Cat Microchipping Law UK: What the June 2024 Rule Means for You
The law now covers almost every cat in England, including indoor ones. What it demands of you, the few exceptions, and how to comply without fuss.
Since 10 June 2024, every cat in England older than 20 weeks must be microchipped and registered. There’s no grace period, and a single vet visit can cover both the chip and the record. For the wider picture on how chips work for cats, our cat microchipping page covers it.
Is microchipping cats compulsory for every cat?
In England, yes. The 20-week threshold lines up with neutering age, so the chip can go in at the same appointment.
In law, “microchipped” means two things together: a compliant chip implanted, and the required details recorded on a compliant database. A chip with no registration behind it doesn’t count.
The rule covers indoor cats too. A cat that never goes outside can still slip through an open door or window, and a chip with a current record is the way back home.
Feral, farm and community cats
In England, the regulations contain no feral or farm cat exemption. The law defines “keeper” as the person the animal normally lives with, so a truly feral cat with no keeper falls outside the rule.
Cat microchipping law in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Compulsory cat microchipping is England only. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, chipping a cat is optional.
When a vet says your cat shouldn't be chipped
In England, there’s one health exemption, and only one. A vet certifies, on an approved form, that your cat should not be chipped for health reasons, and states how long that will last. The duty doesn’t apply for as long as the certificate runs.
The exemption also matters when a cat changes hands. In England, a keeper must not transfer a cat that isn’t microchipped to a new keeper unless it has a vet’s exemption certificate. So if you’re rehoming a cat, the chip needs to happen first.
What happens if your cat isn't chipped
In England, there’s no on-the-spot fine. The enforcement process starts with a 21-day notice: an authorised person serves a notice requiring you to have the cat microchipped. If you don’t comply, they can arrange the chipping without your consent and recover the cost from you. Ignore it beyond that, and the matter can go to court, where the fine is a maximum of £500. You can appeal a notice to the First-tier Tribunal, and the appeal suspends it until decided.
In practice, enforcement is rare. Battersea’s 2026 freedom of information survey of English councils found that 99% don’t deal with stray cats at all, having no statutory duty to. Only three councils issued any 21-day enforcement notices for cat microchipping in 2025, 15 in total, and those were mostly tied to housing policies for council tenants rather than cats found on the street. So you’re unlikely to be fined, and the reason to chip is so that a vet or rescue who scans your cat can find your details and call you.
How to get your cat chipped and registered
- Book an appointment with a vet or a trained implanter. The PDSA says microchipping usually costs between £10 and £30, and some charities offer chips at a reduced price or for free, so check locally. Our guides to microchipping costs and finding a chipping service near you go into the options.
- Check the registration confirmation arrives, and keep the chip number somewhere safe. You can register or update your cat’s details with Pet Database.
- Make sure your details on the record are current, so the chip leads back to you.
Common questions
Who is allowed to microchip a cat?
In England: a vet, a vet nurse or student under a vet’s direction, or someone who has passed an approved training course. For cats, a trained implanter’s course must have been assessed on or after 16 May 2023, or their practical training completed before that date. If someone offers to chip your cat cheaply and can’t show one of these, walk away.
Do I have to update my cat’s microchip details when I move?
In England, the law requires your details to be registered, and you’re responsible for keeping them up to date. If the details are old, a vet or rescue scanning your cat’s chip can’t reach you, so update them whenever your phone number or address changes.
My cat has come from abroad. When does it need a chip?
If you bring a cat into England, you must have it microchipped within 30 days of entry, whatever its age. That’s a different clock from the 20-week rule, so don’t wait for a kitten to age into it.
If your cat still needs chipping, or a chip is sitting with no one’s details behind it, you can get the record set up today. That way the number on the chip leads straight back to you. The law in England asks for both halves, chip and record, and the record is the half an owner can keep right.
