Dog registration

There are many ways you can register your dog. You can do it online or by popping into Council offices in Rolleston or one of our service centres in Darfield, Leeston and Lincoln.

It's an offence to have an unregistered dog. The infringement fee for unregistered dogs is $300.

Register your dog for the first time

If you have a new dog or have recently moved to Selwyn, you will need to register it with Selwyn District Council.You need to register your puppy before it turns three months old.

If you have moved to Selwyn district recently, you will need bring to us the dog tag from the other Council or another proof of registration, and we will give you our dog tag at no extra charge.

To register your new dog, fill in a dog registration form [PDF, 204 KB] and bring it to any Council Service Centre or email to us. Once we have received your form with all your dog's details we will calculate the outstanding dog registration fee due.

Registration fees for new dogs are based on a number of factors including the age of your new dog and any other dogs you may have. For more information on the fees and how to make the payment please check the Pay your dog registration page .

Following the payment of your registration, you will receive a metal dog tag, One Tag, which is your dog’s lifetime tag in Selwyn. See One Tag web page for more information.

Once your dog is registered you will then receive a re-registration notice automatically every year for the whole 12 month registration period.

You will be able to use our Dogs Online service for updating your details and paying dog registration. If you’re a first time user, you will need to set up your account by creating a username and password. To start with, you will need your customer number and owner number which you can find on your registration form.

Our main form of corresponding with our dog owners is via email, including sending out re-registration notices. So please make sure that your correct email address is held on our records.

Re-register your dog

All dog registrations in New Zealand expire on 30 June each year, regardless of when they were first registered.

You will receive your re-registration notice form via email or in hardcopy in your mailbox by 1 July each year. You will then have a month in which to make your best friends legal during the discount fee period. After 31 July you will need to pay a full fee. You can use Dogs Online for updating your details and paying dog registration.

For more information on the fees and how to make the payment please check the Pay your dog registration page .

In 2021 we introduced a metal tag (One Tag) which is designed to last your dog’s lifetime. One Tag replaced the old plastic tag that dog owners had to swap every year they renewed their dog’s registration. When you renew your dog’s registration, we won’t be issuing another tag.

If you need a replacement tag you can get a new One Tag by emailing us. Replacement tags cost $5.

See One Tag web page for more information.

Update your dog owner details

It's important to let us know of any changes to your dog registration record. In particular:

• If you change your address within Selwyn district you must let us know immediately. Just contact us so that we can keep your records current. You can also use Dogs Online for updating your details.
• If you have left Selwyn district completely, please let us know as soon as possible. Once we have taken you off our records, you might want to hold onto the One Tag in case you come back to Selwyn as you will be able to use the same tag again. When moving to another district you will need to get a new dog tag from the local council but it should be at no extra charge.
• If you have moved to Selwyn district recently, you will need bring to us the dog tag from the other Council or another proof of registration, and we will give you our One Tag at no extra charge.
• If you plan on coming back to Selwyn then the One tag can be held onto and resurrected when you return you can take the Selwyn dog tag into your new council and get a tag from them at no extra charge.
• When you sell or give your dog away, you have 14 days to provide us with the new owner's complete details. This must include the name and address of the new owner.
• While we understand how painful it can be if your dog passes away, you still need to let us know as soon as you are able to. We will refund a part of the fee, calculated on the complete months yet to run in the registration year if you tell us of your dog passing, in writing. This needs to be done as soon as possible to ensure you get the most out of your refund. If you don't wish to get a refund you can phone or email us.

If any of the above applies to you, please contact us.