---
title: "Grand Forks dog licences: fees and how to get one"
question: "How do I get a dog licence, and what does it cost?"
place: Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/grand-forks
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Grand Forks
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dog-licence/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dog-licence.json"
---

# Grand Forks dog licences: fees and how to get one

**Question:** How do I get a dog licence, and what does it cost?

**Short answer:** In the City of Grand Forks, a dog over four months old needs a licence once its owner has lived in the City for 30 days. The fee is $15 for a spayed or neutered dog and $25 for any other dog. Register online with DocuPet, at City Hall, or by mail.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Grand Forks, https://www.grandforks.ca)  
**Cost:** $15 for a spayed female or neutered male (with a veterinarian's certificate); $25 for an unneutered male or unspayed female; $100 for a kennel or hobby kennel; $2 for a duplicate licence if the original is lost (Fees and Charges Bylaw, Schedule O).  
**How long:** The City's page and the bylaws do not say when a licence expires or must be renewed. The bylaw calls the fee an annual fee; ask City Hall for the renewal date.  
**Where:**
- Online: DocuPet online portal, https://grandforksbc.docupet.com/en_CA/signup
- In person: City Hall counter, 7217 4th Street, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- By mail: Mail-in registration form (cheque payable to City of Grand Forks), City of Grand Forks, PO Box 220, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0
- Phone: City Hall, 250-442-8266

## Key facts

- **Licence required:** Yes. Anyone who has lived in the City for 30 days or more and owns, harbours or keeps a dog over four months old must pay the annual licence fee.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116, s. 3](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Every person who has resided in the Control Area for a period of thirty (30) days or more who owns, harbours, or keeps a Dog over the age of four (4) months within the Control Area shall pay the Collector an annual license fee"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Issued by:** The City of Grand Forks, through its licensing partner DocuPet (online), City Hall counter or mail-in form. Rural residents outside the City contact the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.
  - Source: [Dog Licensing, Dog Licensing page](https://www.grandforks.ca/dog-licensing/)
  - Official wording: "The City of Grand Forks has partnered with DocuPet to provide a simple online solution for dog owners." … "IF YOU LIVE IN A RURAL AREA, PLEASE CONTACT THE REGIONAL DISTRICT OF KOOTENAY BOUNDARY FOR DOG LICENSING INFORMATION"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fee, spayed or neutered:** $15 for a spayed female or neutered male dog, verified by a certificate from a veterinarian or other competent animal medical practitioner.
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958 (consolidated through Amendment A20, PDF), Schedule O, s. 2(a)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By1958Fees-and-Charges-CONSOLIDATED-through-A20.pdf)
  - Official wording: "For each neutered male or spayed female verified by a Certificate from a competent animal medical practitioner $15.00"
  - Source: [Dog Licensing, Dog Licensing page](https://www.grandforks.ca/dog-licensing/)
  - Official wording: "Spayed female or neutered male"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fee, not spayed or neutered:** $25 for an unneutered male and $25 for an unspayed female.
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958 (consolidated through Amendment A20, PDF), Schedule O, s. 2(b) and (c)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By1958Fees-and-Charges-CONSOLIDATED-through-A20.pdf)
  - Official wording: "For each male dog $25.00" … "For each female dog $25.00"
  - Source: [Dog Licensing, Dog Licensing page](https://www.grandforks.ca/dog-licensing/)
  - Official wording: "| Spayed female or neutered male | $15 | Unneutered male | $25 | Unspayed female" … "| Unneutered male | $25 | Unspayed female | $25 ## How to pay License Fees"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other fees and discounts:** Kennel or hobby kennel: $100. Duplicate licence if the original is lost: $2.
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958 (consolidated through Amendment A20, PDF), Schedule O, s. 2(d) and (e)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By1958Fees-and-Charges-CONSOLIDATED-through-A20.pdf)
  - Official wording: "For each kennel or hobby kennel $100.00" … "A duplicate license, whose original has been lost may be issued opon payment of two dollars."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Renewal:** Not confirmed. No document the handbook read gives a licence expiry or renewal deadline.
- **How to get one:** Online at GrandForksBC.docupet.com; in person at the City Hall counter (7217 4th Street); or by mailing the pet licence form with a cheque payable to City of Grand Forks to PO Box 220, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0.
  - Source: [Dog Licensing, Dog Licensing page](https://www.grandforks.ca/dog-licensing/)
  - Official wording: "Dog licensing is available online at GrandForksBC.docupet.com." … "Counter Service is available at City Hall if you prefer to register in person." … "residents may pick up a mail-in form and submit their registration by mail."
  - Source: [Pet Licence Registration Form, Pet Licence Form](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/260428-Grand-Forks-Pet-Licence-Registration-Form.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Please make cheques payable to City of Grand Forks"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine, unlicensed dog:** Not confirmed. No ticket amount is listed for an unlicensed dog.
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116 (licence required); fees are in Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958, Schedule O.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116, s. 1](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as the “Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116”"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958 (consolidated through Amendment A20, PDF), Schedule O](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By1958Fees-and-Charges-CONSOLIDATED-through-A20.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fees & Charges Bylaw No. 1958, 2014 (Consolidated for Convenience through Amendment A20) SCHEDULE "O" (Bylaw 1958-A18) Animal Control Services 1. Impoundment Fees (a) Impoundment fees for the first offence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf), a person who has lived in the City for 30 days or more and owns, harbours or keeps a dog over four months old must pay the annual licence fee. The fees are in the [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By1958Fees-and-Charges-CONSOLIDATED-through-A20.pdf), Schedule O. The City licenses dogs through its partner DocuPet; each registered dog gets a free tag linked to an online profile and DocuPet's HomeSafe lost-pet service.

## Steps

1. Register online at DocuPet, at the City Hall counter, or by mailing the pet licence form with a cheque to the City.
2. For the $15 fee, include a certificate from a veterinarian showing the dog is spayed or neutered.
3. Pay the fee. Put the tag on your dog.

## Good to know

- Licences are for dogs kept in the City. Rural residents outside the City should contact the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB).
- The sources read give no senior discount, early-payment discount, late fee or transfer fee. Impound fees are separate.
- No ticket amount is listed for an unlicensed dog. A conviction under the bylaw carries a court fine of $100 to $10,000.
- No more than three dogs may be kept on a residential property; see the pet limits answer.

## What you'll need

- Certificate from a veterinarian or other competent animal medical practitioner showing the dog is spayed or neutered, for the $15 fee

## Official forms and pages

- [Pet Licence Registration Form (PDF)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/260428-Grand-Forks-Pet-Licence-Registration-Form.pdf)
- [Dog Licensing page](https://www.grandforks.ca/dog-licensing/)

## Related questions

- [Grand Forks dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Grand Forks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/how-many-pets.md)
- [Grand Forks rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dangerous-dogs.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-licence.md)
- [Greenwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/greenwood/dog-licence.md)
- [Midway](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/dog-licence.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/dog-licence.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/dog-licence.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/dog-licence.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/dog-licence.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Licensing, City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/dog-licensing/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116 (PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958 (consolidated through Amendment A20, PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By1958Fees-and-Charges-CONSOLIDATED-through-A20.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Pet Licence Registration Form (PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/260428-Grand-Forks-Pet-Licence-Registration-Form.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 9 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Grand Forks. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dog-licence/_