Checked October 14, 2026

Dog and cat licences in St. John’s

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Dog and cat licences in St. John’s. St.

Key information

St. John’s requires pet licences and lists a $15 cat or dog licence. A dog must be registered within 20 business days of acquisition or reaching six months, with annual renewal. Applications can be made online, by email or at four listed city locations.

On this page

Key facts and next steps

Dog and cat licences in St. John’s. Facts checked October 14, 2026.
Question	Answer
Which pets need a St. John's licence?	The city states that residents must licence pets and provides a $15 licence for cats and dogs. Use the city's pet-licence route rather than treating a private microchip registration as the municipal licence.
How much is the listed cat or dog licence?	The page lists $15. It does not provide the same breed/altered/senior fee categories used by some other municipalities, so do not import another city's prices into the St. John's application.
Must the dog wear its current licence tag?	When off the owner's property, the city requires a collar carrying the current dog licence tag. A licence receipt kept at home does not replace the stated identification on the dog.

Sources: Animal Tag

Apply for a pet licence

Which pets need a St. John's licence?

The city states that residents must licence pets and provides a $15 licence for cats and dogs. Use the city's pet-licence route rather than treating a private microchip registration as the municipal licence.

Source: Animal Tag

When must I register a dog?

Within 20 business days of acquiring it or within 20 business days of it reaching six months. The city animal-control rules also require annual renewal and keeping licensing information current.

Source: Animal Tag

Can I apply or renew online?

Yes. Use the city's linked online licence service. The alternative is a completed fillable application emailed to humaneservices@stjohns.ca or dropped at a listed city service location.

Source: Animal Tag

Sources: Animal Tag

Deadlines and owner records

How much is the listed cat or dog licence?

The page lists $15. It does not provide the same breed/altered/senior fee categories used by some other municipalities, so do not import another city's prices into the St. John's application.

Source: Animal Tag

Where can I drop off an application?

The page lists Access St. John's at City Hall, Humane Services, H.G.R.Mews Community Centre and Paul Reynolds Community Centre. All four addresses appear below.

Source: Animal Tag

What should I do after changing address or phone number?

Advise the city of the change in the dog's licensing information. The contact record is part of how staff identify and return a lost pet, so it should not be left at a previous address.

Source: Animal Tag

Sources: Animal Tag

Tags, leashes and service locations

Must the dog wear its current licence tag?

When off the owner's property, the city requires a collar carrying the current dog licence tag. A licence receipt kept at home does not replace the stated identification on the dog.

Source: Animal Tag

Can I transfer a licence to another pet?

No. The animal-control rules state that a licence is not transferable. Contact Humane Services about the correct record or application when ownership or the animal changes.

Source: Animal Tag

Does a licence mean my dog can run off leash anywhere?

No. The licensing page says dogs must be leashed off the owner's property. Designated fenced dog parks have their own published rules; ordinary parks and school or sport areas are not a general exception.

Source: Animal Tag

Who can help with a licence application?

Humane Services is at 81 Higgins Line, 709-576-6126 and humaneservices@stjohns.ca. Access St. John's also gives 311 or 709-754-2489 for city service questions.

Source: Animal Tag

Sources: Animal Tag