Registering a dog’s microchip takes about five minutes and you only need two things: the chip number, and the right registry.
Most people get the first part and stall on the second. Here is the whole process.
1. Get the number
- Check your paperwork. The implanting vet, shelter or breeder gave you a certificate or a sticker with the number on it. It is usually 9, 10 or 15 digits.
- No paperwork? Call the clinic that implanted it. They have it on file.
- No idea who implanted it? Any vet, shelter or animal control office will scan for free. Ask them to read the number out and write it down there and then.
Ask for a universal scanner if they have one. A single-frequency scanner reports a chip it cannot read as no chip at all.
2. Find out where it already stands
Before you register anywhere, run the number through a lookup. One of three things comes back:
- Nothing at all. The chip is unregistered. This is common and it is exactly the problem you are here to fix.
- Someone else’s details. Usually the shelter, breeder or previous owner. You need a transfer, not a new registration.
- Your details, out of date. You need an update, which takes about a minute.
3. Register with the registry the chip belongs to
Every chip carries a manufacturer prefix, and each manufacturer has an associated registry. Match the first digits of your number:
| Prefix | Registry |
|---|---|
| 982, 9A1 | 24 PetWatch |
| 956 | AKC Reunite |
| 977 | AVID |
| 981, 0D0D, 0A1 | PetLink |
| 985 | HomeAgain |
| 7E1 | Buddy ID |
| 941 | Petkey |
| 991, 900, 990, 992 | Peeva |
Full list in the microchip prefix guide. A nominal fee is required — registries that verify ownership and staff a phone line have running costs.
4. What you will be asked for
- The chip number
- Your name, address, phone and email
- A second contact — do not skip this. It is who gets called when your phone is off, which is frequently the situation when a pet goes missing
- Your dog’s name, breed, colour and sex
- Your vet’s details, if asked
5. Confirm it actually worked
Do not assume. Look the number up again and check it returns you. A registration that silently failed looks identical to one that worked until the day it matters.
The part everyone gets wrong
A chip implanted at the vet is not a chip registered to you. Those are two separate events, and the second one is frequently never completed.
The implant gets recorded in the clinic’s file. Unless someone enrols the number in a registry with your contact details, a scan returns a number that leads nowhere. This is the single most common reason a chipped dog is not reunited — not a failed scan, an empty record.
The second most common reason is a record that was completed correctly and then never updated. Moving house and changing your phone number both break it silently.
Common questions
Does the vet register the chip for me?
Sometimes, sometimes not, and you cannot tell which without checking. Ask directly, and then verify with a lookup rather than taking it on trust.
How much does registration cost?
It varies by registry. Peeva is $54.95 a year or $249 for the life of the pet.
I adopted a dog that is already chipped. What do I do?
You need an ownership transfer, not a new registration. Registering the same chip again elsewhere creates two conflicting records, which is worse than one out-of-date one.
Can I register a chip without the paperwork?
Yes. All you need is the number, and any vet or shelter will scan for it free.
