Find out the dog laws for your city
Many cities around the metro require dog licenses and have limits to how many dogs and cats are allowed per household. To receive a dog license, and even where licenses are not required, you need proof of the rabies vaccination for each dog and cat. Licenses help animal control and other city officials get your lost pets back to you in case you ever lose track of them. Click your city below to learn more about local dog laws.
Cities
Albertville
All dogs over 6 months old need a license. 1-year, 2-year and 3-year licenses are available and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
More than 2 dogs per household requires a special license.
Andover
All dogs require a license. 1-year and 2-year licenses are available and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Anoka
Dogs and cats require a license, and proof of the rabies vaccination is needed to get a license.
No more than 3 combined dogs and cats are allowed per household.
Apple Valley
Dogs are required to be licensed, but cats are not. The 2-year license requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
More than 3 dogs or 3 cats in a household requires a kennel license.
Arden Hills
Dogs and cats over 3 months old require a license. The 2-year license requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
If you have more than 2 dogs per household, you need a kennel license.
Belle Plaine
Dogs over 6 months old need to be licensed. The license lasts the lifetime of your dog and requires proof of the rabines vaccination.
Big Lake
Dogs are required to have a license. Licenses last for the dog's lifetime and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Blaine
All dogs over 6 months require a license. The license lasts 2 years and requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
The maximum number of dogs per household is 3.
Bloomington
Dogs and cats over 6 months old are required to be licensed and wear license tags. A license requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Brooklyn Center
Dog licenses are not required in the city of Brooklyn Center, but all dogs must wear ID tags.
Brooklyn Park
Dogs and cats need to be licensed. A license requires proof of the rabies vaccination and lasts as long as the vaccination.
No more than 3 animals over 6 months old are allowed per household.
Burnsville
Dogs, cats, ferrets and chickens over 6 months old need to be licensed. Getting a license requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Centerville
Dogs and cats do not need to be licensed.
Champlin
All dogs need to be licensed. Licenses last 2 years and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Chanhassen
No license required. Dogs and cats must wear ID tags and be vaccinated for rabies.
No more than 2 dogs, 3 cats, or a combination of 4 pets are allowed per household.
Chaska
Dogs over 6 months need to be licensed. Yearly licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 2 dogs or 2 cats are allowed per household without a kennel license.
Coon Rapids
Dogs must be licensed and cats must be registered in Coon Rapids. Dog licenses are good for one year and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
3 or more dogs or cats per household requires a multi-pet license.
Corcoran
No licenses are required, but dogs and cats must wear ID tags and be vaccinated for rabies.
Cottage Grove
Dogs and cats over 6 months old need to be licensed. Yearly, 2-year and 3-year licenses are available and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
More than 3 dogs or cats per household requires a multi-pet license.
Crystal
A license is needed for dogs and requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 3 dogs, 3 cats, or a combination of 2 dogs and 2 cats are allowed per household.
Dayton
Dogs need to be licensed. 1-year and 2-year licenses are available and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Deephaven
Dogs need to have a license.
A household with more than 2 dogs over 6 months old requires a special permit.
Eagan
All dogs over 4 months old require a license. 2-year licenses are available at various businesses in Eagan and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Up to 3 combined dogs, cats, ferrets or rabbits are allowed per household.
Eden Prairie
A 2-year license is required for all dogs and requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Edina
A yearly dog license is required in Edina. You can add to the license the option to use the Van Valkenburg off-leash dog park. Licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Elk River
Dogs and cats over 6 months old need to be licensed. Licenses last 2 years and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Elko New Market
All dogs require an annual dog license, which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Excelsior
All dogs over 6 months old need to be licensed. Licenses last 1 year and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Farmington
Dogs in Farmington need to be licensed. Lifetime and 2-year licenses are available and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Each household is allowed up to 2 dogs unless you move to Farmington with more than 2.
Fridley
All dogs over 6 months old need a license, but cats do not. Licenses last the lifetime of the dog and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Golden Valley
No pet licenses are required.
No more than 3 dogs are allowed per household.
Greenwood
Dogs require a 1-year license. Requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Ham Lake
Dogs are required to be licensed. License requires proof of the rabies vaccination and lasts the lifetime of the vaccination.
No more than 2 dogs are allowed per household without a private kennel license.
Hastings
Dogs need to be licensed. Licenses are renewed bi-annually and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Hopkins
Dogs over 6 months need a license and it requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Inver Grove Heights
Dogs over 6 months need to be licensed. Licenses are renewed bi-annually and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 3 dogs are allowed per household without a kennel license.
Independence
All dogs need to have a lifetime license which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Lakeville
Dogs in Lakeville need a license that is renewed every 2 years. Licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Little Canada
All dogs are required to have a license renewed every 2 years. Licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 3 dogs or cats are allowed per household.
Long Lake
All dogs over 6 months old need to be licensed. Licenses are renewed annually and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 2 dogs over 6 months old are allowed per household.
Maple Grove
Dogs do not need to be licensed in Maple Grove, but they do need to wear ID tags and be vaccinated for rabies.
Maplewood
All dogs over 3 months old need a dog permit. Cats do not need a permit. Permits last 2 years and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Depending on your zone, each household is allowed up to 1 or 2 dogs or cats.
Medina
If you have 8 acres or less, you can have no more than 3 dogs. On over 8 acres, you can have up to 4 dogs.
Mendota Heights
Dogs are required to have a license renewed annually. Cats do not need a license.
Minneapolis
Licenses are required for all dogs, cats and ferrets over 4 months old. 1-year, 3-year and lifetime licenses are available.
No more than 4 pets are allowed per household.
Minnetonka
No license is required for dogs or cats. However they do need ID tags and the rabies vaccination.
Each household is allowed no more than 2 dogs, 5 cats, or 5 dogs and cats combined.
Minnetonka Beach
Dogs need to be licensed which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 2 dogs, 2 cats, or a combination of 1 dog and 1 cat are allowed per household.
Monticello
All dogs over 6 months old need to be licensed. Licenses are good for 2 years.
No more than 3 dogs are allowed per household without a kennel license.
Mounds View
All dogs over 6 months old need a license. Licenses are renewed every 2 years and require proof of the rabies vaccination. Cats do not need a license.
No more than 2 dogs over 6 months old are allowed per household without a kennel license. Kennel license allow for up to 4 dogs over 6 months old.
New Brighton
No license is required, but dogs and cats must wear tags that show proof of the rabies vaccination.
New Hope
Licenses are required for all dogs, cats and ferrets. The licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination and last as long as the vaccination.
No more than 3 dogs and 3 cats over 6 months old are allowed per household.
Mound
No license is required for dogs or cats.
New Prague
All dogs over 6 months old need a license which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 3 dogs are allowed per household
North Oaks
All dogs and cats over 6 months old need to be licensed. The license requires proof of the rabies vaccination and lasts until the vaccination expires.
North St. Paul
All domesticated animals need a license. Annual licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 2 dogs are allowed per household without a kennel license.
Northfield
Pets do not need to be licensed. Dogs and cats both need to be vaccinated for rabies, and dogs must wear ID tags.
Norwood Young America
Dogs must have a license renewed annually, which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Oak Grove
No pet licenses are required.
No more than 3 dogs are allowed per household.
Orono
No pet licenses are required as of 2017.
No more than 2 dogs or 4 cats are allowed per household.
Osseo
Dogs are not required to be licensed, but they must always wear ID tags.
Otsego
Licenses are not required, but all dogs must be vaccinated for rabies.
Plymouth
Dogs do not need a license.
Each household is allowed no more than a combination of 4 dogs and cats over 6 months old, with no more than 2 being dogs.
Prior Lake
Dogs and cats over 3 months old require a license. Annual licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 3 dogs, 3 cats or a combination are allowed per household without a kennel license.
Ramsey
Dogs and cats over 6 months old need a license, which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Richfield
A license is required for all dogs over 6 months old.
Each household is allowed up to 2 dogs or 2 cats without a kennel license. Even with a kennel license, no more than 3 dogs are allowed on any property.
Robbinsdale
A 2-year license is required for all dogs, which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 3 dogs over 6 months old are allowed per household.
Rockford
All dogs over 6 months old require a 2-year license. Licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Rosemount
Dogs, cats and ferrets need to be licensed. Licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination and expire when the vaccination does.
Roseville
All dogs and cats need to be licensed. 2-year and lifetime licenses are available and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
To have more than 2 dogs, you need a multiple pet license and written permission from neighbors.
Savage
All dogs and cats over 16 weeks old need to be licensed. Annual licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 3 dogs or 3 cats are allowed per household.
Shakopee
All dogs over 6 months old residing in Shakopee need to be licensed, as well as any dog that uses the Southbridge Off-Leash Dog Park. Annual and lifetime licenses are available and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Shoreview
All pets must be licensed. Licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination and expire when the vaccination does.
No more than 3 dogs, cats, or pigs are allowed per household, and no more than 4 animals combined.
Shorewood
Annual licenses are required for all dogs over 6 months old.
No more than 2 dogs are allowed per household without a kennel license.
South St. Paul
A license is required for all dogs and cats over 6 months old. Licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 4 cats are allowed per household. One dog over 6 months old is allowed per 2,500 square feet of property.
St. Anthony
Licenses are required for all dogs over 6 months old.
More than 2 dogs over 6 months old per household requires a kennel license.
St. Louis Park
Dogs in St. Louis Park need to be licensed. 1-year, 2-year and 3-year licenses are available and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
St. Michael
Dogs over 6 months old need a license, but cats do not. 2-year dog licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 2 dogs are allowed per household with a kennel license.
St. Paul
An annual or lifetime license is required for all dogs. Licenses can be purchased at various pet businesses and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
Stillwater
Dogs over 6 months old need an annual license, which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 3 dogs are allowed per household without a kennel license.
Tonka Bay
A yearly license is required for all dogs over 6 months old, which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Vadnais Heights
All animals over 6 months old need a license. 2-year licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination.
No more than 3 domestic animals are allowed per household, with no more than of 2 them being dogs, without a kennel license.
Victoria
Dog licenses are no longer required in Victoria.
Waconia
Dogs do not need to be licensed, but they must wear ID tags at all times.
Wayzata
All dogs over 6 months old need a license. 1-year and 2-year licenses are available and require proof of the rabies vaccination.
To have more than 2 dogs per household you need to get a kennel license.
West St. Paul
An annual license is required for all dogs and cats.
A total of 3 dogs, 3 cats, or 4 pets combined is the limit per household. To have more pets, you need a special permit.
White Bear Lake
Dogs need a 2-year license, but cats do not need to be licensed.
No more than 3 dogs are allowed per household without a kennel license.
White Bear Township
All dogs need a 2-year license, which requires proof of the rabies vaccination.
Woodbury
All dogs over 6 months old require a dog license. 2-year licenses require proof of the rabies vaccination and also allow access to the off-leash dog park. Cats do not need to be licensed.
Zimmerman
All dogs over 6 months old need to be licensed yearly, which requires proof of the rabies vaccination. Cats do not need a license.
No more than 2 dogs are allowed per household.
*Laws can change, please check with your city to ensure current dog laws.