A dog license is the cheapest insurance policy for getting a lost dog home, and in Missoula County it has been required by law since 1896.

Here’s what you need to know, from Missoula Public Health’s Animal Services licensing page, checked Oct. 24.

What it costs

Puppies under 1 year: $15 (one-year license only).

Adult dogs, for a 1-, 2- or 3-year license:

• Spayed or neutered: $20 / $35 / $50
• Not spayed or neutered: $35 / $65 / $95

Owners 65 and older pay less, for a 1-, 2- or 3-year license:

• Spayed or neutered: $10 / $17.50 / $25
• Not spayed or neutered: $17.50 / $32.50 / $47.50

Inside Missoula city limits, households with three or more dogs need a multi-dog permit: $75 the first time, then $50 a year.

What you’ll need

Bring proof of a current rabies vaccination.

Puppies can only get a one-year license, so plan to renew when your puppy turns 1. A multi-year license for an adult dog saves money and means one less thing to remember each year.

Where to get one

• Online through the PetPoint licensing portal linked from the Missoula Public Health page
• In person at Missoula Animal Services, 6700 Butler Creek Road: Monday through Friday, noon to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. (closed major holidays)
• By phone with questions: 406-541-7387

Why it matters

Anyone can read a license tag without a scanner, which Animal Services says makes it the fastest way to get a lost dog home.

Animal Services uses PetHub smart tags to speed up returns, and a license shows that a stray dog has been vaccinated against rabies.

License fees are also the shelter’s primary source of funding, covering food, medical care, reunions and cruelty investigations. Animal Services reports that 94% of dogs brought to its shelter are reunited with their owners or adopted.

Skipping it can cost more than the tag: an unlicensed dog can bring a citation.

Graphic: Save Our Doggy

Sources

• Missoula Public Health, Animal Services licenses and permits (checked Oct. 24, 2026): missoulapublichealth.org