General Information:  State law requires that you license your dog.  If a dog becomes lost, dog tags are a useful tool in reuniting the dog with its rightful owner.  Any dog over three months of age is required to have a license.  We hope you find the following information helpful and worthwhile. Should you have any questions about dog licensing, please do not hesitate to contact us.

When?  All dogs over 3 months of age must be licensed each year before the 31st of January. When you obtain an older dog you have 30 days to purchase a tag without paying a penalty. However, a tag should be purchased immediately in order to avoid possible Municipal Court non-licensure fines. Annual, 3-year, and permanent licenses can be purchased from December 1, 2022 through January 31, 2023. After January 31, 2023, annual, 3-year, and permanent licences, as well as new or renewal kennel licenses, can be purchased, but a penalty-fee will be applied to such purchases (the equivalent of a one-year license fee for a single dog and a one-year license fee for a kennel license), which must be paid at the time of registration.  No refunds are permitted.  

*** Registering Puppies:  A dog owner must obtain a license for a dog which becomes three months of age after January 1 and before July 1.  The owner has 30 days to file for a license for dogs within this criteria, with the fee being a full year's fee.

*** Registering Dogs from Outside Ohio:  Within 30 days, a dog owner must file for a license for all dogs brought into the State of Ohio.  If the dog is brought into the state before July 1, the fee is for a full year.  If brought into Ohio after July 1, the fee is one-half a full year's fee.

*** Transferring a Dog License:  A dog license may be transferred to a new owner.  To do so, the original owner must fill out a Transfer of Ownership Certificate, including the name and address of the new owner, and pay $5.00 to transfer the license.  (If a dog is deemed to be a dangerous dog, an additional form must be completed for the transfer of ownership.)

*** Change of Address or Telephone Number:  If there is a change of address within the County (and/or a change in telephone number), you may go to your account on-line at: On-Line Dog Licensing or call the Auditor's Office to update that information in the Dog License records.  If a dog becomes lost, the Auditor's Office will have the correct contact information so the dog can be more quickly returned to the owner.  If the change of addres is outside of Crawford County, please contact the Auditor's Office in that county to obtain licensing information. If you have a current Ohio license from another county, Crawford County will honor that license until it is expired. Please update your address with the former county.    

Cost? An annual dog license costs $18.00, a 3-year license costs $54.00, and a permanent license costs $180.00.  A kennel license costs $80.00.  You must be engaged in the business of breeding dogs with an active vendors license in order to qualify for a kennel license.

*** Late Registration:  If a license is not purchased by February 1; within 30 days of taking ownership of a new dog; within 30 days of a dog becoming three months of age; or within 30 days of a dog being brought into Ohio from another state, additional late-registration fees will be assessed.  These late fees will be equal to the standard single-dog annual registration fee or the standard kennel annual registration fee, and must be paid at the time of registration.

*** Duplicate Tags:  If a registration tag is lost, a duplicate can be obtained at the Auditor's Office for a $5.00 fee.

*** Disability/Service Dogs:  A dog owner can register a dog as a disability/service dog, provided the dog meets specific criteria.  Please contact the Auditor's Office for more details.

Where? Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, at the County Auditor’s Office in the Courthouse/County Administration Building, or by mail using the Dog License Application that you can print from the link at the end of this page.   Payment must be made by either cash, check, or money order.  (Duplicate tags, disability/service dog registration, new kennel licenses, and registration of dogs designated by the dog warden as a "nuisance, dangerous, or vicious dog" must be obtained at the Auditor's Office.)

You may also purchase an annual, 3-year, or permanent dog license (or renew a kennel license) on-line, with a credit card, by clicking on On-Line Dog Licensing.  This service is available year round. (A convenience fee will be charged by the service provider for this service -- $2.25 for each annual license, $3.75 for each 3-year license, $9.75 for each permanent license, and $5.75 for each renewal kennel license.)

Dog Licenses can also be purchased at the following locations, but only during the indicated timeframes (the agent is allowed by law to receive an additional fee of $0.75 per license):

Download: Dog License Search - Dog License Application