A Toronto dog licence costs $60 a year, or $25 if the dog is spayed or neutered. A cat costs $50, or $15 if fixed. Skip the licence and you can be ticketed $240. Those are the City’s 2026 figures.
The old version of this article talked about a fee spike. We could not find an official page showing a jump in 2026, so we won’t claim one.
The 2026 fees
Toronto charges by animal, by year, and by whether the animal has been spayed or neutered, which is the detail most owners forget to update when the vet has already done the surgery. Dogs are $60 unfixed and $25 fixed, while cats are $50 unfixed and $15 fixed. Service dogs are free. A replacement tag is $5.65, and the tag that comes with the licence costs nothing extra.
The licence lasts one year and must be renewed before it expires. No lifetime option appears on the City’s page, so plan on renewing every year.
Fixed or not makes a $35 difference every year, for dogs and cats alike. Over five years that is $175.
Who pays less
Owners aged 65 and over pay half, except on replacement tags. So a senior with a spayed dog pays $12.50 a year. With an unfixed dog, $30.
The City also offers subsidized or waived fees for households with income under $50,000. We can’t work out the amount, since the page gives no formula and household income rules are the City’s to apply. If you think you qualify, contact Toronto Animal Services at 416-338-7297 or [email protected] before paying full price.
What the $240 ticket costs
The ticket for an unlicensed dog or cat is $240. The City’s page also gives a maximum fine of $5,000, which is a ceiling and not what an officer writes on the spot.
Compare the numbers. A spayed dog costs $25, so the ticket is nearly ten times that. Even for an unfixed dog at $60 it is four times the licence. And paying a ticket doesn’t replace the licence, which means paying twice.
Worked examples
Take a household with two dogs and a cat. One dog is spayed, the other isn’t, and the cat is neutered. That is $25, plus $60, plus $15, or $100 a year. If the owner is 65 or older, it drops to $50.
Now suppose that household skips renewals and is ticketed once per animal. The tickets alone come to $720, and the licences still have to be bought. Renewing on time costs $100.
A second household has a spayed dog and two neutered cats. That is $25 plus $30, or $55 a year. A third has one unfixed cat, licensed at $50. Neutering it would bring the licence to $15, saving $35 every year.
Spread over a month, a spayed dog’s licence is about $2.08, an unfixed dog’s is $5, and a neutered cat’s is $1.25. Our Toronto pet licence calculator adds up a whole household, senior discount included.
How to license or renew
The City says you can license through its partner platform, Docupet, or in person at a Toronto Animal Services location. Have your pet’s name, breed, colour and age ready. Bring proof of spay or neuter if you want the lower fee, and proof of age for the senior discount.
Renew before the licence runs out. Even a few days of lapse leaves the animal unlicensed, and we could not confirm how long online processing takes, so keep the confirmation email until the new tag arrives.
The City also has a microchip offer at $10 with a current licence. We did not confirm the terms, so check the animal services pages first. A tag is visible and gives a finder a number right away, while a chip is permanent but needs scanning.
Common mistakes
Forgetting the expiry date is the first mistake. Put the renewal in a calendar the day you buy the licence. Paying the unfixed rate for a fixed animal, which costs a dog owner $35 extra every year. Missing the senior discount, since nothing on the City page says it applies automatically.
Keep every receipt. For household budgeting, our budget calculator can give the licence its own line.
What we could not confirm
The earlier article described dog park patrols and struggling shelters. We found no official statement on either and removed both. We used only the City’s fee schedule, and it is where any new figures will appear first. Related tools: the Toronto Cost of Living calculator, plus all our Toronto calculators.
Sources
- City of Toronto, Pet Licensing Fees
- City of Toronto, Pet Licensing
- City of Toronto, Ways to License Your Pet
Common questions
How much does a dog licence cost in Toronto in 2026?
What is the fine for not licensing a pet?
How much is a replacement pet tag?
Can I get a lower fee if my income is low?
Last reviewed: . Figures come from the official sources listed above. How we check the numbers and our editorial policy.