Pet microchipping in Singapore: cost, process and where to go

A friendly note first: this is general information, not a diagnosis. If you think your pet is in danger, please call a vet straight away. Vets would always rather hear from you early.

There is a grain of rice’s worth of technology standing between you and a very long evening of walking round the block, calling your dog’s name at the void deck. It’s a microchip, and since cat licensing became compulsory this September, both dogs and cats in Singapore need one.

What a microchip is (and isn’t)

A microchip is a tiny transponder, about the size of a grain of rice, that sits under your pet’s skin. When a vet or shelter passes a scanner over it, it shows a unique ID number. That’s all it does.

It is not a GPS tracker. It won’t tell you that your cat is three blocks away sulking under a car. It works when someone finds your pet, takes them to a vet or shelter, and scans. And AVS is blunt about the catch: a chip that isn’t registered can’t be traced to an owner.

Why AVS requires it

Under the Animals and Birds (Licensing and Control of Cats and Dogs) Rules 2024, all cats and dogs in Singapore must be licensed, and a microchip is a step in getting that licence. AVS says licensing exists for traceability, including when there’s a disease outbreak such as rabies. For dogs this has long been the case. For cats, the two-year transition ended on 31 August 2026, and keeping an unlicensed pet cat is now an offence.

The order of operations, per AVS: microchip your pet, complete the free online Pet Ownership Course (first-time applicants only, about 20 to 30 minutes), then apply on the Pet Animal Licensing System, PALS. The full licence picture, including fees, lives in our dog and cat licence guide.

What happens at the clinic

Short version: it’s mostly paperwork. A licensed vet implants the chip under the loose skin between your pet’s shoulder blades using an injector. AVS describes the process as similar to a routine vaccination, and most pets react accordingly: a flinch, an offended look, then a hunt for the treat jar.

Two things worth asking for. First, ask the vet or nurse to scan the chip and read the number back to you. Second, get that number in writing. You’ll need it later, and nobody enjoys photographing a vet’s scanner screen while holding a wriggling Pomeranian.

Any clinic on our vet directory can tell you whether they chip on a walk-in basis or by appointment. Many people simply add it to a vaccination or sterilisation visit, which saves a trip.

How much does it cost?

There’s no official price, because clinics set their own. Consumer cost guides in Singapore have commonly quoted somewhere around S$50 to S$90 for a dog or cat, but treat that as a rough guide rather than a quote. Prices vary by clinic. Call two or three clinics and ask for the all-in figure, including any consultation fee.

Some good news: shelters and breeders often chip before you take your pet home, so check your adoption paperwork before paying twice. AVS has also run free cat microchipping drives, and its Pet Cat Sterilisation Support (PCSS) programme covers microchipping for eligible lower-income households (see spay and neuter costs). Drives change, so check AVS rather than relying on us.

After the chip: registering and keeping details current

The chip is only useful if the licence behind it is right. A few things AVS expects of licensees:

• Update your address on PALS within 28 days if your pet moves.
• Transfer the licence on PALS if the pet changes hands.
• Cancel the licence on PALS if your pet goes missing, is exported, or passes away.

If your pet came pre-chipped from a shelter or breeder, ask for the chip number and make sure the licence ends up in your name rather than the previous keeper’s.

ISO 11784/11785: the standard you’ll hear about

AVS strongly recommends chips that conform to ISO 11784 or 11785, the international standard. It matters most if you ever travel with your pet, because many destinations expect an ISO-compliant chip. Ask your clinic which standard they use before you book.

Renting, HDB and condo: does the chip change anything?

No. The chip is about identification, not permission. AVS is explicit that a licence isn’t approval to keep a pet at your premises: that’s between you and HDB or your estate management. Our guides to HDB-approved dog breeds and cats in HDB flats cover that side.