Which Animals Must Be Registered
Under Article 19, Paragraph 1 of the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法), the central competent authority announces designated pets requiring mandatory registration. Under Paragraph 2, owners must register pet birth, acquisition, transfer, loss, and death with municipal authorities, implanting microchips and issuing identity markers:
| Animal Type | Mandatory Registration Effective Date | Statutory Background and Explanations |
|---|
| Dogs | August 5, 1999 (民國 88 年 8 月 5 日起) | Council of Agriculture (now Ministry of Agriculture) announced dogs as designated pets in 1999 (Year 88). |
| Cats | Included January 1, 2025 (114 年 1 月 1 日); penalties enforced January 1, 2026 (115 年 1 月 1 日起) | Ministry of Agriculture amended notice on December 16, 2024 (113 年 12 月 16 日) to include dogs and cats, providing cat owners a 1-year grace period. |
| Rabbits, Rodents, Birds, Reptiles | Currently not designated | Official notices designate strictly dogs and cats; other species remain governed by general animal welfare provisions. |
Ministry of Agriculture press releases on December 17, 2024 (113 年 12 月 17 日) noted that since 2021 (Year 110), annual new cat registrations have exceeded dogs. Zero exemptions exist for indoor cats; all domestic felines must be registered.
Registration Timelines and Penalties
| Event | Statutory Deadline | Legal Basis and Penalties |
|---|
| Initial Registration and Microchip Implantation After Birth | Within 4 months of birth date | Pet Registration Regulations Article 3 |
| Acquiring or Transferring Registered Pet, or Owner Moving Address | Apply for change registration within 1 month | Pet Registration Regulations Article 6 |
| Pet Loss | Report within 5 days; deemed deceased and canceled if unrecovered within 1 year | Pet Registration Regulations Article 7 |
| Pet Death | Cancel registration within 1 month of death | Pet Registration Regulations Article 8 |
| Violating Registration Deadlines Above | Administrative fine between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000 (3,000 元以上 1 萬 5,000 元以下); ordered to improve within deadline, with consecutive fines for failure to rectify. | Animal Protection Act Article 31, Paragraph 1, Item 8 |
Review urban safety rules in our air raid shelter guide, wildlife assistance in our snake and beehive removal guide, and emergency reporting via 1999 Citizen Hotline guide.
Registration and Microchipping Costs
| Fee Item | National Standard Fee (MOA Standards) | Taipei City Official Discounted Fee |
|---|
| Microchip, Collar Tag Cost and Implantation Labor | NT$300 | Microchip implantation uniform rate of NT$250 |
| Registration Fee: Spayed/Neutered Pet | NT$500 | NT$0 (Free) |
| Registration Fee: Intact/Unspayed Pet | NT$1,000 | NT$0 (Free) |
| Adoptions from Public Animal Shelters or Registered NGOs | Neutered: Free; Intact: NT$100 | — |
| Change of Registration Information | NT$100 | Per registration station notice |
| Loss and Death Reporting Registration | Free (NT$0) | Free (NT$0) |
| Lost Collar Tag or Certificate Reissuance | NT$50 | Per registration station notice |
| Reclaiming Impounded Lost Pet from Shelter | Shelter may charge daily feed and board fees of NT$200 per day | Per shelter notice |
Where to Register and What Documents to Bring
Pet registration is handled across hundreds of authorized veterinary clinics and municipal animal shelters:
- Required Items: Under Article 3 of the Pet Registration Regulations, present owner identification documents alongside fee payment receipts; in practice, bring your National ID card and payment.
- Taipei City Registration Network: Taipei Animal Protection Office partners with 297 contracted veterinary clinics across the city, maintaining uniform NT$250 microchip fees.
- New Taipei Mobile Registration Clinics: New Taipei Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office organizes over 200 free mobile registration events annually, pairing pet registration cards with New Taipei Citizen Digital Cards.
- 1959 Animal Protection Hotline: Dial 1959 across both cities for 24-hour stray animal rescue and pet welfare consultations.
Taipei and New Taipei Spay and Neuter Subsidies
Municipal animal protection offices offer substantial medical subsidies for spaying and neutering registered pets:
- New Taipei City (Year 2026 Guidelines; 115 年申請須知): Pet must complete registration, possess valid 1-year rabies certificate (optional for domestic cats), and hold a Pet Care Certification Card. Subsidies provide male NT$600 and female NT$1,200 (public shelter adoptions receive NT$1,000 / NT$2,000), submitted within 14 days of surgery.
- Taipei City Guidelines: Applications accepted between January 1 and December 20 annually for owners holding Taipei household registration and rabies immunization records; subsidizes male dogs/cats NT$800 and females NT$1,500.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must Indoor Cats Be Microchipped Even If They Never Go Outdoors?
Yes. Effective January 1, 2026 (115 年 1 月 1 日), all domestic cats must be microchipped and registered regardless of whether they stay strictly indoors; failure to register incurs statutory fines between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000 (3,000 元至 1 萬 5,000 元).
Is Rabies Vaccination Mandatory Before Pet Registration?
No. The Ministry of Agriculture separated registration databases from rabies immunization records; owners can complete microchip registration independently of vaccines.
Do Pet Rabbits and Hamsters Require Registration?
No. Official Ministry of Agriculture regulations mandate registration exclusively for dogs and cats.
What Should Be Done When Moving or Giving Dogs to Friends?
Under Article 6 of the Pet Registration Regulations, owners transferring pets or moving addresses must update registration within 1 month at veterinary clinics, paying a NT$100 statutory change fee.
Last updated: 2026-10-31. Public data compiled for general reference; contact the Ministry of Agriculture or municipal desks (Taipei 02-8789-7158; New Taipei 02-2959-6353).
Sources
- Laws and Regulations Database: Animal Protection Act (amended May 19, 2021; 110 年 5 月 19 日, verified 2026-10-31): Article 19 registration/microchip mandates; Article 31, Paragraph 1, Item 8 penalties of NT$3,000 to NT$15,000.
- Laws and Regulations Database: Pet Registration Regulations (amended April 12, 2017; 106 年 4 月 12 日, verified 2026-10-31): Article 3 4-month rule; Article 5 certificates; Article 6 1-month changes; Article 7 5-day loss reporting; Article 8 deregistration; Article 12 subsidies.
- Laws and Regulations Database: Pet Registration Fee Schedule (amended December 31, 2002; 91 年 12 月 31 日, verified 2026-10-31): Microchips NT$300; registration fees NT$500/NT$1,000; changes NT$100; replacements NT$50; shelter custody NT$200/day.
- Ministry of Agriculture Regulations: Designated Dogs and Cats Requiring Pet Registration (amended December 16, 2024; 113-12-16, Order No. 1130073005; 農護字第1130073005號, verified 2026-10-31): Official inclusion of cats under Animal Protection Act Article 19, Paragraph 1.
- Ministry of Agriculture Announcement: Mandatory Cat Registration Starting January 1 (published 113-12-17, verified 2026-10-31): January 1, 2025 rollout; 1-year grace period; January 1, 2026 penalty enforcement; independent rabies rules.
- Taipei City Animal Protection Office: Pet Registration Services (updated 2026-07-08; 115-07-08, verified 2026-10-31): 297 contracted clinics, NT$250 uniform microchip fee, registration station roster 1150707 (登記站名冊 1150707).
- Taipei Regulations Database: Pet Spay and Neuter Subsidy Guidelines (amended April 8, 2021; 110-04-08, verified 2026-10-31): Application windows (Jan 1 to Dec 20), Taipei household residency, and rabies immunization rules.
- New Taipei City Government: Mandatory Cat Microchipping Takes Effect (published 2025-01-01, verified 2026-10-31): Over 200 free mobile clinics, NT$3,000 to NT$15,000 fines, Citizen Card digital integration.
- New Taipei Animal Protection Office: 2026 Pet Spay/Neuter Application Guidelines (115 年, verified 2026-10-31): Qualifications, contracted hospitals, 14-day submission deadlines, subsidies of NT$600/NT$1,200 and NT$1,000/NT$2,000.
- Taipei City Animal Protection Office: 1959 Animal Protection Hotline (updated 2026-07-01; 115-07-01, verified 2026-10-31): 24-hour rescue hotline; general consultations 9:00 to 17:00 at 02-87897158.
- Ministry of National Defense All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency: Taiwan Safety Guide (published September 21, 2025, verified 2026-10-31): Pet emergency evacuation kits: pet food, carriers, leashes.
Related reading: Pet Death & Cremation in Taipei & New Taipei: Costs & Rules · Dog Leash and Dog Poop Fines in Taipei and New Taipei · Dog or Cat Bite in Taiwan: Wound Care and Rabies Shots · How to Get Rid of Fleas at Home With Pets in Taiwan
