Maricopa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC)

Veterinary clinics are required by county regulation to report all rabies vaccinations to the county on a weekly basis. The county uses these records to ensure all local pets are properly licensed. Once MCACC processes this information, they typically send out letters to dog owners regarding local pet licensing requirements. 

The Impact of Pet Licensing

Pet licensing isn’t just a legal requirement—it is a vital safety net that protects your pet, saves you money, and directly funds community animal welfare.

Why It Matters: Community & Public Health

• Reduces Shelter Overcrowding: Keeps lost pets out of shelters by allowing quick, on-the-spot identification.
• Promotes Public Health: Requires up-to-date rabies vaccinations, protecting both the human and animal populations from a fatal disease.
• Supports Local Shelters: Licensing fees directly fund the daily care of the 30,000 homeless animals that enter Maricopa County shelters each year.

Personal Benefits for You & Your Dog

• A Free Ride Home: If an Animal Control officer finds your dog at large, they will bring them straight home to you, bypassing the shelter entirely when possible.
• Financial Protection: If your lost dog ends up at the shelter, the first 24 hours of care are free. Additionally, if a biting incident occurs, licensed dogs may qualify for free home quarantine instead of expensive institutional quarantine.
• Extended Hold Times: Licensed dogs are held for a minimum of 120 hours (Hold-Notify status), giving you nearly double the time to find your pet compared to the standard 72-hour stray hold.
• Avoid Fines: Keeps you legally compliant and prevents costly citations.
• The Law in Maricopa County: All dogs three months and older living in Unincorporated Maricopa County and its surrounding cities (including Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Gilbert) must be vaccinated against rabies and licensed annually. The issued license tag must be worn on your dog's collar at all times.

Pet licensing and rabies reporting laws have actually been in place for decades, but we know it can sometimes come as a surprise if it wasn't brought to your attention in the past! We are sorry for any previous confusion or lack of information you experienced elsewhere. Our team is always here to help guide you through the process or answer any questions you have about keeping your pet current with county requirements. 

MCACC has partnered with DocuPet, a new online platform that makes registration a breeze. 

Pick Out a Free Designer Tag!

As a thank you for keeping your pet healthy and compliant, you can currently get a free designer tag by using the promo code below: 

Promo Code: VETFREE

Website: maricopacounty.docupet.com

Yes. It helps to think of the vaccine and the license as two different things: the vaccine is your dog's medical protection, while the license is an annual county registration.

While a 3-year rabies vaccine protects your pet medically for three years, Maricopa County requires the dog license itself to be renewed annually. The good news is that the county keeps your dog's 3-year vaccination certificate on file—so for the next two years, you will only need to pay the annual renewal fee without having to submit new medical paperwork.

Maricopa County has two main locations where you can purchase your dog's license. You can also contact them directly at 602-506-7387 if you have questions.  

West Valley Animal Care Center
2500 S. 27th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85009

(27th Avenue, south of Durango)

East Valley Animal Care Center
1920 S Lewis
Mesa, AZ 85210

(Baseline Rd/Lewis Dr)

No, the county only requires dogs to be licensed. While cats are legally required to be vaccinated against rabies for their safety, you do not need to register or purchase a license for them.