{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6524.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6524.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6524.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6524.html"}],"law_id":82658,"edition_id":1,"section_id":82658,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6524","catch_line":"Unlicensed dogs prohibited; ordinances for licensing cats","history":"1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.55; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.85; 1988, c. 538; 1993, c. 817; 2007, c. 640; 2008, c. 860.","full_text":"A\n\nIt shall be unlawful for any person other than a releasing agency that has registered as such annually with local animal control to own a dog four months old or older in the Commonwealth unless such dog is licensed, as required by the provisions of this article.B\n\nThe governing body of any locality may, by ordinance, prohibit any person other than a releasing agency that has registered as such annually with local animal control from owning a cat four months old or older within such locality unless such cat is licensed as provided by this article.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":296127,"text":"It shall be unlawful for any person other than a releasing agency that has registered as such annually with local animal control to own a dog four months old or older in the Commonwealth unless such dog is licensed, as required by the provisions of this article.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":296128,"text":"The governing body of any locality may, by ordinance, prohibit any person other than a releasing agency that has registered as such annually with local animal control from owning a cat four months old or older within such locality unless such cat is licensed as provided by this article.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15236,"edition_id":1,"name":"Rabies Control and Licensing of Dogs and Cats","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13170,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:14","permalink":{"id":198741,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15236,"identifier":"5","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13170,"edition_id":1,"name":"Comprehensive Animal Care","identifier":"65","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13169,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","permalink":{"id":198459,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13170,"identifier":"65","token":"3.2\/V\/65","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13169,"edition_id":1,"name":"Domestic Animals","identifier":"V","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12793,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","permalink":{"id":198133,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13169,"identifier":"V","token":"3.2\/V","url":"\/3.2\/V\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12793,"edition_id":1,"name":"Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food","identifier":"3.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":193939,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12793,"identifier":"3.2","token":"3.2","url":"\/3.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":86745,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6521","catch_line":"Rabies inoculation of companion animals; availability of certificate; rabies clinics","url":"\/3.2-6521\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6521","metadata":false},{"id":75503,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6522","catch_line":"Rabid animals","url":"\/3.2-6522\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6522","metadata":false},{"id":58007,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6523","catch_line":"Inoculation for rabies at public or private animal shelters","url":"\/3.2-6523\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6523","metadata":false},{"id":82658,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6524","catch_line":"Unlicensed dogs prohibited; ordinances for licensing cats","url":"\/3.2-6524\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6524","metadata":false},{"id":58238,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6525","catch_line":"Regulations to prevent spread of rabies","url":"\/3.2-6525\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6525","metadata":false},{"id":70250,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6526","catch_line":"What dog or cat license shall consist of","url":"\/3.2-6526\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6526","metadata":false},{"id":67259,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6527","catch_line":"How to obtain license","url":"\/3.2-6527\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6527","metadata":false},{"id":69325,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6528","catch_line":"Amount of license tax","url":"\/3.2-6528\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6528","metadata":false},{"id":65339,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6529","catch_line":"Veterinarians to provide treasurer with rabies certificate information; civil penalty","url":"\/3.2-6529\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6529","metadata":false},{"id":67095,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6530","catch_line":"When license tax payable","url":"\/3.2-6530\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6530","metadata":false},{"id":72870,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6531","catch_line":"Displaying receipts; dogs to wear tags","url":"\/3.2-6531\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6531","metadata":false},{"id":84654,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6532","catch_line":"Duplicate license tags","url":"\/3.2-6532\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6532","metadata":false},{"id":82312,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6533","catch_line":"Effect of dog or cat not wearing a license tag as evidence","url":"\/3.2-6533\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6533","metadata":false},{"id":84310,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6534","catch_line":"Disposition of funds","url":"\/3.2-6534\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6534","metadata":false},{"id":67692,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6535","catch_line":"Supplemental funds","url":"\/3.2-6535\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6535","metadata":false},{"id":80690,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6536","catch_line":"Payment of license tax subsequent to summons","url":"\/3.2-6536\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6536","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":58007,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6523","catch_line":"Inoculation for rabies at public or private animal shelters","url":"\/3.2-6523\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6523","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":58238,"structure_id":15236,"section_number":"3.2-6525","catch_line":"Regulations to prevent spread of rabies","url":"\/3.2-6525\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6525","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6524\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1984. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 492 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1984 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1987, chapter 488; in 1988, chapter 538; in 1993, chapter 817; in 2007, chapter 640<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 860<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":67259,"section_number":"3.2-6527","catch_line":"How to obtain license","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6527\/"},{"id":69325,"section_number":"3.2-6528","catch_line":"Amount of license tax","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6528\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":198755,"object_type":"law","relational_id":82658,"identifier":"3.2-6524","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6524","url":"\/3.2-6524\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6524\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/5\/3.2-6524","dublin_core":{"Title":"Unlicensed dogs prohibited; ordinances for licensing cats","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6524","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> It shall be unlawful for any person other than a releasing agency<\/span> that has registered as such annually with local animal<\/span> control to own a dog four months old or older in the Commonwealth unless such dog is licensed, as required by the provisions of this article. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The governing body of any locality may, by ordinance<\/span>, prohibit any person other than a releasing agency<\/span> that has registered as such annually with local animal<\/span> control from owning a cat four months old or older within such locality unless such cat is licensed as provided by this article. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNLICENSED DOGS PROHIBITED; ORDINANCES FOR LICENSING CATS (\u00a7 3.2-6524)\n\nA. It shall be unlawful for any person other than a releasing agency that has\nregistered as such annually with local animal control to own a dog four months\nold or older in the Commonwealth unless such dog is licensed, as required by the\nprovisions of this article.\n\nB. The governing body of any locality may, by ordinance, prohibit any person\nother than a releasing agency that has registered as such annually with local\nanimal control from owning a cat four months old or older within such locality\nunless such cat is licensed as provided by this article.\n\nHISTORY: 1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.55; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.85; 1988, c. 538;\n1993, c. 817; 2007, c. 640; 2008, c. 860.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}