--- title: "Central Saanich dog licences: fees and how to get one" question: "How do I get a dog licence in Central Saanich, and what does it cost?" place: Central Saanich, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/central-saanich category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: District of Central Saanich sources_read: 2026-11-06 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/dog-licence/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/dog-licence.json" --- # Central Saanich dog licences: fees and how to get one **Question:** How do I get a dog licence in Central Saanich, and what does it cost? **Short answer:** In Central Saanich, every dog over four months old needs a licence from the District by February 28 each year. The regular fee is $30 for a spayed or neutered dog and $45 for one that is not. Late fees are $40 and $55. **Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Central Saanich, https://www.centralsaanich.ca) **Cost:** Regular fee: $30 spayed or neutered, $45 not. Late fee: $40 and $55. Replacement tag $5. The amounts come from the District's Pets and Wildlife page, because the Fees and Charges Bylaw could not be read. **How long:** A licence runs January 1 to December 31. Tags are permanent, but the licence must be renewed each year. The District mails a renewal notice by December. **Where:** - Online: Dog licence application, https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife/dog-licence-application (The District sets up your account and emails an invoice.) - In person: Municipal Hall, 1903 Mount Newton Cross Road, Saanichton, BC V8M 2A9 (You must come in to receive the tag.) - Phone: Finance Department, 250-544-4206 ## Key facts - **Licence required:** Yes. Anyone who owns or harbours a dog over four months old must licence it by February 28 each year, or right away if they become the owner after that date. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), s. 5.6](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf) - Official wording: "shall obtain a licence for the dog" … "on or before the 28th day of" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Issued by:** The District of Central Saanich (Finance Department, 250-544-4206). Animal control itself is done by the Capital Regional District. - Source: [Pets and Wildlife, Dog Licences](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife) - Official wording: "We issue permanent dog tags." … "Please call us at 250-544-4206" … "The CRD provides animal control services to our municipality." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fee, spayed or neutered:** $30 regular fee ($40 late fee). - Source: [Pets and Wildlife, Dog Licences fee table](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife) - Official wording: "Regular Fee - $30" … "Late Fee (after March 1) - $40" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fee, not spayed or neutered:** $45 regular fee ($55 late fee). - Source: [Pets and Wildlife, Dog Licences fee table](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife) - Official wording: "Regular Fee - $45" … "Late Fee (after March 1) - $55" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Other fees and discounts:** Late fee if unpaid by February 28 (the web page says after March 1): $40 spayed or neutered, $55 not. Replacement tag $5. New residents with a current licence from another municipality pay no fee this year but must notify the District. (Sources differ: Web page says late fee after March 1; bylaw s. 5.8 says the licence fee is due by February 28. The bylaw wins on timing. No seniors discount found.) - Source: [Pets and Wildlife, Dog Licences](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife) - Official wording: "Replacement tags are $5." … "Late Fee (after March 1) - $40" - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), s. 5.8, 5.17](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf) - Official wording: "shall be exempted from paying a licence fee in the current" … "not been paid by the 28th day of February" … "If the appropriate licence fee has not been paid by the 28th day of February of the licencing year" … "shall be exempted from paying a licence fee in the current year" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Renewal:** Licences run January 1 to December 31. Tags are permanent but still need annual renewal; the District mails a renewal notice by December each year. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), s. 5.9](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf) - Official wording: "shall expire on the thirty first day of December in that licence year" - Source: [Pets and Wildlife, Dog Licences](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife) - Official wording: "we will mail you a renewal notice by December each year" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **How to get one:** Submit the online dog licence application; the District sets up your account and emails an invoice. You must come to Municipal Hall to receive the tag. Renewals can be paid online. - Source: [Dog Licence Application](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife/dog-licence-application) - Official wording: "We will set up your account and send your invoice by email." … "You will need to come in to the Municipal Hall to receive your tag." - Source: [Pets and Wildlife, To pay](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife) - Official wording: "Just log in and click on your dog account" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine, unlicensed dog:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. - **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (licence required, s. 5.6). Fees are set in the Fees and Charges Bylaw (amended by No. 2267). - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), s. 14.1](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf) - Official wording: "Central Saanich Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021" … "The fees for dog licences in the Municipality shall be as outlined in the Fees and Charges Bylaw." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works The District of Central Saanich issues dog licences. Animal control itself is done by the Capital Regional District (CRD). Under the [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097](), anyone who owns or harbours a dog over four months old must licence it by February 28 each year, or right away if they become the owner after that date. The District issues permanent dog tags. ## Steps 1. Fill in the online dog licence application. Submit it separately for each dog. 2. The District sets up your account and emails you an invoice. 3. Come to Municipal Hall to pick up the tag. 4. In later years, pay your renewal online. The District mails a renewal notice by December. ## Good to know - Fees: $30 regular and $40 late for a spayed or neutered dog; $45 regular and $55 late for a dog that is not. - The web page says the late fee applies after March 1, but the bylaw says the fee is due by February 28. Pay by February 28 to be safe. - A replacement tag is $5. - New residents with a current licence from another municipality pay no fee this year but must notify the District. - No seniors discount was found. - The fee for failing to licence a dog is not confirmed for the current bylaw. Ask the District. See the bylaw fines answer for how tickets work. - Fees are set in the Fees and Charges Bylaw, which could not be read. Confirm amounts with the Finance Department at 250-544-4206. ## What you'll need - Proof the dog is spayed or neutered, if you claim the lower fee (confirm what the District accepts) ## Official forms and pages - [Dog licence application](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife/dog-licence-application) - [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026) (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf) ## Related questions - [Central Saanich dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/dog-leash-rules.md) - [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets.md) - [Central Saanich rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/dangerous-dogs.md) - [Central Saanich bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/bylaw-fines.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dog licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-licence.md) - [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/dog-licence.md) - [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dog-licence.md) - [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/dog-licence.md) - [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/dog-licence.md) - [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/dog-licence.md) - [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/dog-licence.md) ## Sources - [Pets and Wildlife, District of Central Saanich](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife) (read 2026-11-06) - [Dog Licence Application, District of Central Saanich](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/programs-services/pets-wildlife/dog-licence-application) (read 2026-11-06) - [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026) (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 8 of 9 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Central Saanich. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/dog-licence/_