PA Department of Agriculture
Dog owners must buy a license from their county treasurer by Jan. 1.
Dog licenses for 2025 must be purchased by Jan. 1, announced the Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding.
Licenses must be purchased from the Montgomery or Bucks county treasurers' offices by that date. Per the department, dog licenses are a legal responsibility and the best way to locate lost pets.
The annual cost is $8.70 and lifetime purchases are $52.70 for dogs with microchips or tattoos for identification. Senior citizens and disabled citizens can receive licenses for $6.70 a year or $36.70 for lifetime.
“If you love your dog, license your dog,” Redding said. “It’s simple — the best way to protect your dog is with a license. A license on their collar is clearly visible and increases their chance of being returned home rather than ending up in a shelter.”
Per State law, dogs must be licensed at the point of adoption or purchase, or at three months if no transfer of ownership has taken place.
The youngest age at which a dog can be purchased or adopted in Pennsylvania is eight weeks, per the State.
Owners who fail to license their dogs can face fines of up to $500 for each unlicensed dog.
License fees support animal welfare and public safety. Dog license fees help keep shelters running and support the state Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement’s services to protect dogs and the public, per the release.
