Registration and Microchipping

Dog being microchipped

Companion animals have come to play an important part in the lives of many people. Most homes in Australia have at least one companion animal. Pets are a wonderful source of companionship and pleasure for many people. Under the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998, all cat and dog owners must complete a 2-step process to registering their pet.

STEP 1 | Microchipping

A companion animal must be identified by a microchip as required by the regulations from the time the animal is 12 weeks old and must not be sold unless it is microchipped, even if it is younger than 12 weeks. Microchipping ensures that all companion animals have a means of permanent identification that cannot be lost or tampered with. Microchipping means that owned and unowned animals are readily identifiable so that they can be promptly returned to their owners or re-homed.

Microchips are tiny - about the size of a grain of rice - and can be inserted under the skin between the shoulders of a cat or dog. The process is similar to receiving immunisation injections and is generally less distressing for the animal than a vaccination.

Once you have microchipped your animal, the details will be sent to your local council for data entry into the NSW Companion Animals Register. You will also be posted a Certificate of Identification.

Councils, pounds, vets and animal welfare organisations will be able to read the microchip by passing a scanner over the animal. Thanks to the microchip, if your animal is found, lost or roaming the Council Ranger can contact you to arrange for your animals return and if it is taken to a pound, the pound will scan the animal and promptly contact you.

It is therefore extremely important that your contact details are kept up to date.

STEP 2 | Lifetime Registration

Once your animal is microchipped, the next step is lifetime registration. Under the Companion Animals legislation all companion animals must be lifetime registered from six months of age. All cats born, bought or sold after 1 July 1999 must be microchipped and lifetime registered.

Lifetime registration incurs a once only fee that can be paid at any local council. The animal owner must be 18 years old or over. Once you have paid lifetime registration, a Certificate of Registration will be posted to you. For registration forms and information about the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998, breeders, pet shops, vets and microchip identifiers, visit the NSW Office of Local Government website.

How to register your Animal

You are able to apply for lifetime registration in any of the following ways:

  1. Online through the NSW Pet Registry
  2. By Email - Send the Lifetime Registration form or annual permit form along with payment by completing the credit card authorisation form to cityofryde@ryde.nsw.gov.au. You can download a copy of these forms or call Council on 9952 8222 to post you out a copy.
  3. In Person - At City of Ryde Customer Service Centre located at 1 Pope Street, Ryde. See opening hours.
  4. By Post - Send the Lifetime Registration form with payment in by cheque, money order or completed credit card authorisation form to:

    The General Manager
    City of Ryde
    Locked Bag 2069
    NORTH RYDE NSW  1670

For information on registration exemption see the Companion Animals Regulation 2018.

Registration Costs as at 1 July 2023

Fees are in accordance with clause 18 of the Companion Animals Regulation 2018. 

Registration Type Registration Description Species Registration Fee 2023-2024
Dog – Desexed (by relevant age) Registration fee for a dog desexed by six months of age Dog $75
Dog – Desexed (by relevant age eligible pensioner) Dog owned by an eligible pensioner and desexed by six months of age Dog $32
Dog - Desexed (sold by pound/shelter) Desexed dog sold by an eligible pound/shelter Dog $0
Dog - Not Desexed or Desexed (after relevant age) Combined registration fee and additional fee for a dog not desexed by six months of age Dog $252
Dog - Not Desexed (not recommended) Dog with written notification from a vet that it should not be desexed Dog $75
Dog - Not Desexed (recognised breeder) Dog not desexed and kept by a recognised breeder for breeding purposes Dog $75
 Dog - Not Desexed (not recommended - pensioner) Dog owned by eligible pensioner with written notification from a vet that it should not be desexed  Dog  $32
Dog - Working Working dog Dog $0
Dog - Service of the State Dog in the service of the State, for example, a police dog Dog $0
Assistance Animal Registered Assistance Animal or Animal under 6 months of age training to be an assistance animal, for example, a guide dog Dog/Cat $0
Cat - Desexed or Not Desexed Desexed or non-desexed cat Cat $65
Cat - Eligible Pensioner Desexed cat owned by an eligible pensioner Cat $32
Cat - Desexed (sold by pound/shelter) Cat owned by an eligible pensioner Cat $0
Cat - Not Desexed (not recommended) Cat with written notification from a vet that the cat should not be desexed Cat $65
Cat - Not Desexed (recognised breeder) Cat not desexed and kept by a recognised breeder cat for breeding purposes Cat $65
Registration Late Fee If registration fee has not been paid 28 days after the date on which the animal is required to be registered Dog/Cat $21

Above fees as published by the NSW Government at time of publication

Please ensure evidence of desexing, pensioner eligibility and approved breeder status are provided to Council for the required registration types. An eligible pensioner includes a person in receipt of the aged pension, war widow pension or disability pension.

In addition to the one-off lifetime registration fee, for 1 July 2023, Annual Permit Fees applyClick here for more information.

Permit Type Permit Description Permit Fee Permit Fee
(including Late Fee)
Cat - Not Desexed  Cat not desexed by 4 months of age $92 $113
Dangerous Dogs Dog declared to be dangerous $221 $242
Restricted Dogs Dog declared to be restricted breed or restricted by birth $221 $242

Above fees as published by the NSW Government at time of publication.

A list of registration categories, current fees for 2023/2024 are provided on the Office of Local Government’s (OLG) website. To view, click on “Registration Fees” under the heading “Key Information” at the bottom of the page.