Pet Chip Lookup: Find Which Database a Microchip Is On
With a chip number and the right tool, you can quickly see which database holds a pet's record, whether it's your own pet, one you've found, or a chip from overseas.
A pet chip lookup turns a 15-digit chip number into the name of the database that holds the record, so you know who to contact. Once you have the database’s name, you can get in touch with it to update your details or get a pet home.
How a pet chip lookup works
The lookup itself is simple. You enter the 15-digit number, and the tool checks it against the UK’s compliant databases, then shows you which one holds the record. Our chip checker takes the number and searches multiple UK databases at once, so you get the answer in one go.
If you don’t have the number, GOV.UK says a vet, dog warden or rescue centre can scan the pet for you. For a dog you’ve found, our dog chip checker guide covers the scan side, and for a cat, see how to check if a cat is chipped.
Our chip checker doesn’t show you the owner’s contact details. It shows whether the number is registered and where, and that’s the point: the database holds the contact details, and you get in touch through it.
Why the chip number doesn't tell you the database
The number identifies the chip, not the database. The first three digits are a code: either a country code, used for official identification schemes, or a manufacturer code for a private supplier. You can find who made a chip by checking that code against the ICAR register, but even that has limits, because code 900 is shared by more than one manufacturer.
Either way, the maker’s code gets you no closer to the record. A chip can be registered on any compliant database, and GOV.UK lists 24 that meet government standards, including Pet Database. That’s why the lookup step exists at all, and why we have a guide to working out which UK database your pet is on.
What happens after the lookup
Once you know the database, the next step is to contact it. If it’s your own pet, you can check and update your contact details, or report the pet missing. If it’s a pet you’ve found, the database is the route to the owner.
Databases are set up for this by law. Operators must be reachable round the clock, and if the chip turns out to be registered with another compliant database, they must pass the enquiry on to the right one. So if you ring the wrong one, you should end up pointed in the right direction rather than hitting a dead end.
Brand names can cause confusion. Pet-ID, for example, is a chip brand rather than a database, which our page on Pet-ID microchips explains.
Looking up a chip from abroad
A chip from outside the UK follows the same basic pattern, just through different tools. Europetnet, Petmaxx and the American AAHA lookup all work the same way: a finder enters the chip number, the tool says which database holds it, and the finder contacts that database, which holds the owner’s details. None of them hands the owner’s details to the finder. If a number doesn’t come up on the UK tools, these are the route to try.
If you have a chip number, the next step is to check it and see which database holds the record.
