Palm Desert, CA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Age trigger
- All dogs and cats over the age of four months
- Chip source
- Riverside County Department of Animal Services
- Report to the county
- Chip number and any change of owner, address or phone
- Exemptions
- Three: medical risk, impaired mobility, non-resident owner
- Puppy or kitten transfer
- Notify the county within 10 days after the transfer
- Impound release statement
- Veterinarian confirmation due within 10 business days
- Hearing request
- In writing within 10 days of notice of fees or penalties
Summary
In the City of Palm Desert, every dog and cat over the age of four months must be implanted with an identifying microchip from the Riverside County Department of Animal Services. Owners give the county the chip number and report any change of owner, address or telephone number. Three exemptions cover medical risk, impaired mobility and owners who live outside the city.
A. Microchipping Required. All dogs and cats over the age of four months must be implanted with an identifying microchip from the Riverside County Department of Animal Services. The owner or custodian is required to provide the microchip number to the county of Riverside and shall notify the county of Riverside of any change of ownership of the dog or cat, or any change of address or telephone number. The owner or custodian must also notify the microchipping company of any changes in ownership of the dog or cat. Nothing in this section supersedes, eliminates, or alters any other licensing requirements of this chapter. ... 3. When a puppy or kitten under the age of four months implanted with microchip identification is otherwise transferred to another person, the owner or custodian shall advise the county of Riverside of the name and address of the new owner or custodian, and the microchip number of the puppy or kitten within 10 days after the transfer.
Full Breakdown
Palm Desert Municipal Code § 6.12.160 sets the microchip mandate for the City of Palm Desert, California. Subsection A applies to all dogs and cats over the age of four months. The owner or custodian must give the microchip number to the county of Riverside, notify the county of any change of ownership, address or telephone number, and tell the microchipping company about any change of ownership. The section states that it does not supersede, eliminate or alter any other licensing requirement of Chapter 6.12, so the dog license stays in place alongside the chip.
Subsection B lists three exemptions. The first covers an animal with a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily injury from implantation because of its health. The second covers an animal whose mobility would be impaired by the implant. Both need written confirmation from a California-licensed veterinarian, and if the animal can safely be chipped later, the confirmation must state that date. The third covers a dog or cat kenneled or trained within Palm Desert city limits but owned by someone who does not reside in the city. That owner must follow the licensing and rabies vaccination rules of the jurisdiction where he or she permanently resides.
Subsection C governs transfers. An owner offering a dog over four months for trade or adoption must provide the microchip number and the valid dog license number, and both must appear on the document transferring the dog. For a cat over four months, the microchip number must appear on the transfer document. When a chipped puppy or kitten under four months is transferred, the owner must give the county the new owner's name and address and the chip number within 10 days after the transfer.
Subsection D covers an impounded animal found without a chip. On top of the impound fees, the owner must have it chipped by a county-registered veterinarian or technician, or by a California-licensed veterinarian using an approved chip, or, at the animal control officer's discretion, sign a statement under penalty of perjury and file a veterinarian's confirmation within 10 business days. Section 6.20.050 adds that an impounded dog four months of age or older is not released unless it is licensed, vaccinated and microchipped.
Violations & Fines
Under subsections C.1 and C.2, an owner who offers a dog or cat over four months for trade or adoption and does not give the county of Riverside the new owner's name and address is in violation of the chapter and subject to its penalties. The same penalties apply to a missed 10 day report for a chipped puppy or kitten. Section 6.12.170 adds a late fee for a dog license sought more than 30 days after it is required, a written hearing request within 10 days of notice, and an appeal within five days of the decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my cat need a microchip in the City of Palm Desert?
What must I provide when I trade or adopt out a dog?
What happens if my impounded dog or cat has no microchip?
What does the microchip cost and where do the fees go?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Desert
California rules heatmap·Compare Palm Desert to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Microchipping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle microchipping.