Dog Licenses

All dogs 4-months or older must be licensed in the State of NH. You will need to bring in proof of current rabies vaccination. All dog licenses expire on April 30 in the State of NH as dictated by the NH Department of Agriculture (RSA 466:1). You will need to renew your dog's license annually by this date or penalties and fines will be issued per NH State law. There is a one-month grace period before the penalty begins. The penalty is $1 per month beginning in June (RSA 466:7). There may also be a $25 civil forfeiture fine issued which will be due 15 days after receipt of the fine (RSA 466:13). Please see the NH State Statutes below for further details.

The cost to license a dog:

  • $9 for an unaltered male or female
  • $6.50 for a spayed or neutered dog
  • $2 for the first dog belonging to a senior citizen over 65 years of age
  • $25 for a group (5 or more dogs at one address)

If a puppy is too young to be altered, the $6.50 fee will apply for the first license. Dog licenses are not prorated.

Dog license renewal notices will be sent to the address on the license on file. Dogs may be licensed by mail, drop box or online via our Payment Portal. If renewing online, be sure to include the previous year's two digits prior to the physical tag number (ex. Tag Number 1998 for 2019 = "19-1998" for online renewal purposes).

In an effort to go green and save on ink, paper and postage, the Salem Town Clerk's Office is collecting email addresses from residents in order to email the complimentary renewal notifications. Residents with email addresses already on record with the Town Clerk's Office will receive an email notification from EB2gov.com, our 3rd party collections company, to assist in the dog license renewal process. Within that email is a link directly to the EB2gov website to renew your dog's license. Should you not receive that email notification directly in your inbox, we recommend that you check any other folders associated with that email address, depending upon the security preferences of your internet/email provider and email software (i.e. Outlook, etc).

Please notify the Town Clerk's office if you no longer have your dog, your dog has passed away or you have moved out of the Town of Salem.

If you wish to register your new dog by mail/drop box, please submit the New Dog Registration Application (PDF), payment, and a copy of the most recent Rabies Vaccination Certificate.

NH State Statutes for Dog Licensing

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. Regardless of when the license is obtained, the license shall be effective from May 1 of each year to April 30 of the subsequent year.

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.