How to microchip and register your cat or dog in Dubai, step by step

Registering a pet sounds like the sort of job that can wait until after the move, the holiday or the school run. In Dubai it is worth doing early, because the same registration is tied to your pet’s microchip and vaccinations, and several dog parks and venues ask to see the municipality tag. The process is simpler than it looks once you know the order of the steps.

This guide explains it in plain words, using Dubai Municipality’s own pages and a detailed Gulf News guide that was updated in September 2024. Rules and fees can change, so treat the numbers here as a guide and confirm them when you book.

Do I have to microchip and register my pet in Dubai?

Yes, for cats and dogs. Dubai Municipality runs pet registration services to register, microchip and update records for cats and dogs, and in practice the work is done at a licensed vet clinic that uploads the record to the municipality. Registration also depends on your pet’s vaccinations being up to date.

A few other facts shape why people do it promptly. Federal rules require dogs to be licensed and kept on a leash in public places, and community dog parks such as the one at Jumeirah Lakes Towers ask dogs to wear the municipality tag. We cover the wider rules in our guide to checking a venue’s pet policy.

What is a microchip and why does it matter?

A microchip is a tiny capsule, about the size of a grain of rice, that a vet places under your pet’s skin. It carries a unique number that can be read with a scanner. The number is linked to your contact details, so a lost pet found by a vet or shelter can be traced back to you.

In the registration form the microchip number becomes the animal’s ID, and it is also the number that appears on vaccination records and travel documents. If you plan to move a pet in or out of the UAE, the chip has to match the paperwork, which is why we recommend chipping first. Our guide to bringing a pet into the UAE explains the travel side.

What do I need to bring?

Have these ready before you book, and the visit will be quick.

• A copy of the front and back of your Emirates ID.
• Your personal details: address and phone number.
• Your pet’s name, date of birth, breed, gender and colour.
• A vaccination record showing the latest rabies vaccination and its expiry date.
• Proof of microchip, if your pet already has one. The number is often printed on the vaccination record.
• A clear photo of your pet, for the online form.

How does the registration process work, step by step?

There are two routes: register in person at a clinic, or start online and finish with a vet. The online route runs through the municipality’s website, and Gulf News describes it like this.

1. Book a clinic. Choose a licensed private vet clinic or Dubai Municipality’s own clinic. The municipality’s veterinary clinics include Al Khawaneej, Al Lisaili and Hatta, and appointments for pet clinics are requested through the municipality website.
2. Get the chip if needed. The vet checks your pet is healthy enough, records its details and implants the chip.
3. Apply online, if you prefer. Log in with UAE Pass, search for “Register Pets and Farm Animals”, choose “Apply Now”, and pick the application type “Individual” and the animal type “Pet animal”. For a first registration, choose “New”.
4. Fill in the details. You will choose a municipality or private clinic, give your contact details and preferred language (Arabic or English), your location, and your pet’s name, microchip number, species, breed, gender, colour, rabies status and date of birth.
5. Upload files. A PDF of the photo and the vaccination record.
6. Confirm and save. You will receive a reference number, and the clinic contacts you to arrange a visit, which Gulf News says is within one to two days.
7. Complete the visit. Bring your Emirates ID, the vaccination record and proof of microchip. The clinic finishes the registration and gives you the tag.

The chip is the ID. The tag is the proof.

How much does it cost?

Gulf News reported a registration fee of Dh10 plus VAT and a “knowledge and innovation” fee of Dh20 plus VAT for a cat or dog, applying at Al Khawaneej or an accredited private clinic. Clinics add their own charges for the consultation, the microchip and any vaccination, and those vary from clinic to clinic.

We have deliberately left out fine amounts. Secondary sources quote different figures, and Dubai Municipality’s veterinary page does not list them, so the honest answer is that you should check with the municipality directly.

How often do I renew?

Registration is renewed every year. In practice it happens at your pet’s yearly rabies vaccination: the clinic re-registers the pet, updates the details and gives you the Dubai Municipality tag for the new year. Put the vaccination date in your calendar, or let a care planner remind you, so it does not slip.

If you change address or phone number, tell the clinic so the record stays accurate. A microchip is only useful if the contact details attached to it are current.

Where can I go in Dubai?

Any licensed private vet clinic can normally handle it, and the municipality has its own veterinary clinics in Al Khawaneej, Al Lisaili and Hatta. The municipality’s page lists a contact number of 800900 and pet-clinic hours of Sunday to Thursday, 7:30 to 14:30 and Friday 8:00 to 11:30. Hours change, so check before you travel.

To find a clinic near you, search the local guide for vets in your emirate. Every listing shows its sources and when we last checked it.

What about Abu Dhabi and the other emirates?

Registration is run by each emirate’s own authority, so the steps, forms and fees can differ. We have verified the Dubai process above, but we have not verified the registration rules for the other emirates for this guide. If you live in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah, ask a local licensed vet or your municipality what applies, and bring the same basics: Emirates ID, vaccination record and microchip details.

A little admin now saves a lot of stress later. With a chip, a tag and a current record, your pet is easier to find if they ever slip out of the door, and you are ready for the park, the vet and the airport.