Tennessee Dog License Requirements

Tennessee does not run a single statewide licensing program, but state law lets counties or cities require dog licenses, and many do.

Tennessee dog license at a glance

What Tennessee law says

• Tenn. Code 5-1-120 lets counties license and regulate dogs and cats.
• Cities license dogs under their own codes.

How to find out if your Tennessee city or county requires a license

1. Check your city or county animal services or animal control website; it usually lists license rules and fees.
2. If you live outside city limits, check the county rules, which can differ from the city's.
3. Have your rabies certificate ready; local licenses almost always require proof of rabies vaccination.
4. Ask whether a microchip, spay/neuter proof or a multi-year license lowers the fee.

Licenses, rabies shots and microchips

Dog licenses and rabies vaccination usually go together: the license office or the veterinarian checks the rabies certificate before a tag is issued. See Tennessee rabies vaccination laws for the required age and booster rules. A license tag helps animal control return a lost dog quickly, and a microchip is a permanent backup if the collar comes off.

What happens if your dog is not licensed?

Where a local license is required, an unlicensed dog found at large can be picked up by animal control, and getting it back usually means paying impound fees and buying the license. Penalties are listed above where the state statute sets them; local ordinances often add their own fines. Leash and at-large rules are covered in Tennessee leash laws.

Sources

1. Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center: Tennessee dog laws
2. Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center: Table of state rabies vaccination laws