---
title: Dog Licensing Rules and Fees by County | Happy Paws Kennels
url: https://happypawskennels.com/data/dog-licensing-by-county/
business: Happy Paws Kennels
address: 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620
phone: 707-678-6600
hours: drop-off and pick-up every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2:00-5:00 PM
type: Dog and cat boarding kennel on about 10 country acres; caring for pets in Dixon since 1971
rates: 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026 (dogs from $52 a night, cats $35 a night)
---

- [Home](https://happypawskennels.com/)
- [Local pet data](https://happypawskennels.com/data/)
- Dog licensing rules & fees by county

# Dog licensing rules and fees by county

Dogs over four months old need a license in Solano and Yolo counties, and a valid rabies certificate is required. As posted in October 2026, a one-year license for a spayed or neutered dog is $24 in unincorporated Solano County and $21 in Yolo County.

[Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call 707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600)

Fees differ by city inside Solano County. The table lists each jurisdiction the Solano portal serves and the Yolo county fee.

- Minimum age to license 4 months
- Solano, unincorporated, spayed or neutered, 1 year $24.00
- Yolo, altered dog, 1 year $21.00
- Yolo, unaltered dog, 1 year $42.00

## License fees and rules

**Solano County dog license fees**

| Where | License | 1 / 2 / 3 years |
| --- | --- | --- |
| City of Benicia | Unaltered Dog | $60.00 / $120.00 / $180.00 |
| City of Benicia | Spayed/Neutered Dog | $25.00 / $40.00 / $60.00 |
| City of Benicia | Senior Unaltered Dog | $30.00 / $60.00 / $90.00 |
| City of Benicia | Senior First Spayed/Neutered Dog | $0.00 / N/A / N/A |
| City of Benicia | Senior Additional Spayed/Neutered Dog | $15.00 / $20.00 / $25.00 |
| City of Vacaville | Unaltered Dog | $60.00 / $114.00 / $169.50 |
| City of Vacaville | Spayed/Neutered Dog | $22.00 / $39.60 / $58.30 |
| City of Vacaville | Senior Unaltered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| City of Vacaville | Senior Spayed/Neutered Dog | $10.00 / $16.00 / $23.00 |
| Unincorporated Areas of Solano County | Unaltered Dog | $40.00 / $76.00 / $113.00 |
| Unincorporated Areas of Solano County | Spayed/Neutered Dog | $24.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Unincorporated Areas of Solano County | Senior Spayed/Neutered Dog | $10.00 / $16.00 / $23.00 |
| City of Fairfield | Unaltered Dog | $62.00 / $118.00 / $175.00 |
| City of Fairfield | Spayed/Neutered Dog | $25.00 / $44.00 / $66.00 |
| City of Fairfield | Senior Spayed/Neutered Dog | $12.00 / $20.00 / $29.00 |
| City of Fairfield | Senior Unaltered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Dixon | Unaltered Dog | $40.00 / $76.00 / $113.00 |
| Dixon | Spayed/Neutered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Dixon | Senior Unaltered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Dixon | Senior Spayed/Neutered Dog | $10.00 / $16.00 / $23.00 |
| Rio Vista | Unaltered Dog | $40.00 / $76.00 / $113.00 |
| Rio Vista | Spayed/Neutered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Rio Vista | Senior Unaltered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Rio Vista | Senior Spayed/Neutered Dog | $10.00 / $16.00 / $23.00 |
| Vallejo | Unaltered Dog | $40.00 / $76.00 / $113.00 |
| Vallejo | Spayed/Neutered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Vallejo | Senior Unaltered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Vallejo | Senior Spayed/Neutered Dog | $10.00 / $16.00 / $23.00 |
| Suisun City | Unaltered Dog | $40.00 / $76.00 / $113.00 |
| Suisun City | Spayed/Neutered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Suisun City | Senior Unaltered Dog | $20.00 / $36.00 / $53.00 |
| Suisun City | Senior Spayed/Neutered Dog | $10.00 / $16.00 / $23.00 |

### Solano County rules

- Licenses required for all dogs over 4 months of age.
- A valid rabies certificate is required to license; a license expires early on the rabies expiry date.
- 1, 2 or 3 year terms; spay/neuter proof needed for the altered rate; senior rate = owner 65+.
- Replacement tag $21.00.
- Temporary license valid 60 days while documents are gathered.

Solano County Animal Care Services (Sheriff-Coroner), 2510 Claybank Road, Fairfield, CA 94533; online licensing through DocuPet since July 30, 2024

### Yolo County rules

- Pet licenses are required for all dogs living in Yolo County; cat licensing is voluntary.
- Licenses required for all dogs over 4 months of age.
- 1, 2 and 3 year terms; license cannot outlast the rabies vaccination.
- Late fees apply 30 days after expiration.
- Temporary license valid 60 days.

Yolo County Animal Services (Sheriff), shelter 2640 E Gibson Road, Woodland, CA 95776; online licensing through DocuPet

## What the table shows

Each row gives the fee for one, two and three years. Solano County rates apply by jurisdiction: Benicia, Vacaville, Fairfield, Dixon, Rio Vista, Vallejo, Suisun City and unincorporated areas. Spay or neuter proof is needed for the altered rate, and senior rates apply to owners 65 or older. A license ends early on the rabies certificate's expiration date. Yolo County lists two fees, altered and unaltered.

## Where Happy Paws sits

The kennel's address, 6677 Midway Road, is in unincorporated Solano County, according to the Census Geocoder. Your own license follows the city or county where your dog lives, not where it boards. California Health and Safety Code section 121690 requires licensing and rabies vaccination for dogs, which is why the same certificate helps in both places.

## Vintage and method

Fees were read from the Solano and Yolo County DocuPet licensing portals on October 19, 2026, and the Solano agency page. They change, so the portal is the final word. Older Yolo pages show lower fees, and we used the portal's current figures.

## Related reading

The page on [dog licenses in Solano and Yolo](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/dog-licensing-solano-yolo/) explains how the license and the rabies certificate fit together, and the [rabies page](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/rabies-dogs/) covers the boarding rule.

### Sources (checked October 19, 2026)

- [Solano County dog licensing (DocuPet)](https://solanocounty.docupet.com/en_US/licensing)
- [Yolo County Animal Services licensing (DocuPet)](https://ycas.docupet.com/en_US/licensing)
- [California Health and Safety Code section 121690](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=121690.&lawCode=HSC)

## Other data pages

- [### 2026 rate table](https://happypawskennels.com/data/2026-boarding-rates/)
- [### Bath price chart by weight & coat](https://happypawskennels.com/data/bath-price-chart/)
- [### Holiday deposit windows 2026-2027](https://happypawskennels.com/data/holiday-deposit-calendar-2026-2027/)
- [### Dixon heat & cold by month for dogs](https://happypawskennels.com/data/dixon-heat-and-cold-for-dogs/)
- [### Drive times to Happy Paws from 30 towns and 3 airports](https://happypawskennels.com/data/drive-times-to-happy-paws/)
- [### Pet households in Solano & Yolo](https://happypawskennels.com/data/solano-yolo-pet-households/)
- [### California's pet boarding facility law (HSC 122380-122388) in plain English](https://happypawskennels.com/data/california-pet-boarding-law/)
- [### Our kennel sizes compared](https://happypawskennels.com/data/kennel-sizes-compared/)

Answers

## Questions people ask

Still have a question? Call [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) (every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2-5 PM) or see the [boarding FAQ](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/).

### Does the kennel check my dog's license?

The kennel asks for vaccination records. A license is a rule between you and your county.

### Do cats need a license?

In Yolo County cat licensing is voluntary.