Does my dog need an ID tag? UK dog tag law explained

The rule comes from the Control of Dogs Order 1992. It says every dog “while in a highway or in a place of public resort shall wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on the collar or on a plate or badge attached to it.”

In plain English: when your dog is out in public, on a pavement, in a park or anywhere else the public can go, it needs your name and address on its collar or on a tag hanging from it.

Many owners leave the dog's name off, so a stranger can't call the dog by name. That's a personal choice; the law doesn't ask for it.

• Your name. Your surname on its own is fine.
• Your address. Your house number and postcode is the shortest way to fit it on a small tag.
• A phone number isn't required by law, but it's the quickest way for someone to reach you.

Microchipping and tags are two separate rules. All dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by the time they're 8 weeks old, and you must keep the microchip details up to date, for example when you move house. You can be fined up to £500 if your dog isn't microchipped.

GOV.UK is clear that a microchipped dog “must still wear a collar and tag with your name and address when in a public place.” A microchip can only be read with a scanner, usually at a vet or council, while a tag can be read by anyone who finds your dog.

The Order doesn't apply to:

• Any pack of hounds
• Dogs being used for sporting purposes
• Dogs being used to catch or destroy vermin
• Dogs being used to drive or tend cattle or sheep
• Dogs being used on official duty by the armed forces, HM Revenue & Customs or the police
• Dogs being used in emergency rescue work
• Dogs registered with the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

Not following the Order is an offence under the Animal Health Act 1981, and the owner (or whoever is in charge of the dog) can be fined. More importantly, a dog without a tag is much harder to get home quickly if it gets lost.

No. The Control of Dogs Order only covers dogs. But in England, cats must now be microchipped and registered by the time they're 20 weeks old, including cats that stay indoors. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, microchipping cats is optional. If your cat wears a collar, choose a quick-release one.

A QR pet tag lets anyone who finds your dog open its profile with their phone camera and contact you straight away. You can update the details any time, add medical notes and keep your phone number private if you want.

A QR code on its own doesn't show your name and address, so make sure they're on your dog's collar or on a tag as well. Plenty of owners use a QR tag alongside an engraved collar or a small engraved tag.