Who needs a licence, and when
Every dog kept in Singapore has to be licensed, regardless of breed, size or whether it ever leaves the house. The licence is issued by the Animal & Veterinary Service, which sits under NParks, and it is tied to the individual dog rather than to you — so a dog that changes households needs its licence transferred.
Practically, the licence is one of three things that go together: the licence itself, a microchip, and (for HDB residents) making sure the dog is of a breed you are permitted to keep. Missing any of the three creates a problem, and the third one is the one people discover too late — after the dog is already home.
How many dogs can you keep?
The one-dog rule in HDB flats is a large part of why Singapore's dog population skews so heavily toward small breeds — and why the grooming market here is dominated by Shih Tzus, Poodles, Maltese and doodle crosses rather than by the larger breeds common elsewhere.
Approved breeds and Project ADORE
HDB maintains a list of approved small breeds that may be kept in flats. Separately, Project ADORE (ADOption and Rehoming of Dogs) permits adopted local mixed-breed dogs — Singapore Specials — to be kept in HDB flats subject to conditions including sterilisation, microchipping and adoption through a participating partner. If you are considering adopting a local mixed breed into a flat, check the current Project ADORE conditions directly rather than relying on second-hand summaries, as the scheme's terms have changed over time.
- HDB flat: a maximum of 1 dog of an approved small breed, plus up to 2 cats
- Private property: a maximum of 3 dogs or cats in total, in any combination
- Specified dogs (the controlled-breed list) may not be kept in HDB flats at all
- Only one Specified dog may be licensed per private premises
- AVS can consider requests to keep more than three animals on private property, subject to conditions
- HDB has stated a penalty of up to $4,000 for keeping an unapproved animal in a flat
Licence fees
These are AVS's published rates for each of your first three dogs. The gap between sterilised and non-sterilised is deliberate policy — a financial nudge toward sterilisation — and it is far wider than most owners expect. Over two years it is $25 against $165.
The row people miss is the last one. A sterilised dog can be licensed once, for $35, for the rest of its life. No renewals, no reminders, no lapsed licence. That option does not exist for a non-sterilised dog, which has to be relicensed every one, two or three years at $90, $165 or $230 a time. For a dog with ten years ahead of it, that is the difference between $35 and roughly $800.
| Licence period | Sterilised | Non-sterilised |
|---|---|---|
| One year | $15 | $90 |
| Two years | $25 | $165 |
| Three years | Not offered | $230 |
| One-time — life of the dog | $35 | Not offered |
What changes on 1 September 2026
Nothing changes for dog owners on that date — the fee structure above already applies. The 1 September 2026 deadline is about cats, and it matters here only because an HDB flat may hold up to two of them alongside your dog.
Cat licensing became mandatory under the Cat Management Framework, with a two-year transition running from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2026 during which all cat licences are issued free. AVS states that it will be an offence to keep an unlicensed pet cat from 1 September 2026 onwards. If there is a cat in your household, license it inside the free window.
Microchipping
Your dog needs a microchip before it can be licensed — the licence application asks for the chip number. A microchip is a small implant placed under the skin between the shoulder blades, usually by a vet, and it carries a unique number that links to your contact details in a registry.
The part owners forget is the registration, not the chip. A microchip whose registered details still point at the breeder, the previous owner, or a phone number you changed three years ago does nothing useful if your dog is found. Update the details whenever you move or change number.
The course you have to sit first
This is the step most guides still leave out. AVS states that first-time cat or dog licence applicants will be required to complete the online Pet Ownership Course before applying for a new licence. It is free, it is done online, and it is a prerequisite — not a recommendation you can skip and come back to.
If you have licensed a dog in Singapore before, this does not apply to you; it is aimed at first-time applicants. If this is your first dog, do the course before you sit down to fill in the PALS form, because discovering it halfway through the application is how a fifteen-minute job turns into an evening.
How to apply
Applications are made online through PALS, the Pet Animal Licensing System, on the AVS website. The process is short if you have the right information ready before you start.
Renewal and changes
Licences need renewing before they expire, and AVS sends reminders to the contact details on file — which is another reason to keep those current. You also need to update AVS when you move house, when a dog is rehomed or transferred, and when a licensed dog dies. None of these are onerous, but they are all easy to forget.
- Your completed Pet Ownership Course, if this is your first licence
- Your dog's microchip number
- Breed, colour, sex, date of birth and name
- Sterilisation status, and the vet's documentation if sterilised
- Your identification and residential address
- Your payment method — choose GIRO, online or AXS for the 10% rebate
The rest of the responsible-ownership rules
Licensing is the paperwork. A handful of other rules apply day to day and are worth knowing, particularly if you are a first-time owner in Singapore.
- Dogs must be leashed in public places
- Specified breeds have additional requirements including muzzling in public
- Owners are responsible for cleaning up after their dog
- Persistent noise nuisance can result in complaints and enforcement action
- Dogs must not be left in conditions that compromise their welfare — including in vehicles in the heat
- Bringing a dog into or out of Singapore requires separate import or export permits
Where grooming fits in
None of the above is a grooming requirement — there is no rule that says your dog must be groomed. But two of Singapore's ownership realities feed directly into grooming needs. The HDB one-small-dog rule means most dogs here are small breeds with high-maintenance coats: Shih Tzus, Maltese, Poodles and doodle crosses all need regular professional grooming rather than an occasional bath.
And welfare obligations do have a grooming dimension. A severely matted coat causes pain, restricts movement and hides skin conditions underneath — it is a welfare issue, not a cosmetic one. Keeping a coat in reasonable condition is part of looking after the dog, and our grooming frequency guide sets out realistic intervals by coat type.
Official sources
Every figure on this page comes from the AVS pages below. Government fees and rules change — if you are about to pay or make a decision, check the source rather than this summary.