Denver, CO Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- General pets
- no microchip mandate
- Potentially dangerous animal permit
- microchip required
- Pit bull breed-restricted permit
- microchip required
- Cat license tag
- waived if microchipped
- Enforcing agency
- Denver Animal Protection
Summary
Denver does not require microchips for ordinary pets, but a potentially dangerous animal permit and a pit bull breed-restricted permit both require the animal to be microchipped before the permit issues.
The owner or keeper of the potentially dangerous animal shall microchip such animal and shall provide proof of implantation and registration of the microchip at the time of the permit application.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Denver Animal Protection does not mandate microchipping city-wide: most dogs and cats only need a rabies vaccination and a license tag, and a cat's tag requirement drops away if the cat already carries a visible tattoo or identifiable microchip. But owners seeking a potentially dangerous animal permit must provide proof the animal has been microchipped and must implant and register the chip before the permit is granted. The same condition applies to pit bulls kept under a breed-restricted permit.
Violations & Fines
Failing to microchip means the potentially dangerous animal or pit bull permit cannot be issued or maintained; keeping the animal without a valid permit is a separate unlawful-possession violation enforced by Denver Animal Protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Denver require all dogs and cats to be microchipped?
Can I skip the cat license tag if my cat has a microchip?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denver
Compare Denver to another location·View the Colorado animal ordinances overview
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