North Las Vegas, NV Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Cats over 3 months old
- Fee (sterilized)
- $10/year ($5 senior)
- Fee (unsterilized)
- $25/year ($15 senior)
- Household cap
- 3 cats per residence without permit
- Feral colonies
- Exempt if registered under Ch. 6.14
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine / 6 months jail
Summary
Every cat over three months old in North Las Vegas must carry a City license for life, per Municipal Code § 6.08.010. The annual fee is $10 for a sterilized cat and $25 for an unsterilized one, dropping to $5 and $15 for senior citizens, and proof of rabies vaccination is required before a license issues.
A.Any person owning or possessing a dog or cat over the age of three months must obtain, and thereafter continuously maintain for the life of the animal, a license issued by the City.B.The annual fee for such license shall be:1.Ten dollars ($10.00) for a sterilized dog or cat;2.Twenty-five dollars ($25.00) of an unsterilized dog or cat;3.Five dollars ($5.00) for a sterilized dog or cat owned by a senior citizen;4.Fifteen dollars ($15.00) for an unsterilized dog or cat owned by a senior citizen.C.Proof of vaccination as required by this title must be provided prior to the issuance of the license.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 146 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 6.08.010 requires anyone owning or possessing a dog or cat older than three months to obtain, and continuously maintain for the animal's life, a City license. The annual fee schedule is set directly in the ordinance: $10.00 for a sterilized dog or cat, $25.00 for an unsterilized one, $5.00 for a sterilized animal owned by a senior citizen, and $15.00 for an unsterilized animal owned by a senior citizen. Proof of the rabies vaccination required by Section 6.08.020 must be shown before the City issues the license, and the owner must fasten a City-issued license tag to the animal's neck; swapping, faking, or removing another owner's tag is separately unlawful.
Section 6.08.030 caps ordinary households at three cats (along with three dogs and three ferrets) over three months old at one location without a permit, though a cat fancier's permit under Section 6.08.050 allows more for showing or breeding purposes. Cats living as part of a registered feral colony are treated differently: Chapter 6.14's TNR program lets a feral cat colony caretaker who registers a colony with an approved sponsor feed, shelter, and medically care for the colony's cats without being treated as an 'owner' subject to the licensing and three-cat limits in Chapter 6.08, so long as the caretaker follows the colony-registration and reporting duties in Section 6.14.030.
Violations & Fines
Keeping an unlicensed cat, letting a license lapse, or transferring a license tag to a different animal is enforced under the citywide Title 6 misdemeanor penalty in Section 6.06.050: up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both, with animal protection officers and police officers authorized to issue citations under Section 6.06.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to license my indoor-only cat in North Las Vegas?
How much does a North Las Vegas cat license cost?
How many cats can I keep at my North Las Vegas home?
Are feral cat colony caretakers required to license the cats they feed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Las Vegas
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Clark County handle cat rules.