Guide · Barcelona
Pet census in Barcelona: deadline, requirements and cost
In short
If you live in Barcelona, you must register your dog or cat in the Municipal Census Register within three months of its birth or within thirty days of acquiring it or changing residence. Beforehand you need the microchip and the health document. According to the Ajuntament, registration is free of charge.12
What do I need before registering my pet?
The first thing is to identify the animal. Electronic identification of dogs, cats and ferrets is mandatory, and the microchip is implanted by a vet at their clinic or centre.1 That is why the chip and the census go hand in hand: without a chip you cannot start the procedure.
According to the Ajuntament, before registering the animal you must obtain the microchip and the health document.1 Ask for that document at the veterinary clinic where they fit the chip.
How is the registration done?
The Ajuntament refers to an online procedure on the Oficina Virtual for registering the animal, and on that page it does not describe an in-person route.1 If you are looking for how to register your dog or your cat in Barcelona, that is the official starting point.
There is one limitation: we have not been able to read the content of the procedure on the Oficina Virtual, so this guide does not detail steps, forms or alternative channels such as an appointment or postal mail. Some private portals describe them, but they are not confirmed by the Ajuntament. Confirm the current procedure on its website.
What happens to the data after registration?
According to the Ajuntament, the municipal census data is passed to the Generalitat's general register of companion animals, which is public.1
That regional register offers three procedures: registration in ANICOM by registered veterinary staff, notification of identification by veterinary staff, and notification of data by the owner or keeper.2 That page is for guidance and does not state deadlines or costs, so we do not give them.
This guide does not cover penalties, licences for potentially dangerous dogs or regulatory changes, because we have not read an official source that allows us to state them with certainty.
Frequently asked questions
What if the pet is lost or changes owner?
If you lose your pet, the Ajuntament says you can call the CAACB (934 283 125 or 934 284 417) or use its municipal lost animals search tool. The official pages we have read do not explain how to report a deregistration, a change of holder or a death, so this guide does not go into detail. Check the procedure on the municipal animal welfare website.
When is it a veterinary emergency?
This guide deals only with the census and does not include emergency criteria. If your animal is in a situation that worries you, call your veterinary clinic or a veterinary emergency service as soon as possible.
- Authorship
- Mejores Barcelona, text generated and verified automatically
- Updated
Sources
- Tinença responsable (Identificació i cens)https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/benestaranimal/ca/tinenca-responsableAccessed: October 12, 2026
- Registre general d'animals de companyia (tràmits, data d'actualització 20.06.2022)https://tramits.gencat.cat/ca/tramits/tramits-temes/Registre-general-danimals-de-companyiaAccessed: October 12, 2026
Related services and areas
Do you run a veterinary care centre in Barcelona? Here is how appearing here works
Each area has a partner centre space, always marked with the Sponsored label, where a single centre appears with its details and receives the requests from that area.