Santa Clara County, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required at
- 4 months old
- Tag or chip
- required at all times
- Visitor exemption
- under 30 days
- Unspayed cats
- can't run at large
Summary
Every cat over four months old kept in unincorporated Santa Clara County must be licensed with the County, with narrow exemptions for short visits and registered colonies.
No person shall own/be the guardian of, maintain or board any cat four months of age or older within unincorporated Santa Clara County which has not been licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article, except that:(1)A County license shall not be required for an animal owned/under the guardianship of or under the control of a nonresident of the County, and which is to be kept in the County less than thirty days.(2)A County license shall not be required for cats temporarily brought into the County for entry into an event, show or exhibition scheduled not more than ten days thereafter.(3)A County license shall not be required for each cat in a cat colony that has been properly registered pursuant to Section B31-53.(b)A violation of this section shall constitute and be punishable as an infraction. (Ord. No. NS-300.745, § 1, 5-2-06)
Sec. B31-57. - License fees.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Unincorporated Santa Clara County requires an owner/guardian to license any cat four months or older; the license issues on payment of a fee and proof of rabies vaccination, and comes with a metal tag reading "Santa Clara Co. Cat Lic." or an approved microchip in lieu of the tag. Exemptions cover nonresidents' cats kept under 30 days and cats visiting for a show or event of 10 days or less. Separately, a cat that hasn't been spayed or neutered may not run at large under Section B31-3(b): the code's own cat-colony registration exemption, Section B31-53, was repealed in 2007.
Violations & Fines
Failure to license a cat is an infraction; a stray unspayed cat can be impounded under the at-large provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to license my cat in unincorporated Santa Clara County?
Can my cat roam free if it isn't spayed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clara County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clara County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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