York County, SC Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Microchip fee
- $9, added to impoundment/boarding bill
- Legal basis
- S.C. Code § 47-3-55(C) and (E)
- Reclaim age minimum
- Owner must be 18 or older
- Spay/neuter discount
- Waives boarding, half impound fee
- 1st impound fee (unsterilized)
- $75
Summary
Every dog or cat reclaimed from the York County Animal Shelter leaves with a microchip. Section 55.30(C) requires shelter staff to implant one 'pursuant to the provisions of S.C. Code § 47-3-55(C) and (E)' before release, with the $9 microchip cost added to the owner's impoundment and boarding bill.
(C) Pursuant to the provisions of S.C. Code § 47-3-55(C) and (E); all dogs and cats that are reclaimed from the animal shelter will have a microchip implanted with the associated cost of the microchip added to any impoundment and boarding fees. The owner redeeming his or her dog or cat must elect to have a microchip implanted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
C. Code § 47-3-55(C) and (E); all dogs and cats that are reclaimed from the animal shelter will have a microchip implanted with the associated cost of the microchip added to any impoundment and boarding fees. 34 sets the microchip charge at a flat $9, on top of a rabies vaccination fee of $6 and an impoundment fee that starts at $75 for an unsterilized animal's first reclaim and rises to $300 by the fourth or later occurrence, plus a $15-per-day boarding fee for dogs, cats or fowl.
30(A). 31, boarding fees are waived entirely and the owner pays only half the impoundment fee plus the rabies and microchip costs, though the animal must stay at the shelter until the next surgery day and be collected within 48 hours of the procedure.
Violations & Fines
There's no separate criminal penalty for the microchip requirement itself; it's a release condition, not a standalone offense. But an owner who won't complete the reclamation steps, including the microchip implant, cannot get the animal back, and unclaimed animals remain subject to disposition under § 55.27, including adoption, transfer to a rescue group, or euthanasia after the holding period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to microchip my pet to get it back from the York County shelter?
How much does it cost to get my dog out of the York County animal shelter?
Can I avoid boarding fees when reclaiming my pet in York County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina animal ordinances overview
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