An Act To Simplify Dog Licensure By Establishing a 3-year License
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0467
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: FLOOD, THIBODEAU, CRAY, GIFFORD, TIMBERLAKE, WINSOR, SAVIELLO, SHERMAN
Amends: 7 MRSA §3922, 7 MRSA §3923-A

Legislative Document 
No. 467 
H.P. 360 
House of Representatives, February 10, 2011 
An Act To Simplify Dog Licensure By Establishing a 3-year License 
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative FLOOD of Winthrop. 
Cosponsored by Senator THIBODEAU of Waldo and 
Representatives: CRAY of Palmyra, GIFFORD of Lincoln, TIMBERLAKE of Turner, 
WINSOR of Norway, Senators: SAVIELLO of Franklin, SHERMAN of Aroostook. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA §3922, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2003, c. 405, §§10 to 12, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  License; January 1st.  Each Except as provided in subsection 2-A, each owner or 
keeper of a dog at the age of 6 months or more, on or before January lst of each year, 
shall obtain a license:  
A.    From the clerk of the municipality where the dog is kept; 
B.    From the dog recorder in the unorganized territory where the dog is kept or, in 
the absence of a duly authorized dog recorder, from a dog recorder in the nearest 
municipality or unorganized territory in the same county where the dog is kept; 
C.    From a veterinary licensing agent in accordance with section 3923-F; or 
D.    From the department using the Internet in accordance with section 3923-G. 
Sec. 2.  7 MRSA §3922, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A.  Three-year license. An owner or a keeper of a dog 6 months of age or older 
that has been vaccinated with a 3-year rabies vaccine during the calendar year prior to the 
year for which licensure is sought may obtain a 3-year license. Under this subsection, the 
owner or keeper of a dog may obtain a 3-year license: 
A.  From the clerk of the municipality where the dog is kept; 
B.  From the dog recorder in the unorganized territory where the dog is kept or, in the 
absence of a duly authorized dog recorder, from a dog recorder in the nearest 
municipality or unorganized territory in the same county where the dog is kept; 
C.  From a veterinary licensing agent in accordance with section 3923-F; or 
D.  From the department using the Internet in accordance with section 3923-G. 
Sec. 3.  7 MRSA §3923-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2007, c. 439, §15, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  Dogs capable of producing young.  A dog owner or keeper shall pay a fee of 
$11, or $33 for a 3-year license as provided in section 3922, subsection 2-A, to the 
municipal clerk for each dog 6 months of age or older and capable of producing young.  
A dog is considered capable of producing young unless certification under subsection 2 is 
provided. 
The municipal clerk shall retain a $1 recording fee and pay the remaining $10 remainder 
of the fee to the department for deposit in the Animal Welfare Fund. 
Sec. 4.  7 MRSA §3923-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2003, c. 405, §13, is 
further amended to read: 
2.  Dogs incapable of producing young.  A dog owner shall pay a fee of $6, or $18 
for a 3-year license as provided in section 3922, subsection 2-A, to the municipal clerk or 
to a veterinary licensing agent for each dog 6 months of age or older and incapable of 
producing young.  A dog is considered incapable of producing young when the owner 
provides the following: 
A.  A written certificate issued by a veterinarian stating that the veterinarian has 
neutered the dog; 
B.  A written certificate issued by a veterinarian stating that the veterinarian has 
examined the dog and determined that the dog is incapable of producing young; or 
C.  A previous license stating that the dog is incapable of producing young. 
The municipal clerk shall retain a $1 recording fee, deposit $2 in the municipality's 
animal welfare account established in accordance with section 3945 and pay the 
remaining  $3 remainder of the fee to the department for deposit in the Animal Welfare 
Fund. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides an option for an owner or keeper of a dog to obtain a 3-year license 
if the dog has received a 3-year rabies vaccine. The bill also establishes a 3-year license 
fee of $33 for dogs capable of producing young and $18 for dogs incapable of producing 
young.