Calvert County, MD Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Microchip clinics
- Board of County Commissioners may run them
- Microchip fee (non-shelter)
- $5
- Tag exemption
- Microchipped pet need not wear tag
- Mandatory case
- Declared dangerous/potentially dangerous animals only
- Deadline for dangerous-animal chip
- 30 days after declaration
Summary
Calvert County does not require every pet to be microchipped, but the Board of County Commissioners may run public microchip clinics under Chapter 7 where dogs and cats can be chipped for a flat $5 fee, and a dog or cat wearing an embedded microchip with owner information is excused from wearing its license tag.
(a) A dog or cat that has been registered to an owner with a microchip embedded under the skin which contains information identifying the owner of the animal is not required to wear a license tag. ... ... § 7-3-403. Public microchip clinics. The Board of County Commissioners may establish a microchip clinic at which citizens may have dogs or cats microchipped. The Board of County Commissioners may contract for microchip services to be performed by licensed veterinarians at their own place of business. ... (b) Within 30 days of the animal being designated as potentially dangerous, the owner or custodian of a potentially dangerous animal shall: ... [3] Have a microchip identification device implanted in the animal containing owner or custodian identification information. ... ... C. The fee for microchipping of non-shelter animals is $5.
Full Breakdown
Section 7-3-403 lets the Board of County Commissioners establish a microchip clinic where residents can have dogs or cats microchipped, and lets the Board contract with licensed veterinarians to provide that service at their own offices instead. Section 7-11-201(C) sets the fee for microchipping a non-shelter animal at $5. Microchipping is not mandatory for the general pet-owning public, but it carries a practical benefit: § 7-3-201(E)(2)(a) excuses a dog or cat that is registered to an owner through an embedded microchip from having to wear its metal license tag on a collar or harness at all.
Chapter 7 does make microchipping mandatory in one narrow circumstance: once an animal is declared potentially dangerous by Animal Services, § 7-5-202 requires that within 30 days its owner have a microchip identification device implanted containing owner or custodian identification and report that information to Animal Control. Outside that declared-dangerous-animal context, whether to microchip a pet in unincorporated Calvert County is left to the owner, and Animal Services administers both the voluntary clinic program and the mandatory-chip requirement.
Violations & Fines
Failing to microchip a pet is not a violation on its own; general microchipping is voluntary and carries no penalty. But once Animal Services declares an animal potentially dangerous or dangerous, skipping the 30-day microchip requirement falls under Part 5 of Chapter 7, making it a Class B misdemeanor: $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and fines doubling toward a $2,000 cap after that, with up to 30 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is microchipping required for pets in Calvert County?
Does a microchipped pet still need to wear a license tag?
When does Calvert County require an animal to be microchipped?
How much does the county charge to microchip a pet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Calvert County
Compare Calvert County to another location·View the Maryland animal ordinances overview
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