How to Update Your Pet's Microchip Details: Address, Phone, Name and Owner
Whether it's a house move, a new number or a new owner, keeping your pet's microchip record current means a found pet can still find its way back to you.
Something in your life has changed, such as a new house or a new phone number, and the record on the microchip database still holds the old details. That record is the only thing connecting your pet's chip to you, so bringing it up to date is important. Log in to the database holding your pet's record and edit your contact details; if the pet is going to a new owner, start a transfer instead.
Why out-of-date details stop a chip working
A microchip holds only a number. When a vet, warden or rescue scans a found pet, that number is looked up on a database, and the database holds the contact details. If those details are yours and they're current, you get the call. If they're out of date, it will be more difficult to contact you.
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home's 2026 report on stray dogs found that 34% of strays had a chip whose record hadn't been updated with the current owner's details. That figure was 30% in 2023.
If you've moved house, changed your number or renamed your pet
Update the address on your pet's record as part of the move, alongside the address on their collar tag if they wear one. A new number should go on the record straight away, and the same goes for your email address if it's the one on your account.
It's how the database reaches you, and on Pet Database it's how owners are notified when a pet professional logs on to access their contact details about a found pet. If you've renamed your pet, the chip number stays the same: only the record changes.
If your pet is registered with Pet Database, you update the record through your online account. Updates are free for the life of the pet, as often as you need them. If your pet is on a different database, the same idea applies: log in to that database and edit the record.
To change your phone number or address:
- Log in at petdatabase.com/account and go to the Personal details section.
- Click Update phone number or Update address.
- Scroll down and click Save to confirm.
One update covers every pet on your account, so you don't need to repeat it for each animal. Changing the email on your account takes one extra step. In the Personal details section, click Change email address, type the new address twice to confirm it, and click Save. You'll then get a confirmation email, and you may need to verify the new address from your inbox before it becomes active.
If your pet has died
When a pet dies, updating the record keeps it accurate. On Pet Database, you log in, open the pet's profile from My Pets and use the "Pet passed away?" button in the "Update us on your pet" section, then confirm.
Once confirmed, the profile shows the pet has passed away. The record stays in your account for reference but no longer receives lost pet alerts, and any other pets on your account are unaffected.
If your pet has a new owner
A new owner means the record moves to them, which is done through a transfer rather than an edit. Pet Database's guide to transferring microchip ownership for dogs and cats walks through the whole process.
If the record shows the wrong owner after a disagreement, see resolving ownership disputes on microchip records.
What the law says about keeping details current
In England, the law requires your details to be recorded on a compliant database when your pet is microchipped. The record holds your contact details and your pet's details, including their name. You're responsible for keeping details up to date, for example when you move house. There is no separate offence of failing to update after a move in England.
Scotland is stricter for dogs. Since April 2016, the keeper of a chipped dog, meaning the person the dog lives with, must notify the database operator of any change to the details held on the record. Northern Ireland has a similar rule for dogs: the keeper must notify the database as soon as reasonably practicable when the recorded details change. Failing to do so is an offence, with a fine of up to £1,000.
Why a current record brings your pet home
A chip is only a number, and the record attached to it reaches you when a vet or warden scans a found pet. If those details are yours and up to date, your pet starts on the way home.
If they aren't, the finder is left trying numbers that no longer ring, and old addresses lead nowhere. Keeping that record right falls to the owner, and it's a small part of looking after a pet.
Common questions
How often should I check my pet's microchip details?
A 2026 Pet Database report found owners last checked their pet's microchip details an average of 15 weeks before being asked, and almost a third never check them at all. A sensible habit is to check whenever anything in your life changes, and once in a while in between.
Does it cost anything to change microchip details?
It depends on the database. Across the UK some charge nothing, some charge a one-off fee and some sell annual plans that cover updates or transfers, so check what yours charges. Updating your details on Pet Database is free.
What if I don't know which database my pet is on?
There isn't one national database, so the first step is finding out where the record lives. Pet Database's chip checker is free, needs no account, and searches multiple UK databases at once from the 15-digit chip number.
It shows whether the chip is registered and which database holds the record, though it doesn't show the registered owner's contact details.
What if I can't log in to my account?
If you've forgotten your password, click the "Forgot Password?" link under the password box on the log in page. Enter your email address and Pet Database will send you a password reset link. If your pet turns out to be registered on a different database, contact that database to update the record.
What if I don't have my pet's chip number?
The number is on the microchip certificate from the vet, breeder, rescue or implanter, and it may also be listed on adoption papers or vaccine records. If your pet was registered online, search your inbox for "microchip" or the chip company's name to find the original registration confirmation email.
If you recently adopted or bought your pet, the person or organisation you got them from may have the number. Otherwise a vet can scan your pet and read it, which most vets will do for free or a small fee.
Whatever has changed, update the record so it holds your current details. If a new owner is taking over, you can start the transfer and move the record across today, so the chip stays connected to the right person.
