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Animal Licensing

Public Health, Policy & Planning

The best protection for your pets is licensing and vaccinating against rabies.

Licensing your pets is the quickest way to be reunited if they get lost or injured. The County maintains a tracking system of licensed animals in case of a bite or rabies exposure.

Licensing is easy and affordable and the fees also help provide shelter, food and emergency medical care for lost pets.

Dog & Cat Licensing

PetData is the provider of Animal Licensing for San Mateo County. Dog and cat licensing is required in all cities, towns and unincorporated areas of San Mateo County. Dogs and cats must be licensed by the age of three months or within 60 days of acquiring the animal. New residents of the county must license their dog or cat within 60 days.

To apply for a license, you will need a copy of your pet’s rabies certificate, copy or proof of your pet’s spay/neuter status and proof of your pet’s age. For more information on licensing requirements, please visit PetData, call 866-925-5906, go to PetData’s Contact Us page.

Apply for an Animal License

License Online:

Apply for a license online and submit copies of your pet’s rabies certificate, proof of spay/neuter (if applicable) and age on PetData’s website.

License by Mail:

To apply by mail, download the Animal License Application. Send your application, copy of rabies certificate, copy of proof of spay/neuter (if applicable), age documentation and payment to: San Mateo County Animal Licensing c/o PetData, Inc., P.O. Box 141929, Irving, TX 75014-1929.

Download: form_-_acl_application_082812.pdf.

License In Person

To apply in person, please visit one of the locations below and bring a copy of the rabies certificate, a copy of proof of spay/neuter (if applicable) and age documentation to:

Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA
12 Airport Boulevard
San Mateo, CA 94401
650-340-8200

Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion
1450 Rollins Road
Burlingame, CA  94010
650-340-8200

San Mateo County Health
1600 W. Hillsdale Blvd. #203
San Mateo, CA 94402
650-573-3482

Customers with Disabilities

Please call 650-573-3482 or 650-573-2395 to make an appointment with one of our staff members.

Fee Schedule

Service Dog Designation

The Service Animal designation in San Mateo County is in compliance with the US Department of Justice’s definition of Service Animals. The County designates animals as Service Animals when they have been individually trained to do work or perform physical tasks for people with disabilities. Service Animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability.

Please note that dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as Service Animals under the American Disability Act (ADA), and San Mateo County therefore does not designate or recognize these animals as such.

Service Dog Identification Tag Application

The Service Dog Identification Tag Application should be completed and submitted to: San Mateo County Animal Control & Licensing, PO Box 5127, Redwood City, CA 94063.

Download Application: Service Dog Application

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