Your Licensing Guide

You may have entered your address incorrectly or we may not have your address in the address database for your community. Please double-check all spelling and ensure you are using the abbreviated form for your street type ex. St instead of Street. You may contact Whatcom Humane Society directly if you believe you reside within their jurisdiction but your address is not being accepted by the system.

Visit our Help Desk for more information: https://docupetinc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us

You may license in person at Whatcom Humane Society located at 2172 Division Street Bellingham WA 98226.

Please ensure you have all the required documentation in order to licence your pet. If you have all the records you need to proceed you can license your pet online, or in person at Whatcom Humane Society located at 2172 Division Street Bellingham WA 98226.

Licenses are required to be renewed prior to the expiration date each year.

Please visit Whatcom Humane Society in person as kennel licensing is not processed through DocuPet. They are located at 2172 Division Street Bellingham WA 98226.

Whatcom Humane Society provides licensing services for the following areas: Unincorportated Whatcom County, City of Blaine, City of Ferndale, City of Bellingham

As you are required to provide documentation to demonstrate proof that your pet has been spayed/neutered, our customer care team members are not able to review this documentation and therefore cannot process new licenses for spayed/neutered pets over the phone. You must license online where you can upload the required documentation, or present it in person at Whatcom Humane Society located at 2172 Division Street Bellingham WA 98226. Once we have documentation on file, we do not require it again, and thus, renewals can be processed over the phone.

Licenses in Blaine, Ferndale, and Bellingham expire exactly 365 days from the license start date. If you renew prior to the upcoming expiration date, your pet's new license will start the day after expiration, not on the date of purchase. Rabies must be valid during the time of renewal. 

Licenses in Unincorporated Whatcom County expire exactly 365 days from the license start date. If you renew prior to the upcoming expiration date, your pet's new license will start the day after expiration, not on the date of purchase.

You may renew your pet's license within 60 days of your pet's current license expiration date. If you renew prior to the upcoming expiration date, your pet's new license will start the day after expiration, not on the date of purchase.

License transfers may be granted in certain cases. Please visit Whatcom Humane Society in person to learn more.

All dogs over the age of 4 months in the cities and over the age of 7 months in the county are required to be licensed

Late fees come into effect if a license is not renewed within 30 days of the original expiration date.

No, there is no discount for licensing multiple pets. Each pet will be charged the appropriate licensing fee.

For all online orders a processing fee is applied on license purchases at a rate of 2.65% + $0.25 per transaction.

For all online orders, a processing fee is applied on license purchases at a rate of 2.65% + $0.25 per transaction.

Late fees come into effect if a license is not renewed within 30 days of the original expiration date.

If your community requires proof of spay/neuter for your pet in order to receive a discounted licensing rate, you will need to upload the appropriate documentation stating that your pet has been spayed/neutered to your online account. Once the documentation has been approved by Whatcom Humane Society, you will be eligible to receive the new discounted rate. Otherwise, you can visit Whatcom Humane Society in person at 2172 Division Street Bellingham WA 98226 and show proof of spay/neuter there.

Senior citizen ages vary by community. You must be 62 or older to qualify in Bellingham.

Please visit in person at Whatcom Humane Society located at 2172 Division Street Bellingham WA 98226 and they will be able to assist you.

We’re sorry! Unfortunately, unless you update your account to reflect that a pet is no longer in your care, we have no way of knowing. Have you already told us? You may have a duplicate account. Get in touch with your licensing organization or our DocuPet customer service team to update your record.

If you are moving, please be sure to update your address by logging into your online account and navigating to your Profile Settings page. Even though you are moving, you’ll still be able to keep your pet's tag and access your pet's online account. However, your current license may not be valid in the new community you are moving to. Please get in touch with the pet licensing provider in the new community you are moving to in order to find out more information.

We're sorry for your loss. You can update a pet's profile via your online account by editing your pet's profile and selecting 'Remove this Pet'.

The following species are required to be licensed in Unincorportated Whatcom County, Blaine and Bellingham: Dogs

The following species are required to be licensed in Ferndale: Dogs and Cats

Visit this page for information on licensing ordinances/bylaws: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=16.10

You will need to complete the required paperwork and visit Whatcom Humane Society in person to qualify for rabies exemption.

A rabies proof is required in Blaine, Ferndale, and Bellingham to prove that your pet has been vaccinated against rabies. A rabies proof identifying your pet as spayed/neutered or a spay/neuter proof may be accepted as documentation of sterilization.

You will need to complete the required paperwork and visit Whatcom Humane Society in person to qualify for the spay/neuter exemption.

To license your pet in Blaine, Ferndale and Bellingham, you will be required to show proof that the pet's rabies vaccination is current. Documentation is also required to verify that a pet has been spayed or neutered and must be provided in order to receive the discounted rate. Requiring documentation ensures that provided pet information is accurate, which is critical for identification and safety reasons.

If you can’t locate the document you received after the procedure was done, you will need to contact your vet to obtain your pet's records. Be sure to specify any and all pets you require documentation for.
Once you’ve got the paperwork in your hands, take a look to ensure:

• The document provided is the right type of proof required.
• Pet and pet owner account data matches your own.
• The document is clear and legible.

To license your pet in Blaine, Ferndale, and Bellingham, you will be required to show proof that the pet's rabies vaccination is current. Documentation is also required to verify that a pet has been spayed or neutered and must be provided in order to receive the discounted rate. Requiring documentation ensures that provided pet information is accurate, which is critical for identification and safety reasons.