Hervey Bay dog owners have until 31 October 2026 to renew their registrations, with a new free renewal for dogs aged under 12 months.

Fraser Coast Regional Council began issuing notices from 30 September, so check your letterbox or inbox during early October and make sure the owner and dog details are correct.

The age-based change matters if your vet has advised waiting before desexing a young dog, because owners will not pay a registration fee when their dog is under 12 months at the time the annual renewal is issued.

First-time registration is also free, while the annual renewal for a dog that is both desexed and microchipped is $44.

Those are different situations, so a free first registration does not mean every future renewal will be free.

For households with a young dog, the useful first step is to check the date of birth recorded with Council alongside the information on the renewal notice.

Council introduced the younger-dog concession to avoid disadvantaging owners during that first year when later desexing may have been recommended for health reasons.

Animal Management spokesperson Cr Zane O’Keefe said registration fees help maintain dog-friendly spaces and support the pound and adoption centre, dog attack investigations, compliance work and responsible pet ownership programs.

Keeping the record current also gives Council accurate information if your dog becomes lost, which makes checking contact details more than an administrative chore.

Registration is required from 12 weeks of age, and dogs must be registered within 14 days of their owners moving to the Fraser Coast.

The free option changes the fee for eligible dogs; it does not remove the requirement to register them.

If you have recently moved to Hervey Bay, make that registration check part of updating your household details rather than waiting for an annual notice.

For existing owners, look over the notice before paying and ask Council about any detail that does not match your dog or your current circumstances.

You can discuss registration with the Council Customer Service Centre at 23 Main Street, Pialba.

Check your notice, confirm the applicable fee and complete the renewal by Saturday 31 October 2026; for help, call Council on 1300 79 49 29.