Sec. 5-7. License tags required for all dogs; conditions for issuance of tags.
- Every person owning, keeping, or harboring any dog over four (4) months of age within Miami-Dade County, Florida, or bringing any dog over four (4) months of age into this County shall, within thirty (30) days of the dog entering this County, register the dog with the Department and obtain a license tag, which the dog shall wear at all times.
- The Department shall require, as a prerequisite to the issuance of a license tag for any dog, satisfactory proof that such dog has been vaccinated against rabies in accordance with the provisions of § 5-6. The official certificate prescribed pursuant to § 5-6 shall be accepted as conclusive evidence as to the fact and time of vaccination, or a certificate providing that vaccination for rabies would endanger the health of the particular dog, as provided by § 5-6 of this chapter, may be accepted.
- Each license tag shall be renewed annually by the anniversary of the dog’s most recent rabies vaccination, even if the rabies vaccination is effective for more than one year. If the dog is not timely revaccinated, and the license tag not timely renewed, then the responsible party shall be subject to civil penalties in accordance with this chapter, but thereafter the due date for the renewal of the license tag shall be the anniversary of the untimely revaccination.
- License fees shall be established by implementing order approved by the Board of County Commissioners based on the following categories:
- Sterilized dog;
- Intact dog;
- Sterilized dog owned by an indigent person as defined by implementing order approved by the Board of County Commissioners; and
- Replacement for a lost or damaged license tag.
- Service animals shall be exempt from license fees.
- It shall be a violation of this section to fail to timely register a dog, to fail to timely obtain or renew a license tag, or to fail to have the dog wear the license tag.
- The Department may issue a courtesy notice before the dog is due for registration or the license tag is due for renewal. It is provided, however, that issuance of a courtesy notice shall not be deemed to be a prerequisite to enforcement of the provisions of this section.
- Any person who is fined under this section for an intact dog may have the penalty reduced to the level of a sterilized dog by having the dog sterilized within thirty (30) days of receipt of the civil violation notice.
6. Exemptions. This section shall not apply to greyhounds kept, maintained or brought into the County for the purpose of racing at licensed greyhound tracks, or to dogs used as part of entertainment acts when properly controlled, or to dogs that remain in the County for a period of less than thirty (30) days.
Failure to comply: $150.00 fine for unsterilized dogs (plus a $10.00 surcharge), $50.00 fine for sterilized dogs (plus a $10.00 surcharge).
Rabies vaccinations and licenses may be obtained from a Veterinarian or at Miami-Dade Animal Services Shelter located at:
7401 NW 74 Street Miami, Florida 33166
Vaccination Hours:
Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday/Sunday10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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