Dog and cat licenses in Pierce and Thurston counties

Unincorporated Pierce County

Pierce County code requires a license and a collar tag for an adult dog or cat off its premises. No more than five dogs and cats can be licensed at one residence. (Pierce County Code 6.04.010)

• Altered dog: $20. Altered cat: $12. (Pierce County Auditor, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Unaltered dog or cat: $55. (Pierce County Auditor, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Owner 62 or older, or disabled: $10 altered dog, $5 altered cat, $30 unaltered. (Pierce County Auditor, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Replacement tag: $5. (Pierce County Auditor, read Oct 19, 2026)

A license runs 12 months from the day it is issued, with no prorating. (Pierce County Code 6.04.020)

Renewing 30 to 59 days late adds $10 per license, and 60 days or more adds $20. (Pierce County Code 6.04.040, read Oct 19, 2026)

The Auditor application lists the infraction for an unlicensed pet at $246. (Pierce County Auditor, read Oct 19, 2026)

Buy at the Auditor's office at 2401 S 35th St, online, or through a listed agent such as Metro Animal Services in Puyallup. (Pierce County Auditor)

Tacoma

Tacoma licenses pets that live inside city limits on its own table, not at Auditor rates. New fees took effect September 1, 2025. (City of Tacoma)

• Altered: $40 dog, $30 cat. (City of Tacoma, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Unaltered dog or cat: $175. (City of Tacoma, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Owner 65 or older, owner with a disability, or in the TPU Bill Credit Assistance Program: $10 altered dog, $5 altered cat, $100 unaltered dog or cat. (City of Tacoma, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Late: $15 per license 30 days past expiration, $25 at 60 days. Replacement tag: $10, with one free each year. (City of Tacoma, read Oct 19, 2026)

The disability and TPU program rates cannot be done online, so I apply in person or by phone. The city table also lists pig rates. (City of Tacoma)

Lakewood and University Place

Lakewood licenses all dogs and cats over eight weeks. Licenses expire Dec. 31 and are due by Feb. 28, and guide and service animals pay no fee. (City of Lakewood)

• Lakewood: $20 altered dog, $12 altered cat, $55 unaltered, $4 juvenile under six months. (City of Lakewood, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Lakewood, owner 65 or older: $10 altered dog, $4 altered cat, $30 unaltered. (City of Lakewood, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Lakewood late renewal: $2 per license after Feb. 28. New licenses pay no late penalty. (Lakewood Municipal Code 6.06.040, read Oct 19, 2026)
• University Place: $24 altered dog, $15 altered cat, $65 unaltered. A juvenile from 8 weeks to 6 months pays the same $24 dog or $15 cat rate. (City of University Place, read Oct 19, 2026)(City of University Place, read Oct 19, 2026)
• University Place, owner 65 or older: $12 altered dog, $7 altered cat, $36 unaltered. Disabled owners pay the senior altered rates, and service and law enforcement dogs pay no fee. (City of University Place, read Oct 19, 2026)
• University Place replacement tag: $6. (City of University Place, read Oct 19, 2026)

University Place code leaves its pet fees to a council resolution. Resolution 988 set this table, effective Jan. 1, 2023. (University Place Municipal Code 8.10.030)(City of University Place)

Puyallup and the Metro Animal Services cities

Metro Animal Services licenses pets for Algona, Bonney Lake, Edgewood, Milton, Pacific, Puyallup and Sumner, through links for each city. (Metro Animal Services)

• Puyallup dogs: $20 altered, $60 unaltered. Cats: $12 altered, $60 unaltered. (Metro Animal Services, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Puyallup, owner 65 or older: $10 altered dog, $30 unaltered dog, $6 altered cat, $30 unaltered cat. (Metro Animal Services, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Replacement tag: $5. Late: add $10 at 30 to 60 days, $20 after 60. (Metro Animal Services, read Oct 19, 2026)

Puyallup code requires a yearly license for dogs and cats seven months or older and sets the same table. (Puyallup Municipal Code 8.04)

In Sumner, an altered dog costs $20 a year, or $10 for an owner 65 or older, since June 1, 2022. Sumner changed no other rates then. (City of Sumner, read Oct 19, 2026)

The other Metro cities link their own fee sheets, so I read the one for my city.

Thurston County and its cities

Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater require licenses for all dogs and cats in city limits. Unincorporated Thurston requires dog licenses, and cat licenses there are voluntary. Olympia also licenses pot belly pigs. (Joint Animal Services)

Each of those three cities sets its own license fee, and Joint Animal Services sells the city licenses. Olympia code leaves the amount to the council. (Joint Animal Services)(Olympia Municipal Code 6.04)

The County Auditor table covers unincorporated Thurston only, so I do not use it for a city address. (Thurston County Auditor)

• Dogs, unincorporated Thurston: $28 not spayed or neutered; $16 spayed, neutered or under 6 months. (Thurston County Auditor, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Cats, unincorporated Thurston: $18 not spayed or neutered; $10 spayed, neutered or under 6 months. (Thurston County Auditor, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Reduced fee (over 61 with low income, or disabled, out of work because of it, with low income): $24 unaltered dog, $6 altered dog, $16 unaltered cat, $4 altered cat. (Thurston County Auditor, read Oct 19, 2026)
• Replacement tag: $3. (Thurston County Auditor, read Oct 19, 2026)

In unincorporated Thurston, the fine for an unlicensed pet is $52. (Joint Animal Services, read Oct 19, 2026)

A license is good for one year from purchase. Bucoda, Rainier, Tenino and Yelm sell theirs at city hall. (Joint Animal Services)

Joint Animal Services sells licenses online, by mail, or in person at the shelter by appointment. (Joint Animal Services)

What I check before I pay

1. Which office sells the license for my address: the county, my city, or Joint Animal Services?
2. Is the pet altered, and does a senior or disability rate apply?
3. In Pierce County, am I at the five-pet limit for one residence?
4. When does the license expire, and what does a late renewal add?

Next

King County and Seattle prices are on King County pet licenses. For kennel and daycare permits, read which pet businesses need a permit.