Dog Licensing

Per the Town of Wayland Bylaws, Chapter 91-2, all dogs 6 months or older must be licensed.  The dog license period in Wayland runs from January 1 - December 31 each year.

PLEASE NOTE:  DOG TAGS FOR 2024 WILL BE AVAILABLE MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2023. 

To register your dog on-line:

The Town Clerk's Office has recently signed on with Stellar Corporation out of Lexington to process dog registrations online.  To use this convenient feature, please click HERE

To register your dog via mail or at the Town Clerk's Counter:

If you would prefer to register your dog through the mail or in person, please download the dog registration application HERE

***********All dogs registered on line, or through the mail, your tag(s) will be mailed to you*************

If you have registered your dog in past years, and if you have a current rabies certificate uploaded to the system, you will not need to repeat this process.  However, if the rabies has expired since your last dog registration, or you are new to register your dog, you will be required to upload the rabies certificate in order to process the dog registration on line.

Vaccination, licensing and fees

Three or fewer dogs - All dogs six months and older, while residing in the Town of Wayland, must have a license. To obtain or renew the license, each dog owner must annually present proof of a current rabies vaccination. When a veterinarian determines that vaccination is inadvisable, the owner may present a veterinarian's certificate exempting an old or sick dog from vaccination for a stated period of time.

• New dogs. Within 30 days of acquiring a dog six months of age or older, each dog owner in Wayland must present proof of that dog's current rabies vaccination and obtain a license and dog tag from the Town Clerk.
• New puppies. Within six months of a puppy being born, each dog owner in Wayland must present proof of that puppy's current rabies vaccination and obtain a license and dog tag from the Town Clerk.
• New residents. A new resident who owns a dog six months of age or older must license it within 30 days after moving into Wayland. The Town Clerk will issue each dog a transfer license, upon the owner's surrender of a current license from another US jurisdiction and proof of current rabies vaccination. The transfer license is valid until the next regular licensing period.

Lost tags/replacement tags. Dog owners must replace a lost tag within three business days of the loss, by obtaining a replacement tag from the Town Clerk.

Tag exemptions for dog events and medical reasons.

A dog while actually participating in an official dog sporting or dog fancy event (if the event sponsors do not allow participants to wear tags) is exempt from the requirement that its license tag be affixed to its collar, provided that its keeper has the tag at the event and available for inspection by the DCO.

When a veterinarian determines that a dog cannot wear a collar for medical reasons, the dog is exempt until it recovers from the requirement that its license tag be affixed to its collar, provided that its keeper has the tag in his or her possession and available for inspection by the DCO.

Fees

License fees. The fees for licensing each dog are:

• Annual license fee for each neutered or spayed dog over six months old: $15.
• Annual license fee for each unaltered dog over six months old: $20.
• License fee for any dog younger than six months: none.
• Fee to replace lost dog tag: $5.
• Fee for transfer license: $5.
• Late fee: $25

License due date/late fee The application form for obtaining, renewing or transferring a license shall be distributed to each household no later than December 1 each year. Dog owners must return forms and fees to the Clerk by January 15 (or the first business day thereafter, if the 15 falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday). Any license renewed after this date is overdue, and the owner must pay a late fee in addition to the license renewal fee. The overdue license fee and the late fee may be added to the owner's tax bill or may be recovered through the imposition of a municipal charges lien on any property standing in the name of the dog owner, pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, § 58.

Four or more dogs - Anyone who owns or boards four or more dogs within the Town of Wayland must apply for and obtain a kennel license from the Town Clerk. (This requirement shall not apply to medical boarding by any licensed veterinarian practicing in the Town of Wayland.) To obtain or renew the license, the kennel licensee must present proof of current rabies vaccinations for each dog in the kennel older than six months. When it is off the kennel property, each dog in the kennel must wear a kennel tag, issued by the Town Clerk, affixed to its collar or harness.  For more information on four or more dogs, please contact the Town Clerk's Office.