Pet registration in India: who requires it and how it works
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
India has no national pet registration law. Registration is set by each city corporation under its own municipal Act, so whether a dog licence is compulsory depends on where you live. Delhi, Mumbai, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Pune, Ghaziabad and Noida require one; Bengaluru has no licence in force (checked 21 October 2026).
Almost every city asks for the same core paper: a current anti-rabies vaccination certificate from a registered vet. Most licences last a year, and several end with the rabies vaccine or on 31 March. Cats are licensed in only a few cities.
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Is pet registration mandatory in India?
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| National law | None. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 sets duties of care, but no section requires a pet to be registered. | Animal Welfare Board of India |
| Who decides | Each city corporation or development authority, under its own municipal Act or bye-laws. | Not stated |
| Central advice | The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying told states on 11 November 2024 that pet ownership policies should include "mandatory registration, sterilization, and maintenance of vaccination records for all pet animals". | Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AWBI's copy) |
| Owner's duty under the ABC Rules | For pet dogs, "the owner of the animal shall be responsible for the deworming, immunisation and sterilisation" (rule 8(1), Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023). | Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Gazette of India copy on AWBI's site) |
| The paper every city asks for | A current anti-rabies vaccination certificate signed by a registered vet. | Not stated |
| Cats | Licensed in Ahmedabad, Pune (renewals), Chennai and Thane; most other cities license dogs only. | Not stated |
Which Indian cities require a dog licence?
Ten of the thirteen cities Petym tracks make registration compulsory or issue a licence on an official page; Bengaluru has none in force. Each row links to that city's full page.
| Status | Legal basis or official page | Where to apply | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi (MCD areas) Municipal Corporation of Delhi | Mandatory | Section 399, Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 | MCD pet portal, Rs 500 |
| Mumbai BMC Veterinary Health Department | Mandatory | Sections 191A and 191B, Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 | BMC portal only, renew by 31 March |
| Gurugram Municipal Corporation Gurugram | Mandatory | MCG office order of 23 June 2026, Haryana bye-laws of 2008 | Saral Haryana or an MCG facilitation centre |
| Hyderabad Government of Telangana (via GHMC) | Mandatory from six months of age | CURE Act, 2026, section 204 | CURE pet animals portal |
| Pune (PMC) Pune Municipal Corporation | Mandatory | PMC: "licence is mandatory to keep a dog at home" | PMC services portal, 1 to 10-year terms |
| Ghaziabad Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam | Mandatory | Council proposal No. 253 of 2019 | Rs 1,000 a year, renew in April |
| Noida Noida Authority | Mandatory | Noida Authority pet policy, in force from 12 December 2022 | NAPR app, Rs 500 a year |
| Chennai Greater Chennai Corporation | Licence required by GCC | Greater Chennai Corporation veterinary page | GCC pet licence portal, Rs 50 |
| Kolkata Government of West Bengal (Act text, PRS copy) | Registration under section 521 | Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980 | KMC portal, Rs 100 plus Rs 50 processing |
| Ahmedabad AMC, Cattle Nuisance Control Department | AMC checks registration | AMC CNCD circulars of 2025 and 2026 | AMC online portal |
| Thane Thane Municipal Corporation (linked from TMC's home page) | Licence issued | TMC Dog Control Cell | Pet Care Thane portal |
| Navi Mumbai Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation | Licence issued | NMMC Right to Services list | NMMC online services |
| Bengaluru Deccan Heraldnews report | Not mandatory yet | Draft bye-laws not notified | No portal |
"Licence issued" means the corporation runs a licence service but no official page Petym could find calls it compulsory. Fees are as each city's page states them; check the portal before you pay.
What does the central government say about registering pets?
The centre has not made registration law, but its 2024 advisory asks states to bring in pet policies that include it.
Word for word
To minimize the risk of dog bites among children, it is recommended that the pet ownership policies should be formulated and implemented, including mandatory registration, sterilization, and maintenance of vaccination records for all pet animals.
An advisory is not a law: it binds no owner until a state or city writes it into its own rules. It does show which way policy is moving, and why more cities, such as Gurugram in June 2026 and Hyderabad in October 2026, have tightened their dog rules since.
Why does each city have its own rules?
Because pet licensing sits in municipal law, not in a central Act.
The power to license dogs comes from each city's corporation Act. Delhi's comes from section 399 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957; Mumbai's from sections 191A and 191B of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888; Kolkata's from section 521 of its 1980 Act; and Hyderabad's, since October 2026, from the Core Urban Region (Integrated Governance) Act, 2026. A city without its own rule cannot borrow another city's.
That is why the same dog can need a licence in one suburb and not the next. Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad run separate licences, Noida's rules come from its development authority rather than a corporation, and Delhi's New Delhi Municipal Council areas use their own dog tax token instead of the MCD portal.
The central rules that do reach every pet owner are about welfare, not paperwork. The Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 make the owner responsible for a pet dog's deworming, vaccination and sterilisation, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 makes cruelty and abandonment offences everywhere in India.
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, section 399 | Municipal Corporation of Delhi |
| Mumbai | Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, sections 191A and 191B | BMC Veterinary Health Department |
| Gurugram | Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, section 311, and the 2008 dog bye-laws | Municipal Corporation Gurugram |
| Hyderabad | CURE Act, 2026 (Telangana Act No. 26 of 2026), section 204 and Schedule V | Government of Telangana (via GHMC) |
| Kolkata | Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, section 521 | Government of West Bengal (Act text, PRS copy) |
| Bengaluru | Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 gives the power; no bye-law yet | Government of Karnataka (Act text, PRS copy) |
What documents do you need to register a dog in India?
The list changes by city, but these items cover nearly every application Petym has checked.
- A current anti-rabies vaccination certificate signed and stamped by a registered vet (asked for in Delhi, Mumbai, Gurugram, Pune and Noida) Municipal Corporation of Delhi
- A leptospirosis vaccination certificate as well, if you live in Mumbai Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
- Your ID proof, such as Aadhaar Municipal Corporation Gurugram
- Proof of address, or the property tax bill in Navi Mumbai Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation
- Photos: you with the dog in Delhi and Gurugram; the dog's face, left and right sides in Pune and Navi Mumbai Pune Municipal Corporation
- Your landlord's NOC if you rent in Pune, or the rent agreement on Ahmedabad's 2025 form Pune Municipal Corporation
- The old licence, when you renew in Navi Mumbai Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation
- A mobile number linked to Aadhaar for the OTP login on Delhi's portal Municipal Corporation of Delhi
What do people get wrong about pet registration?
You may have read
There is a central pet licence that works across India.
Myth
What the sources say
There is none. The 2024 central advisory recommends registration, but each city issues its own licence, and a licence from one city does not carry over when you move. Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AWBI's copy)
You may have read
Indie dogs adopted from the street never need a licence.
Myth
What the sources say
Only Noida exempts them, and only for families who adopt 10 or fewer indie dogs from the street or a shelter. Elsewhere an adopted Indie is a pet dog like any other. Noida Authority
You may have read
Once registered, the licence lasts for the dog's life.
Myth
What the sources say
Most do not. Delhi's ends when the anti-rabies vaccination expires, Mumbai's and Ghaziabad's end on 31 March, and Hyderabad's covers one financial year. Pune lets you choose up to 10 years. Municipal Corporation of Delhi
You may have read
Registration is only paperwork, so nobody checks.
Myth
What the sources say
Some cities do enforce it. Hyderabad's 2026 Act presumes a dog without its number ticket is unlicensed and lets the corporation seize it, and Kolkata's Act allows an unregistered dog found in public to be detained. Government of Telangana (via GHMC)
What it means for owners
Check your own city's rule, keep the rabies certificate current, and treat the licence as part of the dog's papers.
Start with your city's licence page below. If registration is compulsory where you live, the cost is small next to the trouble of a seizure, a late fee or a refused application later, and the documents are ones you should hold anyway.
Line up the licence with the rabies vaccine. In Delhi the registration lapses with the vaccine, and Ghaziabad and Noida ask for proof of vaccination at renewal. Booking the booster before it runs out keeps both current.
Keep the token on the collar where the rule asks for it. Delhi, Gurugram and Hyderabad all require the dog to wear its registration number or token, and a lost dog with a token is far easier to return to you.
When you move city, the old licence stays behind. Apply in the new city with the same vaccination record, and tell the old corporation if its rules ask: Ghaziabad wants notice within 15 days when a dog is sold, transferred or lost.
What it means for sitters
A sitter does not need a licence of their own to look after a client's dog, but should see the owner's papers before the stay.
Licences are issued to the dog's owner, not to whoever looks after it. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, though, "owner" includes "any other person for the time being in possession or custody of the animal", so a sitter carries the owner's duty of care for as long as the dog is with them.
At the meet and greet, a Petym sitter will ask to see the dog's licence where the city requires one, the rabies vaccination certificate, and the vet's details. The vaccination record matters most: it is what a vet, a boarding home or a housing society will ask for if anything goes wrong during the stay.
A sitter who hosts pets dogs at home should know their own city's rule too. Gurugram's order applies to "every person owning, keeping or having custody of any pet dog", and Ghaziabad and Noida bar commercial dog breeding in flats, so hosting is a different matter from breeding or selling.
Where is your city's pet licence page?
Each page has the fee, the documents and the portal, checked against the corporation's own pages.
Delhi
MCD pet portal, Rs 500, valid up to a year.
Mumbai
BMC portal only, rabies and leptospirosis certificates.
Gurugram
Saral Haryana or an MCG centre; the token rule.
Hyderabad
CURE Act, 2026: dogs from six months.
Pune
PMC licence for 1 to 10 years; PCMC is separate.
Bengaluru
Not mandatory yet; the draft rules explained.
Chennai
GCC licence, Rs 50, applied for online.
Kolkata
KMC registration under section 521.
Ahmedabad
AMC online registration for dogs and cats.
Ghaziabad
Rs 1,000 a year, renew between 1 and 30 April.
Noida
NAPR app within 30 days, Rs 500 a year.
Thane
Pet Care Thane portal, renew by 31 March 2027.
Navi Mumbai
NMMC online service and its document list.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
Is pet registration mandatory everywhere in India?
- No. India has no national pet registration law. Whether a dog licence is compulsory depends on your city corporation's own rules: Delhi, Mumbai, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Pune, Ghaziabad and Noida require one, while Bengaluru had no licence in force on 21 October 2026.
Do cats need to be registered in India?
- In most cities, no: municipal licences are written for dogs. Ahmedabad, Chennai and Thane's corporations do license cats, and Pune's renewal service covers cats. Check your own city's page, and keep your cat's vaccination record ready in any case.
What is the most important document for a dog licence?
- A current anti-rabies vaccination certificate signed and stamped by a registered vet. Delhi, Mumbai, Gurugram, Pune and Noida all ask for it, and Delhi's registration lapses when the vaccination expires. Mumbai also asks for a leptospirosis certificate.
Does my dog licence move with me to a new city?
- No. Each corporation issues its own licence under its own Act, so when you move you apply again in the new city with the same vaccination record. Some cities, such as Ghaziabad, also ask you to tell the old corporation within 15 days.
Does the central government plan to make pet registration compulsory?
- Not by law so far. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying advised states on 11 November 2024 to adopt pet ownership policies with mandatory registration, sterilisation and vaccination records, but each state or city must make its own rule.
Does a pet sitter need to register the dogs they look after?
- No. Licences belong to the dog's owner. A sitter should see the owner's licence and rabies certificate before the stay, because under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act anyone with custody of an animal shares the owner's duty of care.
Keep reading
- Dog walking rules in publicLeash, poop scooping and park rules, city by city.
- Pets in housing societiesWhat AWBI's guidelines let a society ask for.
- Dog bite rules in IndiaOwner liability and what to do after a bite.
- Banned dog breeds in IndiaThe 2024 list and where it stands now.
- Delhi pet dog registrationMCD portal, fee and documents.
- Mumbai dog licenceBMC rules and how to apply online.
Services that help
Words on this page, explained
Keep exploring
Other pet rules
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- Animal Welfare Board of India: The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, as amended in 1982 (AWBI's copy) (opens in a new tab)
- Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AWBI's copy): D.O. letter and advisories for control of dog population and reducing dog bite cases (11 November 2024) (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Gazette of India copy on AWBI's site): Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023: G.S.R. 193(E), 10 March 2023 (opens in a new tab)
- Municipal Corporation of Delhi: Standard operating procedure for pet dog registration (opens in a new tab)
- Municipal Corporation of Delhi: Pet dog registration portal (opens in a new tab)
- New Delhi Municipal Council: Veterinary services FAQ (dog tax token) (opens in a new tab)
Show all 23 sourcesShow fewer
- BMC Veterinary Health Department: Guidelines for pet dog owners (opens in a new tab)
- Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation: Manual for application for dog licence (opens in a new tab)
- Municipal Corporation Gurugram: Office order on registration and control of pet dogs (23 June 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Government of Telangana (via GHMC): Core Urban Region (Integrated Governance) Act, 2026, Telangana Act No. 26 of 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Pune Municipal Corporation: Dog License (H-11) service (opens in a new tab)
- Pune Municipal Corporation: Dog licence application form (fields and licence terms) (opens in a new tab)
- Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam: Dog licence terms and conditions (opens in a new tab)
- Noida Authority: Press release on the Authority's policy for pet dogs (in Hindi; policy in force from 12 December 2022) (opens in a new tab)
- Greater Chennai Corporation: Veterinary public health, pet licence (opens in a new tab)
- Government of West Bengal (Act text, PRS copy): Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, section 521 (opens in a new tab)
- Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation: Pet Dog Registration (and Pet Cat Registration) (opens in a new tab)
- Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation: Instructions for Pet Dog Registration (PDF, January 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Thane Municipal Corporation (linked from TMC's home page): Pet Care Thane: dog licence and renewal (opens in a new tab)
- Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation: Service list with documents: Dog License and Dog License Renewal (NMMC's public service data) (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)
- AMC, Cattle Nuisance Control Department: Circular No. 77/16 (13 Dec 2025), reminder 1 of 12 Jun 2026, action plan, item 5 on pet dog registration (in Gujarati) (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)