🐾 Do I have to microchip my dog and cat?

Yes

Quick answer

Yes — dogs must be microchipped across the UK, and owned cats in England since June 2024. Dogs have had to be microchipped (and registered on a compliant database) across England, Scotland and Wales since April 2016, by the age of 8 weeks. In England, owned cats over 20 weeks must be microchipped and registered since 10 June 2024. Crucially, you must also keep your contact details up to date on the database — an out-of-date record is itself a breach. The duty falls on the keeper, not necessarily the legal owner, and councils enforce it. A microchip is a passive RFID tag read by a scanner; it's not a GPS tracker. In short: yes for dogs UK-wide and cats in England, and keep the details current.

📋 The rules

Dogs: compulsory UK-wide since 2016, by 8 weeks
Cats (England): compulsory since 10 June 2024, over 20 weeks
Must be on a government-compliant database
Keep contact details up to date (out-of-date = a breach)
Duty falls on the keeper; councils enforce

🔓 Exceptions

Genuinely feral, farm or community cats are exempt
A vet can certify exemption on welfare grounds
Cat chipping isn't yet compulsory in Scotland, Wales or NI

⚠️ Penalties & fines

If you don't comply, the council serves a notice giving 21 days to get the animal microchipped or the details corrected; failing to act then means a fine of up to £500. The same applies if your contact details are out of date. Beware a myth: "a microchip is a GPS tracker" is false — it's a passive RFID chip, readable only when a scanner is held over it, holding a number that links to your contact details on a database; it gives no location data. Note that cat microchipping is compulsory in England only as of 2026 (not yet Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland), while dog microchipping is UK-wide. To comply: get your pet chipped by a vet, register it on a compliant database, and update the record whenever you move or change phone number.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-06-20

❓ Frequently asked

Do I have to microchip my cat?

In England, yes. Since 10 June 2024, owned cats over 20 weeks old must be microchipped and registered on a compliant database. This brought cats into line with dogs. Cat microchipping is not yet compulsory in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, though it's strongly recommended everywhere to help reunite lost cats with their owners.

Is microchipping dogs compulsory?

Yes, across the UK. Microchipping has been compulsory for dogs in England, Scotland and Wales since 6 April 2016, and the dog must be chipped and registered by the age of eight weeks. The keeper must also keep their contact details up to date on the database, or they're in breach of the rules.

Do I need to keep my details updated?

Yes. Simply having your pet microchipped isn't enough — you must keep your contact details current on the microchip database. An out-of-date record, for example after you move house or change your phone number, is itself a breach of the microchipping rules and can lead to enforcement and a fine if not corrected.

What's the penalty for not microchipping?

If your dog or, in England, your cat isn't microchipped, or your details are out of date, the council can serve a notice giving you 21 days to put it right. If you don't comply within that time, you can be fined up to £500. Enforcement usually starts with the notice rather than an immediate fine.

Is a microchip the same as a GPS tracker?

No. A microchip is a small, passive RFID device, about the size of a grain of rice, that stores a unique number. It only works when a scanner is passed over the animal, which then links to your contact details on a database. It does not contain a battery or transmit your pet's location like a GPS tracker.

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