Online payment changes
Find out how to register your dog in Hutt City.
When to register your dog
You must register your dog:
- once it is 3 months old
- if you are moving to Hutt City with a dog
- within 28 days of adopting a new dog.
Before you apply to register your dog for the first time, make sure you have this information:
- Desexing certificate – if your dog has been desexed
- Microchip number – if your dog has been microchipped
- Your company name and GST number – if you have a working dog
- Adoption certificate – if you have adopted a dog from the SPCA or HUHA
- Customs clearance certificate – if you have imported a dog
- Certification from an authorised organisation – if you have a disability assist dog
Note: If your dog has been desexed, you'll need a photograph or scanned copy of your dog’s desexing certificate. You can upload this to your online application or bring it to us at our main building, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt.
These are dogs which are trained to assist a person with a disability and have been granted special legal rights under the Human Rights Act 1993 and the Dog Control Act 1996. The Dog Control Act 1996 provides for the authorisation of certain organisations to certify disability assist dogs, and the Department of Internal Affairs authorises these 7 organisations as certifiers:
- Assistance Dogs NZ Trust
- Blind Low Vision NZ
- Hearing Dogs NZ
- NZ Epilepsy Assist Dog Trust
- Mobility Dogs
- Perfect Partners Assistance Dogs Trust
- K9 Medical Detection NZ
Only dogs who have been certified by one of the above organisations can qualify to be classed as a Disability Assist Dog and be entitled to receive dog registration free of charge.
If you would like to register a new disability assist dog please fill out our online registration form and email animals@huttcity.govt.nz with a copy of their certification.
Registration fees
If you are registering your dog for the first time with HCC your registration fee will depend on the age of your dog and how long you have owned your dog.
A pro-rata fee will apply in the following situations:
- your puppy turns 3 months on or after the 1st of July. A fee is applied from the month the dog turns/turned 3 months of age.
- your dog is imported into NZ on or after the 1st of July (proof required). A fee is applied the month the dog arrived in NZ.
- your dog was adopted from the SPCA, HUHA or Ellies Canine Rescue and Rehome (proof will be required). The fee that applies is the month the dog turns 3 months or the month of adoption.
We offer a discounted fee if
- your dog is de-sexed
- you hold Responsible Dog Owner Status with Hutt City Council
Dog registration expires on 30 June every year and needs to be renewed. We’ll send you an invoice via email or post to advise you of the registration fee due, with payment due by 31 July.
Once we receive your payment we'll send you your One Tag (if it is a new registration) with your registration number that you can reuse each year.
If you lose your One Tag, you'll have to pay a fee to replace it.
Dog registration fees help us provide a safe and healthy community for all residents and dogs.
Council does not profit from dog registration fees - they are only used to provide a service to the city, and cannot be used for any other reason.
The fees pay for:
- the operation and maintenance of the HCC Animal Shelter
- dog control, including impounding wandering dogs, investigating dog attacks, minimising nuisances caused by dogs
- responding to public enquiries about dogs (we received over 3000 calls in 2022)
- dog patrols
- administration and maintenance of the Hutt City Council database and annual registration process
- maintaining national dog database records
- onsite dog behavioural advice
- signage and advertising of dog related issues
- providing dog poo bags at dog exercise areas
- taking legal action when required.
Hutt City Council was one of the first Councils in New Zealand that introduced One Tag -metal tags designed to last a dog’s lifetime. These tags were introduced in 2021 and have replaced the old plastic tag system where dog owners had a new plastic tag sent to them each year they renewed their dog’s registration.
The One Tag initiative aims to reduce the amount of plastic waste going to the district’s landfills as well as making the process easier for dog registrations to be renewed each year.
The tag is lightweight and comes in two sizes: 25mm and 35mm. The Hutt City Council tag is blue and the back of the One Tag is blank so you can get it engraved with your dog’s name or your contact details if you wish.
If you lose your One Tag, you can buy a replacement one at any of these locations:
- Main Admin Building, 30 Laings Rd, Lower Hutt
- Animal Services Building, 21 Meachen St, Seaview
- Koraunui Stokes Valley Community Hub, 186 Stokes Valley Road, Stokes Valley
- Wainuiomata Community Hub, 1a–1c Queen Street, Wainuiomata
- Or you can order a replacement One Tag online.
We will replace dog tags free of charge if tags fail due to durability. e.g. the paint wears off or the ring hole. We just require evidence of the failure, a photo will provide this.
If you have any questions, please contact us at (04) 570 6666 or email us at animals@huttcity.govt.nz.
When to renew your dog's registration
Dog registration fees are invoiced annually and renewed every year. The fee is discounted if it is paid by the 31st of July.
If your dog has been desexed since last year, you will need to provide a copy of the desexing certificate so we can amend the invoice before you pay. This needs to be done by the 30th of June.
If you have Responsible Dog Owner Status, your fee is discounted further.
If any of the details showing on your invoice are incorrect, you no longer have your dog, or you’re not living in Lower Hutt anymore, please email us at animals@huttcity.govt.nz and include your dog ID and person ID numbers found on your invoice.
You can renew and pay for your dog(s) online. Note: we no longer accept cheques or POLi payments.
To renew your dog registration, you need your Dog ID and Person ID from your invoice.
If you have more than one dog, you can re-register and pay for more than one dog at a time.
Owning more than two dogs in an urban area
If you live in an urban area and you want to keep more than 2 dogs over the age of 3 months, you need to apply online for a special licence and pay a fee. Refer to our fees and charges list.
Additional dog license application form
Alternatively, you can complete an application form and pay at the counter at the following council buildings:
- Main admin office, 30 Laings Rd, Lower Hutt City Council
- Koraunui Stokes Valley Community Hub, 184 Stokes Valley Road, Stokes Valley
- Wainuiomata Community Hub, 1A Queen Street, Wainuiomata
- Animal Services, 21 Meachen St, Seaview