Registration & Pet Ownership
Registration process
Under the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998, all cat and dog owners must complete a 2-step process to register their pet.
STEP 1 – Microchip your pet
Dogs and cats must be microchipped by the time they are 12 weeks old. This includes animals to be sold or given away.
It's an offence to sell or give a pet away that is not microchipped. If you are buying or have been given a companion animal, make sure it’s microchipped. It’s the seller’s responsibility to microchip the animal before it goes to its new home.
If your pet isn’t microchipped, contact your local vet or Council Customer Services on 02 4993 4100 to speak with a Ranger to organise free microchipping.
Note: this is for one or two animals only, there are fees involved for litters. These can be found in council’s Fees and Charges.
STEP 2 – Register your pet
Dogs and cats must be lifetime registered by the time they are 12 weeks old, or immediately upon transfer of ownership (whichever happens first).
Registration payment is due on the day ownership is transferred (unless the previous owner has already registered the pet). This payment covers the pet for their lifetime, even if ownership changes.
You can register your pet through The Office of Local Government online Pet Registry, in person at Council, or by calling 02 4993 4100 with our customer service team.
You need a microchip number to register an animal. If you don’t know the microchip number of your pet, contact your local vet or our customer service team to book an appointment with a ranger.
Fees to register an animal vary. Additional fees apply if the animal hasn't been desexed by the relevant desexing age. See the fees on the Office of Local Government website for more information.
Setting up an account on the NSW Pet Registry
The registry now runs through Service NSW. If you don't have a MyServiceNSW Account, you will need to create one before you can access the Pet Registry.
As this is the account that pet owners and breeders need to log into the Pet Registry now, the details for the owner on the animal’s microchip need to match the details on their Service NSW account.
If you are needing to update details, you can complete a C3C Change of Address form to do so; even if your address hasn’t changed you can still use it to update email and contact numbers.
Once your details match, you should be able to log into the Pet Registry and link your companion animal. You will be able to do things such as update your animal’s details, mark as missing or found, and complete registration.
Fees and permits for non-desexed animals
In NSW, dogs are required to be desexed by 6 months of age, and cats by 4 months of age.
Consult your vet to see what the best option for your animal is, as they may need to be desexed after this age for multiple reasons. In this case, your vet can provide a letter of delayed desexing before the animal is above the applicable age.
More information can be found here
Working dogs
A working dog is a dog used primarily for the purpose of droving, tending, working or protecting stock, and includes a dog being trained as a working dog.
All working dogs must be microchipped and registered.
There is a no fee to register a working dog. To determine your eligibility, fill the Working Dog Assessment Form.
If a working dog is impounded, registration fees become applicable and must be paid prior to the release of the animal. More information on our Lost and Found Animals page.
Changing ownership of pet
Changing the owner of an animal can be completed by submitting a Change of Owner C3A form.
Change of owner forms are required to be submitted to council by the previous/‘old’ owner within 14 days of the change.
If you have purchased an animal and this has not been done, a statutory declaration can be completed in place of a C3A form if you do not have a copy of the form.
Responsible dog ownership
You or the person in charge of your dog must take precautions to prevent your dog from escaping your property. This means ensuring you have adequate fencing, gates remain locked or shut, and there are no holes or gaps where they can escape.
Your dog must be microchipped and registered, and must also wear a collar and tag when outside your property. The tag must show the name of the dog, as well as your address and telephone number.
Council has FREE metal dog tags available that you can have engraved with your pet's details! They can be ordered at Council’s Administration Building or by completing this online form.
Responsible cat ownership
Your cat must be microchipped and registered, and should have some sort of identification while they are in a public place (a collar with a tag with your address and contact details).
Cats don't need be contained within your property – they are entitled to roam. Cats are however prohibited from entering food preparation or consumption areas, or wildlife protection areas.
Cat curfew
Cat owners should consider keeping their cats indoors or imposing a ‘cat curfew’. Preventing your cat from roaming at night will limit nuisance to your neighbours, fighting with other cats or posing a risk to native wildlife.
Non-domestic animals in residential areas
Keeping animals other than domestic pets has the potential to compromise the wellbeing of the animal and the health or amenity of the surrounding neighbourhood.
Birds and other animals kept on any property must be kept in a way that ensures they don't create a public nuisance, an offensive odour, or unhealthy conditions. The Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 sets out standards for keeping poultry, pigs, horse and cattle (scroll to Part 5 of Schedule 2).
Failure to meet the standards can result in Cessnock City Council issuing an order limiting or prohibiting the keeping of birds and animals, or the order may place restrictions on the manner in which the birds or animals are kept.
Companion Animal Forms
Change of owner C3A – Use this form transfer pet ownership. This form should be handed into council by the ‘old’/previous owner; however it can be submitted by the new owner as well.
Companion animal registration R2 – Use this form to complete and pay registration for your companion animal.
Non-desexed cat and dog fees – Use this form to pay the additional fee for non-desexed dogs over 6 months old, or the annual permit for non-desexed cats over 4 months old.
Update your details C3C - Use this form to change your contact information and address.
Verification of existing microchip M1 – Use this form to verify an existing microchip. A vet or authorised identifier need to sign this form.
Permanent identification P1A – Use this form to permanently identify your companion animal on the NSW Pet Register. A vet or authorised identifier will normally complete this at the time of microchipping.
Desexing/Sterilisation Certificate – Your vet should provide this at the time of desexing. Submit this to council as soon as you receive it to receive discounted registration on eligible animals. (Cats must be under 4 months old, and dogs under 6 months upon date desexed to be eligible).
Delayed Desexing Letter – Your vet should supply this at the consultation they recommend you wait to have your animal desexed. If they don’t, ask for it. (The letter needs to be dated before 6 months for dogs, and before 4 moths for cats to be applicable for discounted registration).