Pet dog licence in Bengaluru
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
No licence is mandatory today. As of 17 October 2026, no pet dog licensing bye-law is in force in Bengaluru, and none of the city's official websites offers a pet registration service.
Since 2 September 2025 the city is run by five City Corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority. They have the legal power to license pets, and draft rules are being prepared, but they are not in force.
Bengaluru: pet licence at a glance
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs the city | Five City Corporations, Bengaluru Central, North, South, East and West, under the Greater Bengaluru Authority, from 2 September 2025. | Karnataka Gazette (copy) |
| Legal power to license pets | The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 lets each corporation license the keeping of animals (section 303(1)(n)) and lists licences for domestic pets as a corporation function (Schedule I). | Government of Karnataka (Act text, PRS copy) |
| Is registration mandatory now? | No. The draft pet licensing bye-laws had not been notified as of 17 October 2026, so there is nothing to register under today. | Deccan Heraldnews report |
| Online portal | None. The Greater Bengaluru Authority and corporation websites list no pet licence service (checked 17 October 2026). | Greater Bengaluru Authority |
| Fee in force | None. | Not stated |
Which corporation covers your home
Bengaluru's old single corporation, BBMP, was replaced by five City Corporations on 2 September 2025. If and when pet rules arrive, they will be enforced by the corporation your home falls under, so it is worth knowing which one that is.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority runs an official lookup, 'Know your new corporation', where you can check your area.
The draft rules being prepared
From news reports, not yet an official source.
In June 2026 the state's Urban Development Department told all five corporations to prepare uniform pet dog licensing bye-laws. A draft reported in September 2026 would make registration mandatory for dogs older than three months, renewed every year, and would require vaccination, sterilisation and a microchip.
None of this is law yet. A draft bye-law has to be published for objections and approved by the state before it applies, and the details may change. Petym re-checks this page against the official sources.
The 2018 rules that were withdrawn
From news reports, not yet an official source.
BBMP notified pet dog licensing bye-laws in 2018, with limits on the number of dogs per home. After protests and a petition in the High Court of Karnataka, the state withdrew them in June 2018.
What to keep ready anyway
Keep your dog's rabies vaccination record current and easy to find. The licensing systems in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Gurugram all ask for it, and so will anyone who looks after your dog while you travel.
When will Petym open pet sitting in Bengaluru?
Once local sitters in Bengaluru have passed Petym's checks. Leave your email and we will write once, when bookings open there.
Questions owners ask
Do I need a licence for my dog in Bengaluru in 2026?
- No. As of 17 October 2026 no pet dog licensing bye-law is in force in any of Bengaluru's five City Corporations, so registration is not mandatory and there is no official online portal.
Which body regulates pet dogs in Bengaluru now that BBMP is gone?
- The City Corporation your home falls under: Bengaluru Central, North, South, East or West, all under the Greater Bengaluru Authority since 2 September 2025. The Authority's 'Know your new corporation' lookup tells you which.
Will Bengaluru make pet dog registration mandatory?
- Possibly. The corporations were told in June 2026 to draft uniform pet licensing bye-laws, but no draft had been notified by 17 October 2026. A bye-law must be published for objections and approved by the state first.
What happened to BBMP's 2018 dog licensing rules?
- They were withdrawn by the state in June 2018, after protests and a petition in the High Court of Karnataka, before they were ever enforced.
Keep reading
- A pet owner's guide to BengaluruVets, climate care and travel from Bengaluru.
- 24-hour vets in BengaluruEmergency care, checked against each clinic's own site.
- Moving to another city with a petWhat happens to a licence when you move.
- Pet licence rules in ChennaiWhat Chennai's corporation asks of dog owners.
- Pet licence rules in HyderabadWhat Hyderabad's corporation asks of dog owners.
Keep exploring
More for Bengaluru
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- Karnataka Gazette (copy): Notification No. UDD 170 BBS 2025: the five Bengaluru City Corporations (2 September 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Government of Karnataka (Act text, PRS copy): Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 (Karnataka Act No. 36 of 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Greater Bengaluru Authority: Know your new corporation (opens in a new tab)
- Deccan Herald: Pet dogs may have to be registered under new Bengaluru policy (16 September 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Deccan Herald: Activists cheer as government withdraws pet dog licensing bylaws (22 June 2018) (opens in a new tab)