Ridgewood, NJ Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing age
- 4 months or permanent teeth (§ 105-44)
- Vaccination window
- Rabies shot within the last 365 days
- License expiration
- Every January 31 (§ 105-46H)
- Late charge
- Applies if not renewed by February 1
- Annual canvass
- Police Chief reports all cats by May (§ 105-47)
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 90 days jail (§ 105-49, § 1-15)
Summary
Village of Ridgewood Code § 105-45 requires every cat four months or older to carry a current rabies vaccination, and § 105-46 requires a Village license displaying that number, expiring January 31 each year with a late charge after February 1.
A. Vaccination and license requirements. No person shall be the owner of a cat of licensing age within the Village of Ridgewood unless such cat is licensed and has a vaccination which was administered within the last 365 days or for which a valid vaccination certificate indicates an expiration date occurring in the future. The provisions of this section do not apply to cats held in a veterinary establishment where cats are received or kept for diagnostic medical, surgical or other treatments. ... A. Cats must have a license number displayed. Any owner of a cat of licensing age shall apply for and procure from the Village Department of Health or other official designated by the Village Manager a license for each cat owned, except as provided below. ... H. Cat licenses shall expire January 31 of the licensing year. Licenses not applied for before February 1 will be subject to a late charge as set forth in Chapter 145, Fees, and subject to penalty provisions of the Ridgewood Village Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4854397; v35 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Article VII of Chapter 105, added in 1991, treats cats much like dogs. A 'CAT OF LICENSING AGE' under § 105-44 is any cat that has reached four months or grown a permanent set of teeth, and § 105-45A bars anyone from owning such a cat in the Village 'unless such cat is licensed and has a vaccination which was administered within the last 365 days or for which a valid vaccination certificate indicates an expiration date occurring in the future,' with an exemption for cats held in a veterinary establishment for treatment.
Section 105-46 layers the license itself on top: the license number must be displayed on the cat, typically on a breakaway or elastic collar tag, application is due within 10 days of acquiring or aging into a licensable cat, and a one-year license requires proof the rabies vaccine's immunity extends through at least the first 10 months of the twelve-month license period. Cats brought into Ridgewood and kept more than 30 days must also be licensed. Under § 105-46H, cat licenses expire every January 31, with a late charge if not renewed by February 1, and § 105-47 has the Chief of Police run an annual canvass of every cat owned in the Village, reporting owners of both licensed and unlicensed cats to the Village Clerk and Department of Health by May of each year.
Violations & Fines
Section 105-49 ties any violation of Article VII, including a failure to license or vaccinate a cat, to the Village's general penalty, § 1-15: up to a $1,000 fine, up to 90 days in the county jail, or up to 90 days of community service, at the Municipal Court's discretion. Interfering with anyone enforcing the article is separately barred under § 105-46K.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age does a cat need to be licensed in Ridgewood?
When does a Ridgewood cat license expire?
Do visiting cats need a Village license?
What happens if my cat isn't vaccinated or licensed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgewood
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