With its abundance of outdoor public space, San Francisco is an ideal city for dogs. In fact, according to the Department of Animal Care & Control (ACC), there are 120,000 canines that call the City home. 

If your pet is among that number, the San Francisco Health Code requires that you obtain a dog license for your dog once he/she is over the age of four months. Licenses are available for one-, two- or three-year periods. When applying, you are also required to present your pet's rabies vaccination certificate, and the vaccination must be valid for the length of the chosen license period. If you and your dog have recently moved to San Francisco, you have 30 days to bring yourselves into compliance with the law, after which time you may be assessed a $10 fine. The same $10 fine applies if you've failed to renew your dog's license.

You can get up-to-date fee information from the Animal Care and Control Web site. Keep in mind that if you have adopted a pet from the City's shelter and were issued a "Young Dog Certificate" for an animal between two and four months old, you might be simply able to obtain a license in exchange for the certificate without paying a fee. Discounts also apply for animals that have been spayed or neutered or if you are a senior citizen (you are not required to submit an "Old Dog Certificate" for yourself, however). Copies of license applications may be easily downloaded from the City and County of San Francisco Web site. Even more convenient, you can actually apply for and renew licenses online. License tags will be sent to you by mail and renewal confirmations will be dispatched via email.

If you would rather take care of licensing in person, the following locations offer services:

• Treasurer & Tax Collector's Office
  (415) 554-6449
  1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110
  San Francisco, CA 94102