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License Online
Licensing Ordinance
All dogs 4 months of age and older must be licensed with Costa Mesa annually. All dogs within the City for over 30 days must also be licensed with Costa Mesa.
View the complete Costa Mesa ordinance
Instructions to License Online
Ready to purchase your license? If you would like to license online, a convenience fee of $2.00 will apply for each transaction. Any required documents, such as your pet’s rabies vaccination certificate, may be scanned and uploaded or submitted later by fax, mail or email. The license will be issued after all required documents are received.
If you prefer to pay by another method, click here to view your other payment options.
Required Paperwork
- A current rabies vaccination certificate is required to be submitted for all new licenses, and for renewal licenses if the rabies vaccination on file has expired or will expire soon. Please check your certificate for correct address and pet information.
- Proof of spay/neuter, such as a signed statement from a veterinarian or an invoice for services, is required if the dog has been altered since the last licensing period and you are applying for the lower spayed/neutered license fee. Proof of spay/neuter may also be indicated on rabies vaccination certificate.
- Proof of age, such as a copy of a driver’s license or government ID, is required to receive the discounted fees for senior citizens age 62 and over.
Your paperwork will not be returned to you, so please retain a copy of your documents for your records.
License Fees
Fees effective 7/1/2025
| Standard License Fees | 1-Year | 3-Year | Late Fee |
| Spayed/Neutered Dog | $25.82 | $77.46 | +$12.91 |
| Unaltered Dog | $82.64 | $247.92 | +$41.32 |
| Senior citizens age 62 and over | 1-Year | 3-Year | Late Fee |
| Spayed/Neutered Dog | $10.00 | $30.00 | +$5.00 |
| Unaltered Dog | $40.00 | $120.00 | +$20.00 |
| Other Fees | |||
| Replacement Tag Fee | $5.00 | ||
The cost for licensing unaltered pets is higher than for licensing spayed or neutered pets in order to promote sterilization and to reduce pet overpopulation.
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Download License Application (PDF format)
*To use as an electronic fillable form, open in Adobe Reader. |
Due Date
Payment for your license is due within 30 days of the expiration of your current license.
A late fee is due 30 days after the license expiration date. The late fee is 50% of the applicable one-year license fee.