Licensing Frequently Asked Questions

QDoes my animal need a pet license?
AForsyth County Code 6-10. Registration of dogs and cats required.
The owner of any dog or cat must obtain a registration for such animals within sixty (60) days after the dog or cat is acquired. New residents shall have sixty (60) days to register any dog or cat.Top
QHow much does a license cost?
A
Dogs Cats
Spayed or Neutered $5.00 $5.00
Unaltered $25.00 $25.00
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QAre there penalties for not licensing?
AFailure to register within the proper time period may result in a late fee of 50% of the annual license registration fee. Possessing an unlicensed animal is a violation of the Forsyth County Code. Penalties for a violation may range from a $50 civil penalty to a misdemeanor citation of $95 per unlicensed animal.Top
QAre there any exceptions to the fees?
AAll dog and cats are required to be licensed, but there are some exemptions from the fee requirements:
  1. Animals that are working members of public safety agencies.
  2. Animals in the care of a non-profit 501C-3 animal welfare organization as long as sterilization is a requirement of the organization before adoption.
  3. Handicap Assistance Dogs: Fees may be waived for handicap assistance dogs, provided the dog is sterilized.
  4. Hunting dogs may receive a reduced $5.00 fee upon the owner furnishing the County with a valid hunting license.
  5. Show animals may receive a reduced $5.00 fee upon providing three (3) recognized show event registrations per animal.
  6. Fertile animals unable to be sterilized for health reasons may receive the $5.00 registration fee providing a veterinarian provides a written statement explaining the animal’s condition.
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QIf I have my pet altered can I get a refund?
A

Yes. A refund may be approved upon a request made to the Animal Control Department, and if sufficient documentation is provided:

  1. An owner that has paid a $25.00 registration may receive a $20.00 refund if the animal is sterilized within 30 days of the license registration payment.
  2. An owner of a puppy or kitten that has paid the $25.00 registration fee may receive a refund of $20.00 if the animal is sterilized by the age of 6 months.
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QWhy should I license my pet?
ALicensing provides protection for people and pets in many ways:
  • A phone call home if the pet is lost
  • Incentives to spay & neuter, the most important key to saving animal lives
  • A local registration system for microchips & other identification
  • A local database for rabies immunization records
  • Support for emergency services that protect people & animals, investigation of animal cruelty, response to public safety concerns & care for sheltered animals
For information please call (336) 703-2479.Top
QHow do I license?
APrint a Pet Licensing Application. You can license a pet in person at the animal shelter during normal shelter hours, or by mail. Proof of current rabies vaccinations is required and documentation of your pets spaying or neutering is needed for the reduced fee rate. Receipts from your veterinarian generally document whether the pet has been altered as well as the dates of the rabies vaccination. A copy of such a receipt is all that is necessary. No special certificate is required. If you receive an application by mail, simply fill out the requested information and mail it back with the appropriate fee to Animal Control. A license tag and receipt will be mailed back to you.Top
QI have more animals than the one listed on the application I received. Where can I get more applications?
A
  • You can print a Pet Licensing Application.
  • Pet licensing brochures that include an application are available at many public buildings and veterinarian offices.
  • You may call Animal Control at (336) 703-2479 and leave your name and address with a request for applications. We will mail them to you.<
  • You can write the application's required information for the additional pet(s) on a supplemental sheet of paper and mail it to us with the original application and required fee(s). Proof of current rabies vaccination and sterilization is required.
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QWill I be notified next year when the license is about to expire?
AYes. A renewal notice will be sent to you.Top
QI no longer have this pet. What do I do?
AProvide us with your name, address, and phone number and information regarding the specific pet. We will inactivate the license account.

You can contact us by any of the following methods:
  • Email from this website
  • Call (336) 703-2479 and leave us the message.
  • Write on your renewal application that you no longer have the pet and send it back to us.
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QI no longer live in Forsyth County. Do I still need to license my pet there?
AOnly if the pet resides in Forsyth County.Top
QIs a rabies certificate with spay/neuter information sufficient verification of altering?
AA rabies certificate from a veterinarian showing this information would be sufficient.Top
QWhere did you get the information that I had a pet?
ALicense applications are generated from existing databases maintained by the County (required by the state and local statutes). These are the former dog tax ag records and rabies vaccination records.Top