Licensing

Requirements For All Dog Owners

ORS 609.100 Dog Licenses, Tags and Fees states, “(1) …every person keeping a dog that has a set of permanent canine teeth or is six months old, whichever comes first, shall procure a license for the dog. The license must be procured by paying a license fee to the county in which the person resides … within 30 days after the person becomes keeper of the [adult] dog.”

If you still have questions regarding licensing after reading below  you can email records HERE  

If you still have questions or concerns about enforcement of dog related statutes, email Animal Control.

Why Should I License my Dog?

1. It's the law. Under ORS 609.100, all dogs in Polk County that meet the age and/or residency requirements must be licensed. Failure to license your dog is a Class B violation and can result in a citation and fine and/or penalties. Download an application here.
2. A license tag on your dog shows compliance with the rabies laws established by the State to protect the health and welfare of your pet and our community. Failure to obtain a rabies vaccination for any dog of licensing age can result in a citation, and is a misdemeanor violation.
3. The license tag can identify a lost dog. It shows that the dog belongs to someone and was not abandoned, and helps in getting the dog back to its owner. If the owner can be immediately located when a stray dog is found, it may eliminate the necessity of taking your dog to a public impound facility.
    

When Do I Need to License?

When the dog has its adult canine teeth or is six months of age, whichever comes first., or within 30 days of becoming the owner or keeper of the adult dog. If you live within the city limits of Dallas, Monmouth or Independence, you will need to license your dog(s) with those agencies.

Required information you must provide at the time of licensing includes:

1. A valid rabies vaccination certificate.
2. The original Rabies Vaccination Certificate by a licensed veterinarian must include at least the following information: owner's name and address; dog description by age, sex, color, breed; date of vaccination; due date for revaccination; type and lot number of vaccine used; and name and address of vaccinator.
3. A certificate of sterilization to receive the spay/neuter "altered" discount, if not indicated on the rabies vaccination certificate.
4. The pink copy of your Dog License Security Agreement IF your dog(s) was impounded at the Willamette Humane Society.

Download the dog license application here.

Note: The rabies vaccination certificate must be valid for the licensing period. The minimum license fee will not be reduced if the rabies expiration date is less than 12 months if you are licensing by mail. The license period can be pro-rated through the rabies vaccination certificate expiration date if you license at the Sheriff's Office.

Dog Tags

The dog tags that we issue do not have an expiration date imprinted on them, but have a unique identifying number that corresponds with the actual paper license that you will receive. 

Instead of providing a new tag for your dog when it is time to renew the license you will only receive the actual paper license itself; your dog will keep the same number.  If you need a new tag just let us know and we can provide you one for a $4 fee. 

Dog tags are not required to be worn, but can be useful when trying to reunite a dog with their owner.  Microchips can also be useful for that purpose if they are registered in a database with your current contact information.  Some veterinarians will provide your dog with a microchip and send off the information to be registered in a national database such as AVID or Home Again.  Make sure you ask if you need to do that yourself.

Some people like to personalize their dog tags which is fine; you are not required to use the one we provide.  It is just a useful tool to help reunite a lost dog with their owner.  Please feel free to engrave your dog's license number and our contact information 'Polk Count Sheriff's Office 503-623-9251' on your own dog tag if you would like.

Licensing Fees
 

*Note: Fees are subject to change without notice.

Late Penalties

In addition to the licensing fees listed above, the following are the late penalties per dog for failure to purchase a dog license as required:

Voluntary Licensing (the owner or keeper voluntarily licenses): $10

Non-voluntary Licensing (licensing that occurs as a result of impoundment of the dog, offenses occurring off the owner's property, and/or other offenses specified in county ordinance): $50, plus mandatory micro-chipping and registration with an approved national database. A registration certificate from a national registry is required. This applies to each dog owned, kept or impounded.

Payment Information

Payable in person by cash, credit, check or money order. Payable via mail by check or money order only. Please do not send cash in the mail.