Spartanburg County, SC Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Vaccination age
- Required over 4 months old
- Tag issuer
- Licensed veterinarian, with certificate
- Clinic fee cap
- $10 per rabies vaccination
- Lost tag
- Owner must replace it without delay
- Enforcing agency
- Animal control/environmental enforcement officer
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days
Summary
Every cat and dog over four months old in unincorporated Spartanburg County must carry a current rabies vaccination and a serially numbered metal tag, under South Carolina's Rabies Control Act and County Code § 6-8. The tag comes from the vaccinating veterinarian along with the certificate and must stay on the pet's collar or harness at all times. A cat found without one can draw an animal control citation.
A pet owner must have his pet inoculated against rabies at a frequency to provide continuous protection of the pet from rabies using a vaccine approved by the department and licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture... With the issuance of the certificate, the licensed veterinarian shall furnish a serially numbered metal license tag bearing the same number and year as the certificate with the name and telephone number of the veterinarian, veterinary hospital, or practice. The metal license tag at all times must be attached to a collar or harness worn by the pet for which the certificate and tag have been issued.
Full Breakdown
South Carolina's Rabies Control Act, S.C. Code § 47-5-60, requires the licensed veterinarian who inoculates a pet to issue a signed certificate and a matching serially numbered metal tag, and the tag must stay attached to a collar or harness the animal wears at all times. The veterinarian keeps a copy of the certificate for at least three years and reports the count of animals vaccinated to the state health department every year before February 1. Rabies clinics run with the department cannot charge more than $10 per vaccination, including the vaccine.
Spartanburg County Code § 6-8 folds cats into the same requirement as dogs: no one may 'own, keep, or harbor any dog or cat over four months of age within Spartanburg County' unless it is vaccinated against rabies to the current standard published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians. Owners must keep the certificate available for inspection on request, and if the tag is lost, County Code requires the owner to get a duplicate without delay. The county also makes clear that removing a rabies tag from a pet is unlawful on its own, and an owner cannot escape responsibility by blaming someone else for taking it off.
The county's animal control/environmental enforcement litter officer, working with the sheriff and municipal police under contract, enforces the tag rule and can issue a uniform summons under § 6-3.
Violations & Fines
Failing to keep a current rabies tag on a cat is a misdemeanor under § 6-4, punishable by a fine up to $500 plus court costs, imprisonment up to 30 days, or both. Removing a rabies tag without replacing it is a separate violation under § 6-8(h). State law backs this up: § 47-5-200 makes noncompliance with the Rabies Control Act punishable to the maximum a magistrate's court allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Spartanburg County issue a separate cat license apart from the rabies tag?
What if my cat's vaccination tag falls off?
Can I be fined even if someone else removed my cat's tag?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spartanburg County
Compare Spartanburg County to another location·View the South Carolina animal ordinances overview
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