Mobile, AL Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- pet stores, swap meets, traders
- Fine
- $250 per violation
- Also required
- health certificate, fecal exam report
- Minimum age
- 9 weeks before sale
Summary
Any dog sold, gifted, or transferred at a Mobile pet store, swap meet, or by a pet trader must be implanted with an identifying microchip before the sale, per City Code Section 7-26.
(d)All dogs offered for sale, gift or other transfer of ownership at or from any pet store or swap meet, or by any pet trader, must be implanted with an identifying microchip. The microchip number must be provided on the microchip registration form provided to the purchaser or transferee at the time of sale.(e)No vendor shall offer a dog(s) for sale or gift or other transfer of ownership at or from any pet store or swap meet, unless there is conspicuously displayed at each vendor location a sign which reads as follows: ATTENTION
No dog shall be sold or given away unless the dog is at least
9 WEEKS OLD
AND
the buyer is provided with:
the original State of Alabama Small Animal Health Certificate
AND
a negative fecal examination report by a licensed veterinarian
AND
a document showing that the dog is micro-chipped
City of Mobile Code Section 7-26
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
Mobile City Code Sec. 7-26(d) requires every dog offered for sale, gift, or transfer at a pet store, swap meet, or by a pet trader to be implanted with an identifying microchip, with the microchip number recorded on a registration form given to the buyer. Sellers must also provide a State of Alabama Small Animal Health Certificate and a fecal exam report less than ten days old, and post a two-inch sign disclosing these requirements. The rule does not apply to private owner-to-owner sales, county fairs, or 4-H events. Violations carry a $250 fine under the chapter's fine schedule, enforced by Mobile Animal Services.
Violations & Fines
Selling, gifting, or transferring a dog without the microchip, health certificate, or fecal exam documentation is a $250 fine under Mobile's Sec. 7-26 fine schedule (Sec. 7-33).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to microchip a dog I sell privately in Mobile?
What's the fine for selling an unchipped dog in Mobile?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mobile
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