Animal Licensing

Licenses can be processed online or by U.S. mail only. For assistance, please contact staff@SVACA.com. Do not visit the Center unless instructed by SVACA staff.

Why License Your Animal?

Licensing is required by law: dogs and cats over four months must be vaccinated for rabies and licensed (licenses for cats in Mountain View are optional). Licensing helps quickly reunite lost animals with their owners by providing a unique ID tag linked to your contact information. If your licensed animal is found, staff or the finder can use the tag number to contact you directly. Licenses are non-transferable. For more information, contact us at staff@svaca.com.

How to License Your Animal

To license your animal, you’ll need proof of their current rabies vaccination and their spay/neuter certificate. Licenses cannot be issued for longer than the rabies vaccination is valid. We have 1-year and 3-year licenses available. See below for pricing.

Web Licensing

You can license dogs and cats from Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Santa Clara, as well as dogs from Mountain View, through our online system. Senior citizen licenses and Mountain View cat licenses are only available by mail. For more information, contact staff@svaca.com.

Steps for Online Licensing:

1. Confirm your city using the Property Assessment Information System.

2. Have your rabies vaccination certificate, spay/neuter certificate, and a Visa, MasterCard, or Discover card ready.

3. Proceed to Web Licensing.

By Mail

Complete the Animal License Application and mail it to SVACA (3370 Thomas Road, Santa Clara, CA 95054), using a check or Visa/MasterCard for payment.

Note: Refunds are not available after the license is processed.

License Fee Schedule*

*Altered means female animals are spayed, male animals are neutered.
**Campbell, Los Gatos, Mountain View, and Santa Clara animals must be altered.

Don’t Be Late!

Animals must be licensed by 4 months of age, within 30 days of acquisition or residency, or within 60 days of a license expiration. Failure to do so may result in a Late (Delinquent) Fee.

Senior Citizen Licensing Information

• Monte Sereno: No license fee for the first dog or cat for owners 65 or older. Fees apply to additional animals.
• Mountain View: No license fee for one spayed/neutered dog for owners 65 or older. Fees apply to additional animals.
• Campbell, Santa Clara, and Los Gatos: No license fee for one spayed/neutered dog or cat for owners 65 or older. Fees apply to additional animals.

Please note that senior citizen licenses are not available through the web licensing option and must be processed by mail.

License Tag Replacement

Lost tags can be replaced with a written request and a $5.00 processing fee. Please note that the original tag is not reissued annually; replacement tags are provided only if lost or if the printed information changes.

Rabies Vaccination

To receive an animal license, you must provide proof of a current rabies vaccination. If you already have this documentation, please follow the instructions above to license your animal online or by mail. If your animal's rabies vaccination is not up to date, you may be eligible for our rabies vaccination clinic. Check your eligibility here.

Spay and Neuter

Spaying and neutering your dogs and cats leads to happier, healthier animals with key benefits, including fewer animals entering shelters, improved health and longer lifespan for your pets, and lower licensing fees for owners and reduced animal control costs for taxpayers. Check here to see if you qualify for our spay and neuter clinic. 

Update Your Information

It is important for us to have your current information so please contact us at staff@svaca.com if your animal is lost, deceased, given away, stolen or if you have moved or changed phone numbers 

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