Stockton, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- cats 4+ months old
- Fee break
- lower fee if sterilized
- Exempt
- sterilized community/feral cats
- Tag exemption
- microchipped cats skip collar tag
- Late renewal
- penalty after 30 days
- Enforcement
- Stockton Animal Services / Police
Summary
Every cat four months or older in Stockton must carry a City license under Municipal Code § 6.04.090, renewed on the rabies-vaccination expiration date, with a reduced fee if the cat is sterilized. Sterilized community and feral cats are excused from that requirement entirely under § 6.04.140(E).
Except as provided herein, the owner of each dog and the owner of each cat four months old or older shall obtain a dog/cat license from the City for the privilege of having and keeping such animal in the City. Each license so issued shall expire on the expiration date of the anti-rabies vaccination of the animal and the City shall issue a new license upon the owner's paying all required fees and penalties (if applicable)... If the owner presents a certificate from a licensed veterinarian that shows the dog or cat has been sterilized, the license fee shall be less than the regular fee. If the owner fails to renew the license within 30 days of the license's expiration date, the owner shall pay a penalty.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4970744; v11 updated 2026-07-07).
Full Breakdown
Stockton Animal Services issues the dog/cat license and a metal tag stamped "Stockton Animal License" once the owner submits a veterinarian's rabies certificate and pays the fee; the license lapses on the vaccination's expiration date and must be renewed, with a late penalty if renewal slips past 30 days. Owners who present proof of sterilization pay a reduced fee. Section 6.04.020 defines a "community cat" as any feral or free-roaming cat that may or may not have an owner, and a "feral cat" as one that has reverted to an unstable, unsociable, untamed state. Section 6.04.140(E) exempts any sterilized community cat from the licensing chapter outright, and § 6.04.110 separately drops the collar-and-tag requirement for any cat carrying a microchip. Keeping an unlicensed, non-exempt cat is itself unlawful under § 6.04.110. There is no city-run trap-neuter-release permit scheme in this chapter; the exemption applies once the colony cat is sterilized, not before.
Violations & Fines
Keeping an unlicensed cat that does not qualify as a sterilized community cat violates § 6.04.110 and can draw an administrative citation under § 6.04.380, chargeable as an infraction or misdemeanor under § 6.04.490. Renewing more than 30 days after expiration triggers a separate late penalty on top of the standard fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Stockton require cat licenses?
What is a "feral cat" under Stockton's code?
Can I care for a feral cat colony without licensing every cat?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stockton
California rules heatmap·Compare Stockton to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Joaquin County handle cat rules.