Broward County, FL Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration age
- 4 months or older
- Tag deadline
- 30 days after vaccination
- Cat leash/at-large law
- none countywide
- Colony cats
- exempt if sterilized, ear-tipped, vaccinated
Summary
Cats four months and older must be registered with a rabies tag countywide, but Broward has no leash or at-large law for cats, and colony-managed community cats are exempt.
Any owner who owns or keeps a dog or cat four (4) months of age or older in Broward County shall register such dog or cat with the Division and shall obtain and keep a current rabies registration tag. ... Failure to obtain the rabies registration tag within the time frame provided herein shall be a violation of this section, and the owner of the dog or cat may be issued a citation and subject to a civil penalty as established by the Commission by resolution.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72 | Administrative Code: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Broward County Code Sec. 4-11 requires every owner of a cat four months or older to register it with Animal Care and obtain a rabies registration tag within 30 days of vaccination; failure can draw a citation and civil penalty set by the Commission. Unlike dogs, which Sec. 4-3 bars from running at large, cats have no countywide at-large prohibition. Sec. 4-38 lets caregivers maintain outdoor "community cat" colonies if the cats are sterilized, ear-tipped and vaccinated, and those colony cats are expressly exempt from the Sec. 4-11 registration tag requirement and the Sec. 4-23 stray provisions.
Violations & Fines
Registering late or not at all is a citation-eligible violation under Sec. 4-11(a), carrying a civil penalty set by County Commission resolution; a first-time citation is waived once a tag is obtained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Broward County require cat licenses?
Can Broward cats roam free outdoors?
Do feral colony cats need to be registered?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Broward County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Broward County to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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