Rockville, MD Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Dogs, cats, ferrets over 4 months
- Off-premises rule
- Tag and collar unless microchipped
- License still required
- Yes, separately under Sec. 3-11
- Enforcement
- Neighborhood Services Division
Summary
Dogs, cats and ferrets over four months must wear a Rockville license tag and collar whenever off the owner's premises. Sec. 3-12(d) waives that physical tag requirement only if the animal is microchipped.
Dogs, cats and ferrets must wear license tags and collars at all times when off the premises of the owners, unless the animal is microchipped.(e)The Division shall maintain a record of the identifying numbers of all tags issued and shall make this record available to the public.(f)It shall be unlawful to transfer a license tag from one regulated animal to another or to obscure or deface the tag in any way. In the event the dog, cat, or ferret dies, or is transferred to another owner, or the owner's address changes, the owner shall notify the Neighborhood Services Division of the change in writing within fifteen (15) business days.(g)Upon the payment of the appropriate fee a replacement tag will be issued. (Ord. No. 12-15, 6-15-15)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 3-11 requires every dog, cat, and ferret over four months old to be licensed with the Neighborhood Services Division. Sec. 3-12(c) has the Division issue a durable tag on license approval, and Sec. 3-12(d) requires the animal to wear that tag and collar at all times off the owner's premises, unless the animal is microchipped, which excuses only the physical tag-and-collar requirement, not the underlying license itself.
Violations & Fines
Going off-premises without a tag, collar, or microchip violates Sec. 3-12; enforcement is by the Neighborhood Services Division as a municipal infraction under Sec. 1-9, with fines up to the state-law cap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does microchipping replace the Rockville pet license?
What happens if my chipped pet loses its collar?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
Compare Rockville to another location·View the Maryland animal ordinances overview
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