Chino Hills, CA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Chip required from
- 4 months of age
- Tied to
- dog license under § 6.08.040
- Exemptions
- vet-certified health/performance risk only
- Unchipped impounded dog
- must chip or sign sworn statement
- Post-release deadline
- 10 days for vet confirmation
- Adopted
- Ord. 278 (2014), amended Ord. 287 (2015)
Summary
Every dog over four months old in Chino Hills must carry an implanted identifying microchip under Municipal Code Section 6.08.160, and compliance is a prerequisite to getting the dog license required by Section 6.08.040. Two narrow, vet-certified health and performance exemptions exist, and unchipped impounded dogs must be chipped before release.
A.All dogs over the age of four months must be implanted with an identifying microchip. The owner or custodian is required to provide the microchip number to the Animal Control Enforcement Agency, and shall notify the Animal Control Enforcement Agency of any change of ownership of the dog, or any change of address or telephone number. Compliance with this section is required to obtain a dog license required by CHMC Section 6.08.040.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).
Full Breakdown
050(A)(4) makes proof of microchip compliance, or a qualifying exemption, a condition of issuing a license. Subsection (B) allows two exemptions, both requiring written confirmation from a California-licensed veterinarian: a dog with a high likelihood of serious bodily injury from implantation due to a health condition, or a dog whose athletic ability or performance would be impaired by the implant; either exemption must state a future date when the dog could safely be chipped if that is possible. Subsection (C) addresses dogs that arrive at the shelter without a chip: the owner must either have the dog implanted by a registered veterinary technician, veterinarian, or designated Animal Control Enforcement Agency personnel at the owner's expense, or sign a statement under penalty of perjury promising to have it done and submit a veterinarian's confirmation with the microchip number within ten days of release; failing to submit that confirmation is itself a Code violation.
Subsection (D) directs all fees and fines collected under the microchipping program to the Animal Control Enforcement Agency, both to fund enforcement and to support low-cost microchipping programs for residents. The requirement was adopted by Ordinance No. 278 in 2014 and amended by Ordinance No. 050.
Violations & Fines
Failing to submit the required veterinarian confirmation within ten days of an impounded dog's release is expressly declared a Code violation under Section 6.08.160(C)(2). Beyond that specific trigger, noncompliance with the microchip mandate blocks issuance or renewal of the dog license under Section 6.08.050, and, absent a chapter-specific fine, a general violation is enforced as a misdemeanor under Section 1.36.010, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or six months in county jail under Section 1.36.020(A).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is microchipping mandatory for dogs in Chino Hills?
Can my dog be exempt from Chino Hills' microchip requirement?
What happens if my impounded dog has no microchip?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino Hills
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino Hills to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Microchipping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle microchipping.