Dog owners in Pennsylvania will pay more to license their pets in 2026.

The state’s Department of Agriculture said that dog license fees will increase $2 for the upcoming year and could rise another $1 in 2027 under legislation signed into law in 2023 by Gov. Josh Shapiro.

That law set the stage for the first major increase in the cost of dog licenses fees in a quarter century. It also eliminated discounts for spayed and neutered canines that in past years saved owners up to $2 annually.

Annual licenses will cost $10.80 for 2026 and can be purchased through county treasurer offices. The one-time cost to license dogs for their lifetime rises to $52.80.

Westmoreland County Treasurer Jared Squires said his office so far has not seen much reaction to the increase in license fees.

“We’re getting some emails, but not a heavy ton of them. We’re not seeing as many people do year-to-year licenses and we’re seeing more people going for lifetime licenses now,” Squires said.

Fines of up $500 can be levied to owners with unlicensed dogs, according to the state.

According to statistics from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, dog license fees generated more than $5.5 million for the state during the last fiscal year. Those funds are used to pay for the state’s dog law enforcement bureau, which licenses kennels, investigates puppy mills and the compiles a dangerous dog registry.

More than 692,000 dog licenses were issued by county treasurers 2024 including:

• Allegheny — 69,712

• Armstrong — 9,994

• Butler — 21,684

• Fayette — 10,936

• Washington — 16,009

• Westmoreland — 27,062

Local counties retain $1.80 for every annual license sold.

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