Mandatory dog identification: microchip, tattoo and I-CAD
Mind the false friend: the identification microchip (a transponder that carries a number) has nothing to do with fleas, those parasites you treat with a spot-on pipette. Here we are talking only about administrative identification.
Why it is compulsory (and why it protects you)
The microchip is the only reliable link between a lost dog and its home: the whole official system (vets, shelters, pounds, the I-CAD database) traces this unique number back to call you. It is also a duty set out in the Code rural (art. L212-10): an unidentified dog exposes its keeper to a 750 euro fine, and no transfer, not even a gift between private individuals, is legal without identification.
Two deadlines, and the first one to arrive is the one that counts: before the age of 4 months, and before any transfer (sale, gift, adoption), even free of charge. A puppy bought from a breeder or adopted from a shelter is in principle already identified: check this on the transfer contract.
The steps, in order
Four actions are enough, and most are settled in a single visit.
Book an appointment with the vet
Implanting the microchip is a veterinary procedure, quick and painless once it is in place. An already legible tattoo remains valid: nothing to redo.
Check the I-CAD registration
The vet sends the number to the national database. Without this registration, the microchip is useless.
Keep your identification card
It carries your dog's number: it is your proof of keepership, valuable both at the pound and at a new vet's.
Keep your contact details up to date
Phone and address, to be corrected on i-cad.fr whenever they change. A microchip linked to an old number leaves your dog untraceable.
Depending on your situation
You are transferring or adopting the dog
- The change of keeper is declared to I-CAD: this is the step that officially transfers the dog to your name.
- Until this is done, the former keeper remains legally responsible for the animal.
- Hand over (or ask for) the transfer certificate and the identification number.
You are moving or changing your number
- Update your address and phone number on i-cad.fr.
- This is the number one cause of failure: the microchip is read, but the number called no longer exists.
Your dog has gone missing
- Report the loss on i-cad.fr or through the Filalapat app, with your identification number.
- There is no legal deadline: do it straight away. As soon as a vet or a shelter reads the microchip, you are flagged.
- Also alert the vets, the town hall and the shelters in the area.
You find a stray dog
- Have the microchip read for free at a vet's, a shelter or a pound.
- Call the town hall, which is responsible for stray animals, and report the found animal on i-cad.fr.
- You cannot legally keep it at home: reporting it protects its return to its real home.
The tattoo is still recognised if it is legible and was done before the switch to the compulsory microchip (3 July 2011). Since then, every new identification is done by microchip. To travel outside France, only the microchip (ISO standard) is accepted.
- Identification obligatoire des carnivores domestiques (art. L212-10), Code rural et de la pêche maritime
- Que faire en cas de perte d'un animal de compagnie ? (fiche F24029), service-public.gouv.fr
- Fichier national d'Identification des Carnivores Domestiques et application Filalapat, I-CAD
- Les missions du maire concernant les chiens et les chats, Ministère de l'Agriculture
- Loi n° 2021-1539 contre la maltraitance animale (cession, changement de détenteur) (2021)
Frequently asked questions
At what age must a dog be microchipped?
In France, identification is compulsory before the age of 4 months, and always before a sale or a gift. A puppy from a breeder or a shelter is in principle already identified: check this on the transfer contract.
Is a microchip really compulsory for a dog?
Yes. Every dog must be identified by microchip (or by an old, legible tattoo) and registered with I-CAD. An unidentified dog exposes the keeper to a 750 euro fine, and no transfer is legal without it.
How do you change the owner on I-CAD?
The transferor declares the change of keeper to I-CAD, online or via the transfer form. Until this is done, they remain responsible for the dog. Then remember to check that your own contact details are properly up to date.
Is identifying a dog compulsory in France?
Yes, it is a legal obligation (Code rural, art. L212-10) for every dog: before 4 months and before any transfer. Beyond the law, it is above all what makes it possible to find a lost dog.
How much does it cost to implant a microchip?
A few dozen euros at the vet's, and it is often already included in the price of a breeder's puppy or a shelter adoption. Only the clinic gives the exact price, and the cost is never a reason to put off identification.
I have moved, how do I update the microchip details?
Log in to your account on i-cad.fr and correct your address and phone number. This is the most common oversight: a microchip linked to an old number leaves your dog untraceable, even when everyone is acting in good faith.
Finished this step?