Dog License

DogView the General By Laws Dogs website.

View the 2023 Dog Licensing Form (PDF).

2023 Dog Licenses: Available starting Monday, January 9, 2023 through March 1, 2023.

Please note: In person processing of dog licenses will only be done on Tuesday and Thursday.

Please consider mailing or dropping licensing documents in the silver box outside of the Town Hall.

We cannot stress enough the importance of licensing your dog!

According to Massachusetts General Laws, the owner or keeper of a dog over the age of 6 months shall obtain a license for the dog from the Town Clerk. The owner of the dog needs to provide the Town Clerk with a veterinary certification that the dog was vaccinated for rabies. If the dog has not been registered in Dartmouth prior to this year, or is newly altered, a copy of the certificate from the veterinarian who spayed or neutered the dog must also be included. Please refer to M.G. L. Chapter 140, Sections 136A - 174E  for more details regarding these requirements.

Dog licensing may be completed:

  • At the Town Clerk's office during regular business hours on Tuesday and Thursday
  • By mail
  • Dropped in the silver drop box
  • Returned with the census.

Please provide a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate showing the expiration date and proof of spaying/neutering (if applicable and not already on file. We will not process the dog license without the rabies certificate. Also, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if using the Mail-In Registration option.

Registration Period & Late Fees

All dogs, ages six months and older, must be licensed on or before APRIL 1st of each year. A late fee of $5/dog/month will be assessed after April 1, 2023.

Fees Per Dog

  • Male/Female: $20
  • Spayed/Neutered: $15
  • Replacement tag: $2

Kennel Licenses (5 or More Dogs)

  • Kennel application fee: $100
  • Kennel amendment fee: $65
  • 5 to 10 dogs: $65
  • 11 to 25 dogs: $100
  • 26 or more dogs: $300

For more information and explanations/definitions regarding kennel licenses, please refer to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 136A - 174E. If you have specific questions about your kennel and related fees, feel free to contact the Town Clerk's Office.

Renewals

The Town of Dartmouth's Annual Town Census mailing will serve as your first notice to renew your dog license each year.

If you no longer have a dog, or any questions regarding dog licensing please contact the Town Clerks office at 508-910-1800.

Please note: Fees are non-refundable.

Over 70 Dog Licensing Information

No fee shall be charged for any individual dog license where the owner of the dog is a person that is at least seventy (70) years old at the time of licensing and submits to the Town Clerk, goverment-issued documentation that demonstrates said age. Documentation in support of a reduced price or fee must be provided to the Town Clerk at the time that the license is issued; no refund shall be issued in response to such documentation being provided subsequent to the issuance of an individual license.

Please note: You need to license your dog every year. You will be subject to the late fees if you do not license by April 1st.