Fairfax County does not mandate microchipping for privately owned pets but microchips all shelter animals before adoption and accepts microchip identification as proof of license under Chapter 12 of the County Code.
All dogs and cats adopted from the Fairfax County Animal Shelter are microchipped and registered to the adopter as part of standard intake protocols. For privately owned pets, microchipping is voluntary but strongly encouraged because Animal Protection Police scan all stray animals at intake; chipped pets are reunited with owners within hours rather than days. The county license database accepts microchip numbers as supplemental ID alongside tags. Owners should keep registry contact details current with the chip provider, since outdated registrations are a leading cause of failed reunifications.
No fines for absence of a microchip; however, unregistered or unidentified pets impounded as strays incur shelter holding and reclaim fees.
See how Herndon's microchipping rules stack up against other locations.
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