Roswell, GA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- §§ 8.1.4, 8.1.9, 8.1.16
- License required
- Cats over 4 months, via Fulton County
- New-to-city deadline
- 14 days to license and vaccinate
- At-large law
- Does not apply to cats
- Unlicensed/nuisance penalty
- Up to $500 fine, 60 days jail
Summary
Roswell, Georgia requires every cat over four months old to be licensed and vaccinated through Fulton County, but the city's leash law expressly exempts cats: § 8.1.9 lets cats roam free while dogs must stay restrained. Licensing, vaccination and nuisance rules under §§ 8.1.4 and 8.1.16 still apply to every owner.
(a)The owner, possessor or harborer of each dog or cat over four (4) months of age kept, maintained or harbored within the municipal limits of the City of Roswell at any time during the year shall apply for and obtain a license for such dog or cat from Fulton County. ... It shall be unlawful for the owner of any animal, or any person having an animal in his custody, to allow it to run at large unattended on or about the streets and highways of the city, or on the property of another person without permission of the owner of that property or of the person in possession of that property. Such restriction shall not apply to cats.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
4 requires the owner, possessor or harborer of each dog or cat over four months of age kept in Roswell to obtain a license for that cat from Fulton County, and gives anyone bringing a cat into the city fourteen days to get one. 4(c)-(d)). 16, every cat kept in Roswell must wear that current vaccination tag on its collar, and anyone bringing a cat in from outside Fulton County has fourteen days to get it vaccinated and tagged. ' A free-roaming, licensed cat is not itself violating Roswell's leash ordinance. 24, and release requires paying vaccination, license, impoundment and daily boarding fees.
Violations & Fines
Failing to license or vaccinate a cat, or letting an unvaccinated cat become a public nuisance, is a misdemeanor under § 8.1.26: a fine of up to $500.00 and up to sixty days in jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. An impounded cat is held at the pound and, if unclaimed within three days, may be disposed of or offered for adoption; redemption requires paying the license, vaccination, impoundment and boarding fees set under § 8.1.24.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to license my cat in Roswell, Georgia?
Can my cat roam outside without a leash in Roswell?
Can Roswell still cite me over a free-roaming cat?
What happens if my cat is picked up without a vaccination tag?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roswell
Compare Roswell to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle cat rules.