Photo above: A Beijing Dog License Issued by the Public Security Bureau
Beijing Dog Registration Renewal
Begins May 1st for 2024/2025
First Time Dog Registration Begins NOW!
REGISTERING DOGS IN BEIJING:
HOW-TO GUIDE FOR DOG OWNERS
If you have a NEW dog (never registered before), you may register your dog at any time. For newcomers to Beijing, please check with your local police station where you registered as a foreign national to inquire about registering your dog. Before national holidays (e.g., Mid-Autumn Festival, October National Day, etc.), the police begin making visits to compounds to remind dog owners to check dog registration. If a neighbor (or anyone) files a police report about your dog, the police must investigate. If your dog is unlicensed, the police can take your dog to their holding facility, levy a significant fine and require you to register your dog immediately. If you have a large dog that is over the size restriction for your residental compound and it does not have a license, it may be very difficult to get your dog back if taken by the police.
ICVS is pleased to provide a summary of the regulations for registering dogs in Beijing municipality for dog owners. Regulations have been confirmed by the International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) from the laws and regulations on dog ownership and from our numerous interviews with the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and the Animal Husbandry Bureaus of Chaoyang, Shunyi and other districts.
Photo credit above: Santiago Borthwick
All dogs are required to be registered by law in Beijing. Dog licenses will be valid from May 1st to April 30th of the following year. All dog licenses expire on April 30th each year. Owners must renew their dog licenses between May 1st and June 30th annually during the active dog registration period. NEW DOG OWNERS should REGISTER THEIR DOGS immediately if this has not yet been done. There are ongoing rounds of enforcement by the police. These enforcement rounds are part of the government’s efforts to regulate dog ownership and to ensure public health by checking for annual rabies vaccinations for all dogs. Enforcement has become more regular throughout the year but is normally stepped-up during May to July and before major holidays (e.g., Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day, Chinese New Year, May Labor Day, etc.).
The Public Security Bureau has stressed that new dogs should be registered as soon as possible. Dogs with existing licenses normally renew between May 1st and June 30th. Dog registration checks are held periodically in many compounds. Dogs must have been legally rabies vaccinated within the past 12-months to renew registration. All dogs must wear the rabies ID collar tag (see photo below). Dogs must be on leash at all times in all public spaces.
During these rounds of enforcement, the police will be looking for:
1). All unregistered dogs of any size
2). Large dogs living within the 8 districts of “strict enforcement of dog ownership regulations” (e.g., within 5th ring road) and urban areas of Tongzhou.
OWNERS REGISTERING DOGS WITHIN 5TH RING ROAD
If you live within the districts of Chaoyang, Dongcheng, Xicheng, Chongwen, Xuanwu, Haidian, Fengtai, and Shijingshan and Tongzhou, you must register your dog at your local police precinct (pai chu suo). Ask your management company or landlord or neighbors which "pai chu suo" oversees your neighborhood. If you are a foreign national, then the police station where you are registered is usually where your dog is also required to be registered. Dogs residing and registered within these districts may not be taller than 35-cms measured from ground to shoulder. Please note that the police officer on duty at your local police station will have final say on whether your dog may be registered.
Only ONE DOG may be registered to each HOUSEHOLD address, with the dog usually under 35-cms (measured from ground to shoulder). There have been some dogs that are slightly taller than 35-cms that have still been approved and given registration licenses (e.g., up to 40-45 cms such as Beagles, Maltese, Poodles, Cockers, Bichon Frise, Mini Schnauzers, assorted Terriers, Shelties, Shiba Inus, small mixed breeds, etc.). This decision is up to the police officer on duty at the time to decide if your dog meets the height restriction. What the police will not allow are large dogs (some also classified as aggressive dogs) such as British Bulldogs, Collies, Dalmatians, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Huskies, Irish Wolfhounds, Labradors, Labradoodles, Malamutes, Newfoundlands, Rottweilers, St. Bernards, Mastiffs, etc. These breeds are all classified as aggressive or as large dogs and are not allowed to be owned/registered within the 8 districts roughly clustered within the 5th ring road and urban areas of Tongzhou.
OWNERS OF MULTIPLE DOGS LIVING WITHIN 5TH RING ROAD
Each dog is registered to a HOUSEHOLD address (e.g., address on lease contract or property deed), NOT to an INDIVIDUAL (e.g., passport holder).
If you own two (or more) dogs then you will need to find a relative or friend or colleague who will help you to register your second dog using their household address. Please ensure this second household address has not already been used to register a dog.
For owners who have "large" dogs within 5th ring road, it is recommended to use another property address outside 5th ring road to register your dog. Make sure this property address outside the 5th ring road is approved by the PSB for registering large dogs. Districts outside 5th ring road where large dogs may be legally registered include Shunyi, Pinggu, Changping, Tongzhou (non-urban sub-districts), Huairou, Miyun, etc. Please note that the police officers on duty at these local police stations in these districts will have final say on whether dogs may be registered.
REGISTRATION PROCESS AT THE PUBLIC SECURITY BUREAU OR POLICE STATION “PAI CHU SUO” (May vary by “pai chu suo”)
When going to the PSB "pai chu suo," to register your dog, you may need to bring the following:
1). Your dog - police may want to see the dog on the initial visit if you are registering within the 5th ring road, but this seems to depend on each individual pai chu suo. Visit your pai chu suo in advance to inquire if you must bring your dog at the time of initial registration.
2). Two photos of your dog (one-inch passport size). Must be a front-facing head shot from the neck up on white background. Some PSBs may also require a full body photo taken from side view.
3). Your original ID: Shen Fen Zheng or passport and foreigner household registration document (obtained from PSB and used to extend your China visa), etc.
4). Your LEASE for your rented apartment or your property deed, if you own your home (remember, dogs are registered to the HOUSEHOLD street address, NOT to the passport of the owner)
5). Permission from your neighborhood watch committee (“Ju Wei Hui”) or management agent (depends on local requirement of the community supervisory committee within your sub-district 小区)
6). CASH/WeChat/Alipay - Initial registration fee within the 8 major districts is RMB 1,000.00. Annual registration renewal thereafter is RMB 500.00. Fees may be lower in areas outside of the 8 districts (e.g, Shunyi, Pinggu, Changping, Tongzhou, Huairou, Miyun, etc.).
SPAY/NEUTER CERTIFICATES FOR DISCOUNTS ON DOG LICENSING FEES
If your dog is NOT YET REGISTERED and you are also planning on neutering/spaying him/her, then you may be entitled to a 50% discount (e.g., RMB 500.00) on the initial registration fee if you provide proof to the police station that your dog has been spayed/neutered by a legally registered and licensed ANIMAL HOSPITAL in Beijing. If your dog is ALREADY REGISTERED, you may be eligible for up to 40% discount (e.g. RMB 200.00) on your annual renewal fee. The spay/neuter discount is only given ONE time by the Public Security Bureau at the time of initial registration or registration renewal.
The International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) is a legally registered and fully licensed full service animal hospital that is authorized to perform spay/neuter surgeries and to issue the official neuter/spay certificates. Owners can present these official spay/neuter certificates as proof to the police station. With the spay/neuter certificates, owners may receive up to 50% discount on the initial registration fee or a significant one-time discount on the registration renewal fee.
Please check with your animal hospital first before scheduling the spay/neuter surgery to ensure that it is legally registered and licensed to perform the surgeries and can provide official spay/neuter certificates. Many CLINICS may not be legally authorized to perform surgeries in Beijing, nor are shelters, pet shops, breeders, dog training schools or grooming salons with an occasional visiting veterinarian. The police may not grant you the discount if you cannot produce an official spay/neuter certificate from a legally registered animal hospital in Beijing. Dogs that are spayed/neutered in other cities/provinces or overseas are currently not eligible for the spay/neuter discount on registration in Beijing.
DOG LICENSE ID CARD AND PAYMENT “FA PIAO”
Depending on the PSB precinct (pai chu suo), you would normally receive your dog's "picture ID license" within the month. Always keep the official “fa piao” (tax bureau receipt) from the pai chu suo. Until you receive the license, your “fa piao” is proof that your dog has been registered. If you lose the dog license ID card, your fa piao is proof of your registration and you may bring the fa piao to your pai chu suo (police station) to apply for a replacement dog license ID card.
Some police stations (pai chu suo) are now allowing dog owners to register online through an APP. This will depend on each police station. Please contact ICVS for more information about online dog registration.
PROOF OF RABIES VACCINATION
Every dog in China is required by law to be rabies vaccinated annually. China does not recognize the 2-year or 3-year rabies vaccines given to dogs (or cats) that are used in the USA/Canada, EU, UK, Singapore and other countries. Rabies vaccinations are only valid for one year in China and must be renewed annually.
For already registered dogs renewing their licenses, owners must present proof that the dog was rabies vaccinated during the past 12-months at an officially designated animal rabies vaccination hospital in Beijing. Legally designated animal rabies vaccination hospitals can issue the official Beijing Animal Health and Immunity Certificate (e.g., vaccination red book, also required for export) and an A4 paper certificate verifying rabies vaccination. Since January 2015, dogs vaccinated in Beijing municipality are also issued a rabies vaccination tag (see photos, below). The rabies vaccination tag must be worn by all dogs on their collars at all times. The color and shape of the rabies tag changes annually to allow easy verification that the vaccination is current.
Photo above: Official Beijing Animal Health and Immunity Certificate (e.g., vaccination red book) issued by ICVS to all rabies vaccinated pets
Photo above: The official 2024 Beijing rabies ID tag issued to legally rabies vaccinated dogs.
Owners with a valid dog license from Chaoyang District may bring in the license and the fa piao to ICVS and enjoy a FREE annual rabies vaccination and 50% discount on canine distemper vaccination. Owners with valid dog licenses from all other districts enjoy a 50% discount on rabies and canine distemper vaccinations at ICVS!
LEGALLY REGISTERED AND OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED ANIMAL RABIES VACCINATION HOSPITALS
Please ensure your pet hospital is an officially designated animal rabies vaccination hospital. Only officially licensed and designated animal vaccination hospitals are allowed to purchase and administer animal vaccines that are legally imported, registered with the China Food & Drug Administration (CFDA) and safe for pets. Designated animal vaccination hospitals must display a gold plaque issued by the Agricultural Bureau featuring the hospital’s “Vaccine License Number” (see photo, below). Unauthorized facilities such as pet shops, pet supplies retailers, online retailers, boarding kennels, grooming salons, dog training schools, shelters, non-designated/non-authorized animal clinics and hospitals are NOT approved to procure and administer legally registered vaccines. Please take caution as you may risk having your pets injected with products that may have been sourced through unsecured illegal channels. These products may be expired, counterfeit, or improperly stored and ineffective (e.g., non-refrigerated vaccines).
ICVS is a legally registered and officially designated animal vaccination and full service animal hospital in Chaoyang District and can provide all medical services, including spay/neuter, soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries, diagnostic testing, x-rays, ultrasound, rabies and all other vaccinations for all pets. ICVS can issue the official vaccination red books, required for dog registration, domestic relocation, international export, and the rabies vaccination ID tags.
Photo above: Official “Animal Rabies Vaccination Clinic” plaque at ICVS.
DOG OWNERS LIVING OUTSIDE 5th RING ROAD
Many dog owners outside of 5th ring road, especially in the Shunyi villa areas, may inquire with their management agents for assistance on registering dogs or at least obtaining guidance on the process. Dogs may be over 35-cms outside of the 8 major districts and Tongzhou. Some residential communities outside of 5th ring road have passed local ordinances that prohibit the registration of dogs over 35-cms tall (from ground to shoulder). Please check with your property management agent or local PSB precinct (pai chu suo or police station) for confirmation.
Many of the villa operators have negotiated with local police stations to allow their residents to register dogs (especially large dogs) to the villa compound. There are still registration processes and fees involved. Please contact your property management agent or neighborhood Public Security Bureau (pai chu suo) if you live outside the 5th ring road and are unsure about how to register your dog.
Please be advised that there may be some residential compounds technically OUTSIDE 5th ring road that may not allow large dogs. Please ask the management agents or the local Public Security Bureau overseeing the area to verify if large dogs are allowed. It would be unfortunate to sign a lease only to find out later you cannot register your large dog in your compound.
CAT REGISTRATION
Cats and their owners may all breathe a collective sigh of relief that there is NO CAT REGISTRATION requirement in Beijing! (for now)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND COUNSELING FOR PET OWNERS
Please call or email the International Center for Veterinary Services with any questions on dog registration, spay/neuter surgeries, importing and exporting pets, microchipping, legal vaccinations, rabies antibody titre testing, rabies prevention, grooming, boarding and any animal health care or pet care issue.
ICVS is open daily: 9AM to 6PM
By Appointment
International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS)
No. 13-16 Rong Ke Gan Lan Cheng Shang Jie, Fu Tong Xi Da Jie, Wangjing, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100102 (Across the street from the Mercedes Benz Tower & behind the Smile Angel Children’s Hospital)
地址：北京新天地国际动物医院, 北京市朝阳区望京阜通西大街融科橄榄城商街13-16号
Door-to-Door pet transport service is available. Please contact ICVS for more information on pet transportation services!
Contact ICVS:
Tel: (010) 8456-1939, 8456-1940
Email: reception@ICVSASIA.com
Website: www.ICVSASIA.com
Dialog WeChat: ICVSASIA
ICVS Official WeChat: ICVSCHINA
