Fairfax County requires cats four months and older to be vaccinated against rabies and licensed annually with the county; outdoor cats must wear identification, and owners are liable for nuisance behaviors.
Under Chapter 12 of the Fairfax County Code, cat owners must obtain rabies vaccination and a county license for cats over four months old. Tags or microchips serve as proof of license. Owners are responsible for preventing cats from creating nuisances on neighbors' properties, including repeated trespass or property damage. Animal Protection Police may impound stray cats and hold them at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. The shelter operates a community-cat program for managed feral colonies, with trap-neuter-return supported through approved caretakers. Reclaim fees and late-license penalties apply.
Civil penalty up to 250 dollars per offense for unlicensed cats; impound and shelter fees apply; nuisance complaints may yield additional citations.
See how Fairfax's cat rules rules stack up against other locations.
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