Dog & cat registration
A simplified process for the registration of dogs and cats
The South Australian Dog and Cat Management Board in conjunction with councils have simplified the way your dog and cat microchip and registration details are managed. The Dogs and Cats Online website (DACO) is the central point for all your dog and cat information, including all microchip details, dog registration and payments.
Registering your cat(s)
While within the City of Adelaide area cats do not need to be registered, it is compulsory for:
- all cats to be microchipped
- all new generations of cats (born after 1 July 2018) to be desexed (exemptions apply).
Registering your dog(s)
In the City of Adelaide area it is compulsory for:
- all dogs to be microchipped
- all new generations of dogs (born after 1 July 2018) to be desexed (exemptions apply)
- all dogs over the age of three months to be registered.
These changes are designed to increase the likelihood of lost or impounded dogs and cats being reunited with their owners while reducing the number of unwanted and abandoned litters at pounds and shelters.
Once your dog is registered, you are required to update DACO as soon as possible if the following events occur (you do not need to call or email Council as well, we will see your update in DACO):
- the dog is moved to another premises
- the dog dies or is missing for more than 72 hours
- ownership of the dog is transferred to another person.
Failure to register a dog may mean that we are not able to return your dog if it escapes, and it is also an offence under the Act.
Registration categories
Dog registration categories have changed and now all dogs fall under one of these two categories:
Standard dog: A dog that is both desexed and microchipped.
Non-standard dog: all other dogs, even if they are exempt from desexing or microchipping requirements such as dogs belonging to registered breeders and working livestock dogs.
A copy of desexing papers must be uploaded into DACO for all Standard Dog registrations.
Registration fees
Animal registration fees are charged by the City of Adelaide and are used to fund a range of dog management services. Registrations are renewed annually and fees are capped.
Renewal notices are posted out from 1 July, with information on how to pay and update your details on the DACO online system. Dog registrations must be renewed by 31 August each year. A late fee may be applied if not paid by the due date and an expiation fee may also apply.
For current fees, please refer to the City of Adelaide fees and charges schedule.
Please note: a concession of 50 per cent applies to eligible benefits cardholders. For concession payments, proof of concession entitlement must be provided each year.
Making payment
Payment can be made online via the DACO website.
Remember: dogs must be re-registered by the 31 August each year. Please be aware that a late fee may be applied if not paid by the due date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Each July you are sent your renewal information to your selected contact method (Post, Email or SMS). You will receive a unique code which can be entered onto dogsandcatsonline.com.au (DACO), along with your surname, to make payment (email and SMS communications will have a direct link to pay). Concession card information can be entered into the system during this process and the fee will automatically be recalculated.
A step by step flyer will accompany your renewal notice to assist you to transition to the new registration database. Electronic instructions are also going to be available on DACO.
You will not be issued with a dog registration disc upon renewal. The dog registration disc that you received last year (or when your first registered your dog) is now valid for the life of your dog. You can pay to have a new disc sent to you if you misplace your original discs ($10.00) or alternatively you can have the dogs DACO number etched onto any tag of your choosing.
- your renewal notice
- an email address
- drivers Licence
- any concession cards
- certificates of microchipping/desexing if this has not been previously recorded
- credit card or access to electronic banking (BPay).
Note: If you are unable to pay electronically, you can visit our Customer Centre, 25 Pirie Street Adelaide, where a Customer Service Officer can assist you.
A Standard Dog - means a dog that is desexed and microchipped (exemptions apply).
A Non-Standard Dog - means any other dog.
In previous years Councils could give discounts for dogs who were either just microchipped or just desexed. This is no longer an option under the updated Dog and Cat Management Regulations 2017. Only those dogs who are both microchipped and desexed will receive discounted registration.
Concessions still apply to both Non-Standard and Standard registrations.
It’s easy! You can update your dogs details directly on DACO.
Yes, vets will input microchip/desexing info directly into DACO. Pet owners will also be able to input data and change details online themselves.
No. Dog tags and associated DACO numbers are now provided for the lifetime of your dog. A small fee will likely apply for a replacement tag which will be sent to you with the same DACO number that you originally had.
Log into your DACO owner account and select to replace your dog tag. Alternatively, you can get your own tag from any pet store and have the DACO number inscribed on the new tag.
In the sad event that your dog passes away, you can change the status of your dog on the DACO site yourself, or you can call our Customer Centre who can do this for you.
You cannot transfer your old dog details to a new puppy as each dog has an individual DACO record.
New dogs can be registered on DACO with supporting microchip and desexing documentation.
You can log into DACO, select 'transfer animals' on your record and select the animal which has been sold or given away. You then enter the new owners’ details, including phone number and email. DACO will give you a transfer code once initiated and this can be given to the new owner and they can then claim the dog record as their own within DACO.
You do not need to register your cat within the City of Adelaide area like you would a dog. Some Councils do require cat registration so please check with the local Council if you are moving area.
However, you do need to microchip your cat no matter where you live and need to enter those details online into DACO.
In the unfortunate event that your beloved pet should go missing, you can log in to DACO to report it as lost.
If a member of the public finds your pet they can visit the site, see that it is reported as missing and contact your through the method you have selected.
If you happen to find a dog or cat and it is wearing a registration tag you can visit DACO to see if the owner has reported it missing and attempt to get in contact with them.
Council Officers are available 24 hours to collect wandering / lost dogs that have been restrained. Please call the Council / After Hours Call Centre on 8203 7203.
Payment options include via the Dog and Cats Online website; Dog, Cat & Breeder Registration | DACO (dogsandcatsonline.com.au) and over the counter payments via our Customer Centre at 25 Pirie Street, Adelaide. If paying at Council, please bring your renewal slip.
As part of the changeover to Dogs and Cats Online, you can now enter your concession details and have them instantly verified , as long as the name on the concession card is the same as in DACO.
Please note, if you have a Health Care Card, or non-permanent pension card you will be required to re-apply for this concession through Dogs and Cats Online each year to receive the discounted fees.