The District of Columbia government requires all dog owners to apply for and obtain a DC dog license. According to the DC gov webpage, the official rules are that:

“An owner who has a dog over the age of four months shall before July 1st of each year, or within 10 days of acquiring the dog, or within 10 days after the dog becomes four months of age, obtain an annual license.”

Dog License Application Quickly Approved

The author of this blog just recently submitted a dog license application online and it took less than 48 hours to get approval. The online application makes it super easy to do and pretty painless.

The hardest part of the process is requesting your vet to send over a PDF that certifies all the vaccines that your dog has received. Then you pay some money, wait for approval, and receive your DC dog license via email.

DC Dog License

I’m grateful that District Veterinary Hospital was able to provide my proof of vaccines within the same day and they had listed out every single vaccine or shot that our puppy received. It was also pretty useful to use a reminder for when she needs to get her yearly vaccinations so we stay compliant with the DC dog license rules and regulations. Of course, we also want to make sure our dog stays healthy!

What vaccines certifications do you need to provide?

To get your DC dog license, you need to submit a PDF or screenshot during the application process that is proof that your dog has the following vaccines:

  • Proof of rabies and distemper vaccinations is required.
  • Proof of sterilization (spaying or neutering) is required.

Click on the following link to begin your application: https://dchealth.force.com/animalservices/s/

Click here for the latest DC dog license information straight from the Department of Health’s website.