Getting a dog license

Dogs aged 6 months or younger, or dogs already licensed in another jurisdiction are no longer required to be licensed in HRM.

Regarding Service Animals: HRM will now accept a certificate issued under the Service Dog Act  or a certificate from an approved certification program recognized by the License Administrator to have your animal licensed as a service animal. If you would like a lifetime license for your service animal, you must provide the microchip number. Service Dog licenses need to be applied for at one of the Customer Service Locations, these are not available at a Vet or Animal Hospital.

Each year, hundreds of dogs are picked up by Animal Services. A Halifax Regional Municipality dog license tag makes it easier to track down the owner of a dog, increasing the chances a lost dog will be reunited with its family.

All dogs in Halifax Regional Municipality require a license. You can either purchase a license for your dog every year, or buy a lifetime license (as long as your dog has a microchip). Not having a license may result in a fine of $237.50 or more. You must apply for a license within 20 days of getting your dog or moving to the municipality.

Both annual and lifetime licenses are available. To be eligible for a lifetime license, your dog needs to be microchipped. 

There is no charge to license a service animal.  *Proof must be provided to be eligible for a service animal.
Seniors (that’s humans aged 65 and up) get a 50% discount on all licensing fees.  *Proof must be provided to be eligible for senior citizen discount.

It is an offense to provide false information when applying for a license and may result in a fine of $237.50 or more. 

How do I license my pet:

The easiest way to license your pet is in person, at one of the locations below within HRM. 

  • 4 Paws 24 hour Vet Hospital - 6410 Lady Hammond Rd, Halifax - 902.225.7543
  • Acres Animal Hospital - 721 Main St, Dartmouth - 902.434.4446
  • Bedford Parks Animal Hospital - 35 Bloom Ln, Unit 100, Bedford - 902.445.4551
  • Carnegy Animal Hospital - 7 Langbrae Dr, Suite 5, Halifax - 902.457.1575
  • Clayton Park Veterinary Hospital - 278 Lacewood Dr, Halifax - 902.443.4345
  • Cobequid Animal Hospital - 15 Cobequid Rd, Dartmouth - 902.865.8110
  • Companion Animal Hospital - 920 Cole Harbour Rd., Dartmouth - 902.434.3111
  • Complete Care Hospital for Pets - 3288 Highway 7 Unit #3, Lake Echo - 902.281.2273
  • East Hants Animal Hospital - 202 Highway 214, Elmsdale - 902.883.8787
  • Eastern Passage Village Veterinary Hospital - 26 Cow Bay Rd., Dartmouth - 902.465.1213
  • Fall River Animal Hospital - 3146 Highway 2, Fall River - 902.861.4003
  • Growlies Bedford - 620 Nine Mile Dr, Bedford - 902-832-1942 (temporarily closed)
  • Growlies Tantallon - 5226 St Margarets Bay Rd, Tantallon - 902-826-6651 
  • Halifax Veterinary Hospital - 6485 Quinpool Rd, Halifax - 902.422.8595
  • Hammonds Plains Vet Hospital - 2069 Hammonds Plains Rd., Hammonds Plains - 902.444.4784
  • Lady Hammond Animal Hospital - 6331 Lady Hammond Rd, Halifax - 902.406.3030
  • North End Animal Hospital - 2850 Isleville St, Unit 100, Halifax - 902.445.4552
  • Penhorn Animal Hospital - 140-569 Portland St, Dartmouth - 902-444-1644
  • Russell Lake Animal Hospital - 250 Baker Dr., Suite 120, Dartmouth - 902.407.4570
  • Sackville Animal Hospital - 485 Sackville Dr, Sackville - 902.865.6400
  • SPCA HRM Animal Redemption Centre - 201 Brownlow Ave, Suite 9, Dartmouth - 902.536.2032
  • SPCA, Dartmouth Shelter (Closed Mondays) - 5 Scarfe Crt., Dartmouth - 902.468.7877
  • SPCA Veterinary Hospital - 7 Scarfe Crt, Dartmouth - 902.706.4155
  • St. Margaret's Animal Hospital - 5229 St. Margaret's Bay Rd., St Margaret's Bay - 902.826.2288
  • Uniacke Lakes Animal Hospital - 572 Highway 1, Mount Uniacke - 902-866-6626
  • Vetcetera Animal Hospital - 1144 Bedford Hwy, Bedford - 902.832.4818
  • Vetwise Animal Hospital - 152 Ochterloney St, Dartmouth - 902.463.2333
  • Viva Veterinary Hospital - 6490 Chebucto Rd, Halifax - 902.701.4472
  • Westwood Hills Veterinary Hospital - 3650 Hammonds Plains Rd, Tantallon - 902.826.1933

You can also print an application form [PDF] and take it to any Municipal Customer Customer Service Centre or mail it, along with the correct payment, to: 

Municipal Dog Licensing
PO Box 1749
Halifax, NS 
B3J 3A5

Cheque can be made out to: Halifax Regional Municipality