Lake County, IL Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Deadline
- 30 days after release from confinement
- Who pays
- Owner bears the microchipping cost
- Trigger
- Only biting dogs and cats
- Proof required
- Written verification to the Health Officer
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 per violation
Summary
After a dog or cat bites someone and is released from confinement, Lake County requires the owner to have it microchipped within 30 days and give the Health Officer written proof.
(C) Microchipping after release from confinement. At the expense of the owner, if not already implanted, a biting dog or cat shall be microchipped within 30 days after being released from confinement, and the owner shall provide written verification of the procedure to the Health Officer.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 26-0618, passed 6-9-2026 | State legislation current through ILCS Pamphlet 2025 #5).
Full Breakdown
Under the Lake County Animal Care and Control Ordinance (Chapter 172), a dog or cat that bites a person and undergoes the mandatory confinement-and-observation period must be microchipped, at the owner's expense, within 30 days of release if it isn't chipped already. The owner must then send the Health Officer written proof the procedure was done. The rule applies on top of the separate ten-day bite-confinement and rabies-vaccination requirements in the same chapter, and it is administered by the Lake County Health Department under the Illinois Animal Control Act. This microchip duty attaches only to animals that have bitten someone -- Lake County does not require routine microchipping of every pet.
Violations & Fines
Violating the microchip, confinement, or vaccination duties in Chapter 172 draws a fine of up to $1,000 per violation under § 172.99, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lake County require microchipping every pet?
Who enforces the microchip requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
Compare Lake County to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview
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