23-06 Increases to companion animal registration and permit fees for 2023/24
| Circular Details | Circular No 23-06 / 23 June 2023 / A858925 |
| Previous Circular | 22-16 |
| Who should read this | Councillors / General Managers / Council finance staff / Companion Animal Enforcement and Administration Officers |
| Contact | Program Delivery Team – (02) 4428 4100 or 1300 134 460 pets@olg.nsw.gov.au |
| Action required | Council to Implement |
| PDF Version | 23-06 Increases to companion animal registration and permit fees for 2023/24 |
What’s new or changing
- The Companion Animals Regulation 2021 has been amended to adjust 2023/24 registration and annual permit fees for companion animals for CPI.
- Councils must continue to register eligible pound/shelter animals through the NSW Companion Animals Register. Free registration for these animals does not mean that registration is not required. The established process of ‘flagging’ an animal as being purchased from an eligible pound/shelter is required to validate a free registration.
- When processing a registration for an eligible pensioner whose pet has been recommended by a vet to not undergo desexing (either temporarily or permanently), select the “not desexed (not recommended – eligible pensioner)” category. This will allow the eligible pensioner to claim the discounted registration.
- The new fees are as prescribed below and will be effective from 1 July 2023.
| Registration Category | New fee amount |
| Dog – Desexed (by relevant age) | $75 |
| Dog – Desexed (by relevant age – eligible pensioner) | $32 |
| Dog – Desexed (sold by pound/shelter) | $0 |
| Dog – Not Desexed or Desexed (after relevant age) | $252 |
| Dog – Not Desexed (not recommended) | $75 |
| Dog – Not Desexed (not recommended eligible pensioner) | $32 |
| Dog – Not Desexed (recognised breeder) | $75 |
| Dog – Working | $0 |
| Dog – Service of the State | $0 |
| Assistance Animal | $0 |
| Cat – Desexed or Not Desexed | $65 |
| Cat – Desexed (eligible pensioner) | $32 |
| Cat – Desexed (sold by pound/shelter) | $0 |
| Cat – Not Desexed (not recommended) | $65 |
| Cat – Not Desexed (not recommended – eligible pensioner) | $32 |
| Cat – Not Desexed (recognised breeder) | $65 |
| Registration late fee | $21 |
| Annual permit category | New fee amount |
| Cat not desexed by four months of age | $92 |
| Dangerous dog | $221 |
| Restricted dog | $221 |
| Permit late fee | $21 |
Key points
- Companion animal registration and annual permit fees have been adjusted for the2023/24 financial year.
- Section 18(2)(a) sets the baseline registration fee for a dog at $75.
- Section 18(2)(b) registration fee for a cat remains at $10 less than the registration fee for a dog, making it $65.
- Section 18(4), to prescribe that no registration fee is payable for a companion animal that is desexed and sold to the owner by a rehoming organisation, remains the same.
- The CPI adjusted registration fee for pensioners, the additional fee for a non-desexed dog, late fee and permit fees are outlined in the table above.
- Councils must continue to register eligible pound/shelter animals through the NSW Companion Animals Register.
- The NSW Pet Registry will be updated to include the new fees for online registration and permit payments made by pet owners from 1 July 2023.
- Both the old and new fee structures will be maintained on the Companion Animals Register to allow councils to correct registration details for existing records and catch up on data entry backlogs (i.e. where fees have been receipted before 1 July 2023 but not entered on the Register).
Where to go for further information
- The following information can be found on the Office of Local Government’s website:
- A list of registration categories, current fees and the new fees for 2023/24 at www.olg.nsw.gov.au/public/dogs-cats/nsw-pet-registry/microchipping-and-registration.
- Information relating to the processing of registration fees is available in Companion Animals Guideline 1 – Registration Agents at www.olg.nsw.gov.au/councils/responsible-pet-ownership/nsw-petregistry/the-cat-and-dog-register.
Ashley Albury
Acting Deputy Secretary
Office of Local Government