Dog Registration: New Registrations and Changes to Report... 2 Things to Check by October 31
The second voluntary animal registration period for 2026, running until October 31…
The second voluntary animal registration period for 2026, which runs until October 31, is a period for processing both the new registration of unregistered pet dogs and the reporting of changes to existing registration information. If a dog aged 2 months or older kept for companionship has not yet been registered, it is subject to new registration; if it has already been registered, one must separately check for changes in owner, address, or phone number, or whether the dog has been lost or has died. If animal registration or change reporting is completed within this period, fines resulting from such non-compliance will be waived.
Until October 31, first distinguish between 'unregistered' and 'information change'
The deadline for this voluntary reporting period is October 31. During this period, one can both newly register a dog that has not yet been registered and report changes to a previously registered dog. The two procedures have different starting points. If there is no registration number at all, it is a new registration; if registration exists but the situation of the person or the animal has changed, it falls under a change report.
The exemption of fines is also applied according to this distinction. If in an unregistered state, one should perform animal registration, and if already registered but changes have not been reported, one should perform a change report. Since one cannot simply leave information as is just by remembering that they registered once, the core of this period is to check whether the registration status and current information match respectively.
Dogs aged 2 months or older kept for companionship are subject to new registration
Under the current Animal Protection Act, dogs aged 2 months or older kept for companionship must be registered with the competent city, gun, or gu. If a dog kept at home meets this age criterion but has never undergone animal registration, one must follow the new registration procedure rather than a change report to correct an address or contact information. Guardians can distinguish their application type by first checking the dog's age and previous registration status.
Failure to register an animal may result in a fine of up to 1 million won. If new registration is completed within the voluntary reporting period, the fine for non-registration will be waived. Unlike cases where the information of an already registered dog has changed, it is worth noting that the necessary first step for an unregistered dog is the registration itself.
Owner, address, phone number, loss, or death are change reports following existing registration
Even for a pet dog that has completed registration, if the owner has changed or the guardian's address or phone number has changed, it is subject to a change report. Since registration information is managed separately from the dog's registration status, if old information remains after moving or changing contact details, one should use the change report path instead of performing a new registration.
Cases where a registered animal is lost or has died are also included in the changes that must be reported. If such details are not reported, a fine of up to 500,000 won may be imposed. Since change reporting during the voluntary reporting period waives the fine for such non-reporting, it is necessary to check not only the fact that a registration certificate exists but also the owner's information and the current status of the pet dog.
New registration is applied for at city, gun, or gu offices or at registered agency veterinary hospitals
New animal registration can be applied for at the competent city, gun, or gu office, and can also be done through animal registration agencies such as veterinary hospitals. Guardians of unregistered dogs can decide whether to use a nearby administrative window or a registration agency to apply. To find an agency, information on institutions can be checked on the National Animal Protection Information System.
For the registration method, one can choose between an internal type, where a microchip wireless identification device is inserted into the body, and an external type, which is attached in the form of a collar. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is recommending internal registration, citing concerns that external types may be lost or damaged. If preparing for a new registration, the difference between the two methods is an item to examine along with the application window.
Changes to existing information go to city, gun, or gu offices or the National Animal Protection Information System
The purpose and procedure of a change report differ from new registration. If there is a situation where existing records must be corrected, such as a change in owner, address, phone number, or the loss/death of a registered animal, one can report through a visit to a city, gun, or gu office or via the National Animal Protection Information System. Before deciding whether a visit to an administrative agency is necessary or whether to use an online route, it is easy to avoid confusion regarding the type of report by organizing the changed items.
The National Animal Protection Information System also serves as a window to check registration agencies. Therefore, if not yet registered, it can be used to find a nearby agency veterinary hospital, and if already registered, it can be used to check the reporting path for changes. Even when using the same system, the purposes differ: new registration for unregistered dogs and information correction for registered dogs.
Before the intensive inspection in November, check registration status and changes respectively
In November, following the end of the voluntary reporting period, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and local governments plan to intensively inspect whether animal registration and change reporting have been implemented, focusing on places where pet dogs frequently visit, such as parks and apartment complexes. Compliance with requirements under the Animal Protection Act, such as wearing leashes and identification tags, will also be subject to inspection.
The order of checking is simple. If a dog aged 2 months or older kept for companionship is unregistered, apply for new registration at a city, gun, or gu office or a registration agency. If already registered, check if the owner, address, or phone number has changed, or if there were changes to report such as loss or death, and then perform a change report through a city, gun, or gu office or the National Animal Protection Information System.
Reference Sources
- "Failure to register a pet results in a fine of up to 1 million won" : The Kookje Daily News
- Animal registration voluntary reporting period until October... non-registration fine waived | Yonhap News Agency
- "Fine of up to 1 million won waived upon dog registration"... Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs operates voluntary reporting period
- "Crackdowns will begin from November"... Register your pet dog, voluntary reporting in September-October
- Animal registration voluntary reporting period until October... non-registration fine waived
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