Dog Registration Fees in Victoria 2026–27: Every Council Compared

What it actually costs to register a dog in Victoria, council by council. Victorian councils set their own registration fees, and Agriculture Victoria does not publish a comparison. We collected the published 2026–27 fee from each council’s own website and linked every figure to its source, so you can check it yourself.

The short version: registering an entire (not desexed) dog costs anywhere from $59.50 (Corangamite Shire) to $294 (Bayside City Council). A desexed dog costs between $19.50 and $93.30. The City of Melbourne has made registration free for 2026–27. Across the other 67 councils below, desexing cuts the typical annual fee by about $125.

Quick answers

How much does it cost to register a dog in Victoria?

It depends on your council. For 2026–27, registering a desexed dog costs $19.50 to $93.30 a year across the councils below (median $58), and a dog that isn’t desexed costs $59.50 to $294 (median $186). The City of Melbourne has waived its fees for 2026–27.

Why do fees vary so much between councils?

Each council sets its own fees, so the same dog can cost several times more in one council than the next. Desexing makes the biggest difference: it cuts the typical annual fee by about $125.

What does a restricted breed dog cost to register?

Much more. The median restricted-breed fee is $340 a year, and the highest are Frankston ($510) and Casey ($509). Most councils offer no pensioner discount on it. Maribyrnong, for example, charges $241. Each council’s figure is in the table.

When is dog registration due in Victoria?

The registration year runs from 10 April to 9 April, so renewals are due by 10 April. Puppies must be registered by three months of age.

Live in another state? See NSW, Queensland or every state compared.

Fees by council, 2026–27

Search for your council, or tap a column heading to sort. “Pensioner” is the concession rate for a desexed dog. A dash means the council does not publish that fee online.

^* Council’s most recently published fees; the page had not yet been updated for 2026–27 when we checked. ^† Frankston requires dogs to be desexed; the higher figure is the fee for a dog with a temporary veterinary exemption. ^‡ City of Melbourne has waived registration fees for the 2026–27 period; you must still renew by 10 April. Medians exclude Melbourne.

What drives the difference

Desexing is the biggest lever. Every council charges more for an entire dog, usually around three times the desexed rate. Councils set this deliberately to encourage desexing, and several will refund the difference if you desex within a set period after registering.

Metro councils charge more. The median desexed fee is $65 in metropolitan Melbourne against $50 in regional Victoria.

Restricted, dangerous and menacing dogs pay a separate, much higher fee, and most councils offer no pensioner concession on it. Some councils (Hume is one) charge declared menacing dogs the ordinary full fee instead.

Other common discounts apply to dogs over 10 years old, dogs registered with an approved breed organisation, dogs that have completed approved obedience training, and working stock dogs. Each council lists its own proof requirements.

How we collected this

Every figure comes from the council’s own fees page or, for a few councils that don’t publish fees on their website, the Australian Government’s ABLIS business register, retrieved on the date shown beside it. We did not use third-party summaries. Where a council publishes no figure for a category, we show a dash rather than estimate one. Councils update fees each financial year, so always confirm on your council’s page before paying.

This table covers 68 of Victoria’s 79 councils. The remaining 11, mostly small rural shires that do not publish fees online, will be added as we verify them. Spotted an error or an updated fee? Email privacy@thinkpets.com.au and we’ll correct it.

You may cite or link to this table. Please credit ThinkPets — Victorian Dog Registration Fees 2026–27 with a link to this page.