Dearborn, MI Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances § 4-23(b)
- Microchip requirement
- Not mandatory citywide
- Incentive
- Reduced fee if sterilized/microchipped
- Auto-renewal license
- Requires sterilization + microchip
- License administrator
- Dearborn city clerk
- Dangerous dog rule
- Microchip required within 14 days
- First-offense fine
- $75 civil infraction
Summary
Dearborn does not require every dog to be microchipped, but its dog-licensing scheme in City Code Sec. 4-23 builds microchipping directly into the fee structure and offers a free automatic-renewal license only to dogs that are both sterilized and microchipped.
The application for a license under this article shall be made with the city clerk unless otherwise indicated, and shall be accompanied with proof that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies by a valid certificate of vaccination for rabies signed by an accredited and licensed veterinarian, and payment of a nonrefundable fee identified in section 12-6 of the Code of Ordinances based on the type of license and whether the dog is sterilized and microchipped. ... (3) Fee reduction with proof of sterilization and microchipping. If the applicant provides proof that their dog has been sterilized or microchipped at the time of application, the reduced nonrefundable fees identified in section 12-6 will be applied.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. " The fee amounts themselves live in Sec. 12-6 of the fee schedule, but the licensing article ties them directly to microchip status: Sec. " Owners who want to skip annual renewal entirely can apply for the "License with automatic renewal (no additional fee)" under Sec. " That renewal-free license still requires the owner to resubmit proof of current rabies vaccination by March 1 of the vaccination's expiration year; missing that deadline voids the license and forces a new application. Microchipping also appears in the city's dangerous-dog track: once the manager of the Dearborn Animal Shelter or a court declares a dog dangerous under Sec.
" Licenses are administered by the city clerk's office, with the Dearborn Animal Shelter and police department handling enforcement and dangerous-dog determinations. Standard one-year and three-year rabies-vaccination-based licenses remain available for owners who do not microchip, so the ordinance uses cost incentives rather than an outright mandate.
Violations & Fines
Failing to license a dog six months or older is a civil infraction: $75 for a first offense, $100 for a second, rising to a 93-day misdemeanor with up to a $500 fine for a third or subsequent violation under the Sec. 4-6 fine schedule. There is no separate penalty for skipping microchipping itself since it is incentivized through fees, not mandated; a dangerous dog owner who fails to complete the court-ordered microchipping and sterilization under Sec. 4-27A(c) risks impoundment of the dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dearborn require all dogs to be microchipped?
How do I get the fee reduction for microchipping my dog in Dearborn?
Is microchipping required if my dog is declared dangerous in Dearborn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
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Microchipping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle microchipping.