Common Questions

Please choose the option that best describes the notice you received:

There may be several reasons why you received a bill when you have a current license. We're happy to help with your account information - please fill out this form to begin the process.

The license tag is permanently assigned to your pet, and you will not receive a new tag during the renewal process unless requested. If you have lost your tag or it has become unreadable, please pay the replacement tag fee when you mail your renewal, and a new tag will be mailed with your license registration. Otherwise, a receipt only will be mailed.

We will mail your tag and license receipt within 10 business days from the day we receive your completed license application and payment. Please allow an additional 3-5 business days to receive your tag or receipt in the mail. If we have not received correct payment or proper documentation you will be notified via mail and the processing of your license will be delayed.

Your pet’s license may be his or her ticket home! Broward County license tags are embedded with a QR-code to help the finder of a lost pet quickly connect with the owner, without the pet having to make a stop at the animal shelter!

Your Broward County tag is valid as a county license tag when you receive it, and no further action is required. However, your license tag comes with an important FREE benefit! The modern and durable tag, produced by PetHub, may be linked to PetHub’s FREE online pet profile, where pet owners can update existing contact information and enter additional phone numbers, email addresses, family and veterinary contacts and more. The service also includes access to PetHub’s 24/7 call center.

Be sure to activate your pet’s license tag with PetHub to receive these free benefits. More than 96% of lost animals with PetHub tags are returned to their owners within 24 hours, many without ever entering a shelter.

You may obtain a replacement tag by sending a check or money order payable to "Board of County Commissioners – Animal Care Division" in the amount of $10.00 to the mailing address below. Please do not send cash. You may include either a copy of your prior license receipt or a note to designate the pet for which you are purchasing a replacement tag. If you need assistance, you may call customer service toll-free at 1-877-242-8408.

If you are renewing your pet's license, please indicate that a replacement tag is needed on the renewal form and include the replacement tag fee.

Broward County Animal Licensing
c/o PetData
PO Box 141929
Irving, TX 75014-1929

Only one license tag can be active at one time. Requests for multiple tags for the same animal cannot be fulfilled.

Licenses may not be transferred from one owner to another owner or from one pet to another pet. A new license must be purchased. Click here to view your licensing options.

A refund may be available for the following reasons:

1. If a duplicate payment was made for the same pet and the same license term. Be sure to include the pet’s current license tag number if it is available, and as much information as possible regarding your payments.
2. If the pet owner lived outside the County limits at the time of licensing.
3. If the pet died within 30 days of the owner paying for the license.

Refunds are not available for unused time.

To request a refund, please send your request in writing or via email to Customer Service.

Licenses are valid until the next anniversary of the rabies vaccination or the expiration of the rabies vaccination, whichever comes first. Licenses cannot be valid beyond the expiration of the vaccination.

The animal shelter for Broward County is located at the following address:

Broward County Animal Care
2400 SW 42nd St
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

To report stray animals or for questions unrelated to licensing, please call Broward County Animal Control at 954-359-1313.

If an Animal Care Officer finds your pet, and your pet is wearing a current license tag on its collar, Animal Control will contact you. If another citizen finds your pet with its license tag, they may call the phone number on the tag, or lookup the tag number through our online tag search.

If your pet has been lost, Broward County Animal Care recommends that you visit the shelter to look for your pet at least every other day. Sheltering of strays for Broward County is provided by Broward County Animal Care. You may also contact Animal Care at 954-359-1313 regarding your pet.

If an Animal Services Officer finds your pet, and your pet is wearing a current license tag on its collar, Animal Services will contact you. If another citizen finds your pet with its license tag, they may call the phone number on the tag, or lookup the tag number through our online tag search.

If your pet has been lost, Animal Services recommends that you visit the shelter to look for your pet at least every other day. Sheltering of strays for the County is provided by Collier County Domestic Animal Services. You may also contact Animal Services at 239-252-7387 regarding your pet.

Licensing helps Animal Control identify family pets, should an animal become lost. The fees from licensing are used to care for animals and investigate complaints about stray animals, among other services. Other goals of animal licensing are to promote responsible pet ownership and to reduce the tragedies associated with lost pets and pet overpopulation.

Licensing Ordinance

All dogs and cats 4 months of age and older must be licensed with Broward County within 30 days of being in the county.

View the complete Broward County ordinance

Due Date

Payment for your license is due within 30 days of the expiration of your current license. If you are licensing for the first time, you must purchase a license within 30 days of obtaining a pet over the age of 4 months or within 30 days of moving into Broward County. Non-residents who have a pet in the County for at least 3 months must register the pet within 30 days of arrival.

License Term

Licenses are valid until the next anniversary of the rabies vaccination or the expiration of the rabies vaccination, whichever comes first. Licenses cannot be valid beyond the expiration of the vaccination.

The County chose to privatize animal licensing beginning in 2025 to promote animal licensing, to increase the cost-effectiveness of the program, and to provide additional services to its citizens.

PetData, Inc., headquartered in Dallas, Texas, provides animal licensing services for municipalities and animal welfare agencies throughout the United States. The company, a member of the National Animal Control Association, has been in business since 1994. PetData’s goals are to increase animal licensing, to reduce animal euthanasia, to educate the community, and to help solve animal control problems.

We at PetData consider the privacy of our clients to be of paramount importance. PetData has never sold information or data to any third-party. PetData does not use any personally identifiable data collected for any purpose other than for those purposes as required by client contracts.

We do not respond to requests for information from non-client individuals or corporations, nor do we release information without the express written consent of our clients. PetData does not and will not share or sell client data with any other parties or make client data publicly available unless authorized by the client or required under a legal subpoena. All data belongs to our clients, and PetData serves only as a custodian for client-owned data.

Groups or individuals requesting data should contact their City or County directly as PetData will only release data to our contracted clients.