Dog Licenses

    Annual registration with the Town Clerk of all dogs is required by State law. The licensing year runs from May 1st to April 30th.  Owners must provide proof that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies. Puppies should be registered after receiving their first rabies shot.  

Ordinance #2022-06 -

Ordinance #2022-06 - An Amendment to Title IV, Public Health, Safety and Welfare, Chapter VIII, Animal Control

Registration fees:                                                                                              

  • Puppy (4-7 Months): $7.50
  • Spayed or neutered dog*: $7.50
  • Unaltered dog: $10.00
  • Senior citizen dog: $3.00 (owner is 65 years old or older; first dog only)

*Owner needs to provide documentation of spaying or neutering.

Failure to license a dog is a violation of State law.  In addition to the annual license fee, the owner will be charged late fees ($1.00 per month after June 1st), and a civil forfeiture fee of $25.00 (as of June 12, 2017).  The civil forfeiture fee must be paid in order to avoid a summons to appear in court.

  Mail in/Online Registrations:

    Owners may register their dogs in person at the Town Clerk’s office or by mail.  If registering by mail, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a valid rabies certificate which has the name and address of the owner.  If applicable, also enclose a spaying or neutering certificate.  Dog licenses may be renewed in person, by mail or online via electronic check or credit card (VISA, MasterCard, AMERICAN EXPRESS or DISCOVER).  However, the online process cannot accommodate changes of ownership or address.

    To renew a dog license online, please click here:

    Please call the Town Clerk @ 432-1100 ext. 195 if you have any questions, if you wish to report that your dog is deceased, or if you no longer own the dog licensed to you.  The Town Clerk will update your record.

NH State Statutes:

466:1 Procuring License; Tag. – Every owner or keeper of a dog 4 months old or over shall annually, cause it to be registered, numbered, described, and licensed for one year in the office of the clerk of the city or town in which the dog is kept, and shall cause it to wear around its neck a collar to which shall be attached a metal tag with the following information thereon: the name of the city or town, year of issue of license and its registered number. The tag and license shall be furnished by the clerk at the expense of the city or town.

466:7 Additional Charge Where Payment of License Fee is Delayed. – In addition to the license fees provided in RSA 466:4, there shall be a charge of $1 for each month or any part thereof that the fees remain unpaid if said fees are not paid before June 1 in any year.

466:13 Forfeiture. – Whoever is the owner or keeper of a dog and who fails to license or renew the dog license pursuant to RSA 466:1 shall forfeit $25 to the town or city clerk of the municipality in which the dog is kept. If the forfeiture is not made to the town or city clerk within 15 calendar days of the notice of forfeiture, the case may be disposed of in a district court as a violation with a fine not to exceed $50, notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 651:2, IV. A Forfeiture shall not relieve the owner or keeper of the requirement of proper licensing of the dog as required by RSA 466:1.

A dog with a bone