Dog registration

It's the responsibility of the dog owner to register their dog before it's three months old, and renew registration each year; there is a fee for this. If you live in the Kāpiti Coast District, you must register your dog with the Kāpiti Coast District Council. Dogs registered after 31 July will incur a late fee. If you don't register your dog, you could be prosecuted and fined up to $3,000.

See Animal management fees for more information about:

• how much it costs to register your dog
• how your dog registration payment is used
• fines
• applying for a dog registration late fee waiver
• fee refunds on the death of a dog.

Register your dog – the first time

To register your dog for the first time, you have a number of options:

• Print the dog registration application form [PDF 80 KB], and complete it. Select the best option for you:
  • Bring it into one of our service centres and pay the fee in person.
  • Scan your completed form and email it to us. 
  • Post your completed registration form to us. See Payments to select the option that suits you to make your payment.

Send completed form to:
Kāpiti Coast District Council
Private Bag 60601
Paraparaumu 5254.

Once we've received your dog registration form and full payment, we'll issue your dog a long-life dog tag.

Been a registered dog owner in Kāpiti Coast before?

If you've owned a dog before and had an online dog account, you can register your dog through your online services account.

Subscribe to our dog owners' occasional email newsletter (we email this group only when there is important information to share, such as toxic algae alerts).

Renew your dog registration

If you've registered your dog with Kāpiti Coast District Council before, you'll receive a personalised re-registration application form in June. When you receive your re-registration form and invoice in the mail, carefully check all details and let us know if anything needs updating. Your form contains all the information you'll need for renewing registration online.

To renew your dog's registration:

• Use our Online Services Account portal. You'll need a debit or credit card and your dog owner ID (this can be found on your personalised re-registration form, or if you've misplaced it call us).Bring your personalised re-registration form into one of our service centres and pay the fee in person.
• If you've lost your form, or it hasn't arrived, contact us for a copy.
• Post your completed registration form to us. See Payments for other options to pay.
• Pay using internet banking to our Westpac account 03 0732 0306101 00. Use your owners ID, which you can find on the front of your registration form as the reference.

If you pay your dog registration through internet banking, we'll register your dog and you don't need to do anything more. If you need confirmation we’ve received your payment, email or call us.

Check that you've subscribed to our dog owners' occasional email newsletter (we email this group only when there is important information to share, such as toxic algae alerts).

Updating your dog registration details

We’re encouraging all dog owners to be environmentally friendly and receive their registration invoices by email, so if you need to update any details, or want to receive your registration invoice electronically, do get in touch.

You'll need to let us know in writing, so you can email us or stop into one of our service centres and complete your details with one of our friendly staff.

Our tags

We've moved to long-life dog tags. 

In 2022 we issued anodised aluminium dog tags, designed to last a dog’s lifetime, and a number of dog owners let us know about several issues, especially the noise created by the metal tags and the registration information rubbing off. We agree the aluminium tags have not performed as we’d hoped.

You can request an alternative to replace faulty tags, for example if your dog's registration data has rubbed off. The replacement tags are made in Aotearoa New Zealand from recyclable plastic and the registration data is stamped on. These new tags are guaranteed for five years but we expect them to last longer, and any that need replacing can be recycled by the manufacturer.

If your new metal tag is working well and you're happy with it, you don't need to do anything.

Requesting a replacement tag

To request a replacement tag, call or visit one of the Council service centres.