Lincoln County, NC Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

4(A)(2) requires that, before a level 2 dangerous dog can be redeemed by its owner, the dog must be fitted with microchip identification at the owner's expense, alongside filing a written notice of intent to comply within three business days, paying outstanding fines, and erecting a secure enclosure within 21 days. 4(B)(1) applies the identical microchip requirement to a potentially dangerous dog before redemption, again at the owner's expense, along with keeping the dog under restraint by a six-foot leash or 20-foot tether, muzzling it off the owner's property, and complying with any additional conditions the Animal Services Director sets.

6(I) requires any grandfathered inherently dangerous exotic mammal to be microchipped within 90 days of its owner receiving a grandfathered permit, with failure to comply resulting in revocation of that permit. Outside these two dangerous-animal contexts, the county code does not impose a general microchipping mandate on ordinary pet dogs or cats.