Animal Licensing
If you currently own a pet in the City of Des Moines, you need to have them licensed. It’s important because if your pet were to get lost, the City can help get them home with identification. The fees also help with the funding expenses for the animal shelter.
Apply By Mail or In Person
New Apply & Pay Online!
400 Robert D. Ray Drive
Des Moines, IA 50309
Contact us:
cityclerk@dmgov.org
(515) 283-4209
What pets need a license?
Any dog and/or cat over six months of age needs to be licensed. The fee is due January 1 each year, but there's a grace period until March 31 before we start charging late fees.
If your pet will not turn six months old until after March 31, you won’t have to pay a late fee, but you need to register them as soon as they are old enough. The same applies to those who bring home a new pet or move into Des Moines after March 31 as well. You can use an adoption form from a local rescue to provide proof of a new pet, or provide a utility bill for proof of a new address.
What is the cost?
If your cat or dog is spayed or neutered, the fee is $15 per animal. If your pet is not fixed, it’s $35 per animal. If you are 65 years old or older, you may register one cat and one dog for $5 each, with additional animals at the regular fee. There is a $50 late fee per animal after March 31. The late fee does not apply if you moved to Des Moines within 30 days, obtained your animal within 30 days, or your animal is 6 months or younger.
What about service animals?
Service animals have no fee, with proper certification. You can provide a certificate of completion from a service animal program, an accreditation form or a doctor's written approval to provide proof that your pet is an official service animal. Please download and complete the service animal application to include with your certification.
How do you license your pets?
You will be asked to upload copies of your rabies vaccination certificate and proof of spay or neuter (if applicable). Your license will not be issued without all necessary documentation.
If you prefer to not apply online, download and complete the License Form, then mail it or place it in the secure drop box outside of City Hall:
City Clerk's Office400 Robert D. Ray Drive
Des Moines, IA 50309
You must also submit current rabies and proof of spay/neuter (one time only) from your veterinarian, along with the required fee. Fees can be paid by cash or check with our secure drop box outside City Hall, or with a Visa/Mastercard over the phone or online. If your dog is considered high risk, download the attached High Risk Compliance application and provide the required information with your application.
Fees will be accepted and processed Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or on the next business day.
If you would like to purchase an annual Dog Park Permit, you can include an additional $20 with your annual license payment. The Dog Park Permit provides you access to the City's three Dog Parks with unlimited use for the year. Visit Des Moines Parks and Recreation to learn more about Dog Park locations and rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Licensing
Learn more about Animal Care and Control in Des Moines.
- A current rabies vaccination certificate
- Proof of spay or neuter, if applicable
- A completed Pet License Application
- The required fee, listed on the Pet License Application each year
- Residents can apply and pay online using the Customer Self Service portal.
- The City Clerk’s Office, City Hall, 400 Robert D Ray Drive.
- If you would like to mail-in or drop-off your registration documents and pay your fee via check, complete and print the application form on the City of Des Moines website and mail it with the appropriate information and fee to City Clerk’s Office, PO Box 10326, Des Moines, IA 50306-0326, or drop it off using the secure dropbox outside City Hall (400 Robert D. Ray Drive).
Visit Des Moines Parks & Recreation for more information about the City's dog parks.
Reporting
Anyone who has lost a pet is encouraged to visit the Animal Rescue League (ARL) Animal Services, located 1441 Harriet Street, Des Moines. Please visit in-person for a walk-through of the shelter anytime between 9:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or between 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Lost animals are held five days without ID, and seven days with ID.
While searching for your pet, we encourage more than one visit to the shelter because new stray animals arrive at the shelter each day.
To help the City quickly and safely return your pet, we recommend that your pets wear their ID tags and rabies tags. Consider having your pet microchipped for identification.
- Des Moines Animal Control Unit will attempt to catch any stray dogs or cats that roam your neighborhood.
- If you have a continuous problem with stray animals, you may request a live trap to be placed at your residence.
- To report a stray animal, call the Des Moines Police Department Non-Emergency Dispatch Line (515) 283-4811.
Each year, we send out a renewal letter for pets who were previously licensed in the City of Des Moines. Unfortunately, we have no way of tracking when a pet dies or is rehomed and rely on our residents to notify us.
If you would like to stop receiving renewal letters for a former pet, please give us a call at (515) 283-4209 ext. 3 or send your name, address, and pet's information to cityclerk@dmgov.org.
City Ordinance and Enforcement
Any unlicensed pet that gets loose and is involved with biting a person or another animal will not qualify for at-home quarantine, as described in Des Moines Municipal Code.
You can apply for a fourth dog waiver by completing and submitting the fourth dog waiver application form.
The City ordinance allows the City Clerk to grant a waiver of the three-dog limit for one additional dog under the following conditions:
- The additional dog's full grown weight is not more than 20 pounds as certified in writing by a veterinarian (certification must be within 30 days prior to purchasing license)
- The owner provides a current rabies vaccination certificate for the additional dog
- The owner provides proof the additional dog has been spayed or neutered
- No more than two cats reside on the property, subject to the waiver
- The waiver certificate shall be maintained by the owner, and must be available upon request
Download and complete the application for fourth dog waiver to submit when registering your pets.
No owner, possessor, or person in charge of a dog, cat, horse or other animal shall fail to clean up or immediately remove any excrement or droppings deposited by such dog, cat, horse or other animal on any property not owned or in control of that person.
In addition, the owner of the pet is also required to remove any excrement or droppings from their property.
Pet waste should be disposed of in garbage cans, not yard waste containers or storm drains.
If the dog is on the owner's property it must be restrained by an adequate protective fence or by leash, cord, chain or other similar restraint or the pet must be always within the actual physical presence of and immediately obedient to the commands of the owner or person given charge of the dog and at no time be more than six feet from such person.
If the dog is off the owner's premises it must be on a leash, cord, or chain or other similar restraint not more than six feet in length and under the control of a person competent to restrain and control the dog.
Cats are not required to be leashed; however, if a cat is not confined within a premise, it is required to be spayed or neutered, and properly licensed.
No person shall own, possess or harbor any animal which frequently or for continued duration emits sounds native to the species which are a noise disturbance across a residential property boundary or within a noise sensitive area.
If you are not comfortable discussing violations of this ordinance with your neighbor, please call the Des Moines Police Department Non-Emergency Dispatch line at (515) 283-4811.
Des Moines’ ordinance defines any of the following breeds as high risk:
- Staffordshire Terrier
- American Pit Bull Terrier breed
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Any dog that has the appearance and characteristics of being predominately of the breeds of Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or American Staffordshire Terrier
Owners of these breeds must provide:
- A current rabies certificate
- Written proof of spaying/neutering, if applicable
- Proof of insurance coverage, such as homeowner’s or renter's policy, with a minimum liability amount of $100,000
The pet must be confined as required by Section 18-56 of the Municipal Code. The owner is required to complete the High-Risk Compliance form.
