Agriculture Secretary Russel Redding is reminding residents of Pennsylvania to renew their dog licenses before the 2025 deadline according to a press release from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. 

Dogs must be licensed by January 1, 2025. There is still time to purchase a license through Pennsylvania’s county treasurers. 

The cost of the license is broken down by the different types:

  • Annual license – $8.70
  • Lifetime license – $52.70
  • Senior adults and people with disabilities may be eligible for discounted fees of $6.70 for an annual license of $36.70 for a lifetime license.

Lifetime licenses are available for dogs with permanent identification like a microchip or a tattoo.

Applications for annual and lifetime licenses may be found on the County Treasurers’ site provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. 

It is also noted that if a permanent license is requested, a ‘Permanent Identification Verification’ (PIV) form is required to be sent with the lifetime license application. 

According to the release, owners who fail to license their dogs can face fines of up to $500 for each unlicensed dog. 

According to Pennsylvania’s Dog Laws, all dogs must be licenses at adoption or purchase or three months of age. This depends on which come first by January 1 of each year. 

“It’s simple. The best way to protect your dog is with a license. A license on their collar is clearly visible and increases their chance of being returned home rather than ending up in a shelter,” said Secretary Russel. 

The money made from these licensures allows dog wardens to:

  • Inspect more than 2,500 state-licensed kennels at least twice a year
  • Investigate and prosecute illegal kennels, known as “puppy mills”
  • Control the spread of infectious and contagious diseases
  • Track more than 600 dangerous dogs
  • Pick up stray or abandoned dogs
  • Pay back shelters for holding stray dogs
  • Pay back farmers for damages to livestock caused by dogs or coyotes