UK Microchipping Law: The Rules for Dogs and Cats, Explained
From the age limits and vet exemptions to moving house and the rules in Scotland and Wales, know exactly where you and your pet stand with the law.
In England, almost every dog and cat must be microchipped, and the duty sits with the keeper, meaning the person the pet lives with. The current law in England is the Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023, which replaced the earlier 2015 dog regulations.
Which pets must be microchipped, and by when
Every dog older than 8 weeks must be microchipped. One exception is a working dog certified under section 6(3) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Every cat older than 20 weeks must be microchipped. That rule came in for England in June 2024.
The 2023 regulations apply in England only. The other nations have their own rules, and they’re not identical. Dogs must be microchipped from 6 April 2016 across England, Wales and Scotland, in each case for dogs older than 8 weeks. In Northern Ireland, a dog must be microchipped before it can be licensed, under the Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.
Our page on the 2016 dog microchipping law covers when and how the dog rules began. Cats are different: cat microchipping is compulsory in England only, and optional in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our page on microchipping law across the UK goes through each nation.
What counts as microchipped
In England, “microchipped” means two things together: a compliant chip implanted, and your details recorded on a compliant database. A chip that was never registered doesn’t count, so if your pet has a chip but you never completed the registration, the fix is quick. You can register the microchip with your name, address and phone number.
A compliant database is one on the government list. GOV.UK describes the listed databases as meeting government standards, and you’ll also see them described as Defra-compliant (Defra is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). If you’re not sure which database holds your pet’s record, our chip checker runs the number against the UK databases, and a vet or rescue centre can scan the chip for the number if you don’t have it.
Once your pet is registered, you’re responsible for keeping the details current, such as when you move house. A database may charge a fee for updates. It’s worth checking the record after any change of address or phone number, so a scan can still lead back to you.
In England there’s no separate offence for failing to update your details after a move, though the law does require them to be registered in the first place. Scotland is stricter for dogs: since April 2016, owners there must tell the database operator about any change to the recorded details. Northern Ireland has a similar duty for dogs, and breaking it is an offence that can carry a fine. In Wales, a dog only counts as microchipped while its details are up to date on a database, so an out-of-date record puts the keeper in breach of the main duty rather than a separate update offence.
If a found or stray pet is scanned, it can only be traced back to you if the chip is registered. What the law says about strays is covered in our guide to how microchipping laws affect stray pets.
Getting a new pet, from a breeder or from abroad
In England, a keeper must not transfer a cat or dog to a new keeper unless it has been microchipped or has a vet’s exemption certificate. So a puppy or kitten should come to you already chipped.
Once the pet is yours, the next step is the record. In England, when a cat or dog changes owner, the new owner must record their own full name, address and phone number on the database. That applies unless the previous owner has already done it. Don’t assume the breeder or rescue sorted it; ask for the chip number and check.
Bringing a pet into England works differently. An imported cat or dog must be microchipped within 30 days of entering the country, whatever its age, so the usual age thresholds don’t apply.
What happens if your pet isn't chipped
In England, you won’t be fined out of the blue. If your cat or dog isn’t chipped, an authorised person can serve a notice giving you 21 days to have it done. If you still don’t comply, they can arrange the chipping themselves, without your consent, and recover the cost from you. Ignoring the notice is an offence, and a court can fine you up to £500. The full detail sits in our guide to microchipping penalties.
Why the record has to be right
The penalties sit at one end of this. A chip that no scan can trace back to you sits at the other, with the same practical fix. If the record was never completed, is still in a seller’s name, or lives on a database you can’t find, a found pet can be scanned and still not get home. Checking which database holds the chip number, and keeping your name and current contact details on it, is the owner’s part of all this.
Common questions
Does my indoor cat need to be microchipped?
Yes, in England. GOV.UK is explicit that the duty includes cats that usually only stay indoors, so an indoor cat must be chipped and registered just like any other.
Are there any exemptions from microchipping?
Yes, there are two. In England, the duty to chip doesn’t apply for as long as a vet certifies, on the approved form, that the animal shouldn’t be chipped. The certificate must state the period the animal will be unfit. For dogs there’s also the certified working dog exception mentioned above. The detail is in our guide to microchipping law exemptions.
Who is allowed to microchip my pet?
In England, only a vet, or a vet nurse or vet student working under a vet’s direction, can implant a chip. The same goes for someone who has passed a government-approved training course, or had equivalent practical training before the set dates. Implanting a chip any other way is an offence.
Your vet is the usual place to get it done. The PDSA says microchipping usually costs between £10 and £30, and some vets include a chip in their health plans, while some charities offer it at a reduced price or for free. Our page on microchipping costs has more detail.
If your pet is chipped but the record isn’t in your name yet, registering it with Pet Database is the next step, and the one that turns a chip number into a phone call home.
