Stafford County, VA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Vaccination required
- Cats over 4 months old, Sec. 5-66
- New-resident deadline
- 30 days after entering the county
- Collar tag
- Must be worn off the owner's property
- No cat licensing tax
- Dogs only under Sec. 5-41
- Penalty
- Class 4 misdemeanor, up to $250 fine
Summary
Stafford County requires every cat over four months old to carry a current rabies vaccination administered by a licensed veterinarian, with the vaccine tag worn on the collar at all times off the owner's property, under Sec. 5-66. The county has no separate cat-licensing tax like it does for dogs, but rabies vaccination is mandatory and enforceable.
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, hold or harbor any dog or domesticated cat over the age of four (4) months within the county, unless such dog or cat shall have a current rabies vaccination administered by a currently licensed veterinarian. ... Any person transporting a dog or cat into the county from some other jurisdiction shall conform with this section within thirty (30) days. ... Such collar tag shall be affixed to the collar and shall be worn at all times when the dog is not on the owner's property or in the immediate control of a responsible person; provided, however, that such collar may be removed under the circumstances stated in section 5-48.
Full Breakdown
Sec. S. Department of Agriculture for that species. Anyone bringing a cat into the county from another jurisdiction has 30 days to comply. At vaccination, the veterinarian issues a distinctive collar tag and a signed certificate showing the vaccination date, the tag number, and a description, sex and breed of the cat, and the owner must keep that certificate and show it to an animal control officer on request; the collar tag must be worn whenever the animal is off the owner's property or not under a responsible person's immediate control.
Unlike dogs, cats are not subject to Stafford County's separate dog-licensing tax under Article III, Division 2, Sec. 5-41 through Sec. 5-55, which applies to dogs four months or older, not cats. Cats are, however, covered by the county's rabies-exposure procedures: Sec. 5-68 through Sec. 5-70 require confinement or observation of a cat suspected of rabies or exposed to a rabid animal, generally for ten days, and Sec. 5-67 lets the health officer declare a quarantine restricting animals to their owners' premises during a rabies emergency. A court convicting an owner of failing to vaccinate a cat under Sec. 5-66 must order immediate vaccination in addition to any other penalty.
Violations & Fines
Owning, keeping or harboring an unvaccinated cat over four months old violates Sec. 5-66 and is a Class 4 misdemeanor under Sec. 5-65, punishable by up to a $250 fine under Sec. 1-11; the convicting court must also order the cat vaccinated immediately. Failing to confine a cat suspected of rabies exposure under Sec. 5-68 through Sec. 5-70, or violating a rabies quarantine under Sec. 5-72, is a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to $2,500 and 12 months in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cats need to be vaccinated against rabies in Stafford County?
Does Stafford County require a cat license like it does for dogs?
What happens if my cat is exposed to a rabid animal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stafford County
Compare Stafford County to another location·View the Virginia animal ordinances overview
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