdata.com/vb, customized with licensing information and customer service for the citizens of Virginia Beach.
Licenses will still be available in person at any of the Treasurer’s locations or at any of our participating Veterinarian/Agents throughout the City:
For more information you may call PetData toll-free at 1-866-923-1796, visit their website, www.petdata.com/vb or contact them via email at
VBAnimalTag@petdata.com.
You may also print your application found in our Document Library to the left of the City Treasurer Main Page, fill it out and send it in with appropriate paperwork; rabies vaccination and spayed/neutering certificate (if applicable), and your check for the appropriate amount.
Monies collected for animal licenses are dedicated to maintaining the new Adoption-Friendly Animal Care and Control Facility.