Pet Licensing
Licensing Requirements
§ 59-3 License required. No person shall keep or harbor or suffer the keeping or harboring within the limits of the Borough of Madison any dog or cat of licensing age without first obtaining a license therefor to be issued by the Health Department of the Borough, upon application by the owner or some person on behalf of the owner and payment of the prescribed fee, and no person shall keep or harbor any dog or cat in the Borough except in compliance with the provisions for the control of animals contained in Title 4, Chapter 19, Sections 15.1 through 15.29 of the Revised Statutes of New Jersey and any amendments there.
Dog & Cat Application
Access the online application above, or by clicking here.
Download paper application by clicking here.
Make checks payable to and send payment & application to:
Borough of Madison
50 Kings Road
Madison, NJ 07940
Attention: Pet Licensing
Renewals are due by January 31, 2024. Late fees will be assessed after this date.
If you no longer have your pet or have moved, please email healthdept@rosenet.org so we can update our records. Please note, if you have moved you must license your pet in the municipality you reside.
Each pet licensed in Madison must have a rabies vaccine. For the 2024 license year, dog vaccine must be valid through November 1, 2024, for a 1-year license or November 1, 2026, for a 3-year license. For cats, rabies vaccine must be current at the time of renewal.
Municipal Licensing Procedures & Vaccination Requirements
Important information distributed by the New Jersey Department of Health requires that all New Jersey residents who own or harbor a dog 7 months of age or older are required to annually apply for and procure a dog license in the municipality where the dog is kept (N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.2). The expiration date for the dog licenses is set by the municipal government at any time over the first 6 months of the calendar year and can stagger expiration dates as long as all expirations occur no later than June 30 of the calendar year (N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.3a). In order to receive a license, the dog owner must supply a rabies vaccination certificate signed by the veterinarian and must extend through at least ten months of the twelve-month dog licensing period for a license to be issued. (N.J.A.C. 8:23A-4.2).
If the dog’s duration of immunity expires prior to the 10th month of the 12-month dog licensing period for that municipality, the dog must receive an additional rabies vaccination prior to licensure. It should be noted that administering a rabies vaccine before the duration of immunity of a previous vaccination has expired is not associated with an increased occurrence of adverse reactions in dogs or cats.
Municipal dog licensing officials shall grant an exemption to the vaccination requirement for a dog that a licensed veterinarian certifies in writing cannot be inoculated due to an infirmity, physical condition, or regimen of therapy (N.J.A.C. 8:23A-4.3). Such certification must be for a specific medical condition and not because the veterinarian or owner does not want to vaccinate the animal before the previous duration of immunity lapses.
Amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (hereinafter "the Act"), N.J.S.A. 4:22-17 et seq., were recently signed into law. The new legal requirements set forth in the Act apply to any individual who owns or has custody or control (hereinafter "caretaker") of a dog, service animal, or an animal that is a pet.
The following links include information on definitions, penalties, and a guide to avoid animal cruelty.
Cruelty; Certain Acts, Crime; Degrees Information