Microchip and PetVet registration in Turkey: how to register your cat or dog

In Turkey, cat and dog owners must have their pets identified with a microchip and registered in the pet registration system (PETVET) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı). The legal deadline was 31 December 2025; that date has passed and the duty to register continues. If your pet is not registered, you need to go to a vet clinic or to the provincial or district directorate of agriculture and forestry (il or ilçe tarım ve orman müdürlüğü).

The process usually takes a single visit: the microchip is placed under the skin, a pet passport is issued and the details are entered into the system. Below we cover the legal basis, the steps, the deadlines and the fees in order.

The legal basis

The requirement comes from two texts:

• Animal Protection Law No. 5199 (Hayvanları Koruma Kanunu), Article 4(k): under a sentence added by Law No. 7332 in 2021, cat and dog owners must have their animals registered using digital identification methods. Provisional Article 4 of the law, as amended by Law No. 7527 in 2024, sets the deadline for this at 31/12/2025.
• Regulation on the Identification and Registration of Cats, Dogs and Ferrets (Kedi, Köpek ve Gelinciklerin Kimliklendirilmesi ve Kayıt Altına Alınmasına Dair Yönetmelik): first published on 26 February 2018. An amendment in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) of 5 March 2025 made it compulsory for all cat and dog owners to have their animals of any age identified and registered by 31/12/2025 at the latest.

The same amendment also clarified the definition of an "owned animal": a pet that is cared for, vaccinated and regularly checked, and recorded in the Ministry's database. So in legal terms, registration is part of ownership itself.

As of 29 October 2026 we found no new extension or amnesty for the period after 31 December 2025 in the Official Gazette or in Ministry announcements. You can confirm the current situation with the provincial or district directorate of agriculture and forestry.

These rules apply to the animal, so they cover pets of foreign residents too. If you brought your pet to Turkey already microchipped, ask your vet whether the existing chip can be used for PETVET registration.

What PETVET is and what it holds

PETVET is the Ministry's pet registration system. According to the Ministry, it records the animal's name, passport number, species, breed, sex, colour and date of birth, plus the owner's details, address and an emergency contact. Vaccinations, changes of owner, loss reports and procedures are added to the same record.

The microchip number is the key to this record. When a lost animal is found, a vet or municipal team reads the chip with a scanner and reaches the owner through the system. An unregistered chip, one never entered into the system or still showing an old address, cannot do this job.

Registration, step by step

1. Choose where to apply. An authorised private vet clinic, or the provincial or district directorate of agriculture and forestry. You apply with the declaration form (beyanname) annexed to the regulation.
2. Bring your ID and your pet's details. If the date of birth is unknown, the vet estimates the age. As a foreign resident, take your passport and your residence permit card if you have one, and ask the clinic in advance which they need.
3. The microchip is implanted. Under the regulation, the chip goes under the skin between the shoulder blades or on the left side of the neck near the ear. In breeds prone to spinal disease, the hind leg or breastbone area can also be used.
4. The passport is issued. Vaccination details are also entered in it.
5. The details are entered into PETVET. Before you leave, check that the chip number, your name and your phone number are written correctly in the passport.

If your pet is also behind on vaccines, it makes sense to have the rabies vaccine done at the same visit; for cats and dogs older than 3 months it is a separate legal requirement. Details are in our article on the rabies vaccine and titer test in Turkey.

If you adopt from a municipal shelter

Under the 5 March 2025 amendment, for cats and dogs adopted from a municipal shelter, the passport and registration are completed by the authorised vet working for the local authority within 10 days of the adoption at the latest. According to the Ministry, an adoption certificate (sahiplendirme belgesi) is used in this case. Make sure the animal you adopted is registered in your name.

Your duties after registration

The deadlines for loss and death come from the 5 March 2025 amendment to the regulation; those for change of owner and passport come from the Ministry's FAQ page. According to the Ministry, a pet reported lost is flagged as lost in PETVET, and everyone who uses the system can see this.

If you leave Turkey and rehome your pet, the change of owner rule applies; complete it before you go.

How much is the fine?

Article 28(a) of Law No. 5199 sets an administrative fine per animal for not meeting the registration duty. The law text shows 1,200 TL, but administrative fines are raised every year by the revaluation rate. In a 2022 statement, the Ministry announced the fine as 3,642 TL. Under the Misdemeanours Law (Kabahatler Kanunu), administrative fines are increased by the revaluation rate at the start of each calendar year. We could not find the current 2026 amount published in an official source; you can ask the provincial or district directorate of agriculture and forestry.

The law also sets a separate penalty for abandoning an animal on the street. Instead of leaving a pet you can no longer care for, hand it over to a municipal shelter or arrange a safe adoption.

How much the microchip and passport cost

The chamber's schedule includes 10 percent VAT, and an examination fee may be added. In other provinces, the schedule of that province's chamber of veterinarians applies. Renewing a full passport costs 350 TL in the Ankara schedule. For comparison, the Antalya Chamber of Veterinarians' 2026 schedule lists microchip and record card at 1,500 TL.

Common worries about microchips

• Does it hurt? The chip is placed under the skin with an applicator similar to an injection needle. No anaesthetic is needed and it takes a few seconds.
• Does it track location? No. A microchip is not GPS and has no power source of its own. It only gives its number when a scanner is held close.
• Can it move? Rarely, it can shift. Ask your vet to scan the chip at the yearly check-up; if it cannot be read, a new chip and a registration update may be needed.
• What if my address changes? If your contact details in the system are out of date, the chip is useless. Update them when you move or change your phone number, including when you switch to a Turkish number.

Travel abroad and between cities

According to the Ministry, the passport is also needed for transport within Turkey. To leave the country, the microchip, passport and PETVET registration are required together, plus the rabies vaccine and, for most countries, a titer test. For a pet going to the European Union, the chip must have been implanted before the rabies vaccine.

Pawgeo does not give legal advice here. For your own situation, get current information from the provincial or district directorate of agriculture and forestry or from your vet.

Frequently asked questions

The deadline has passed. Can I still register?

The duty to register continues. Apply to a vet clinic or to the provincial or district directorate to complete the registration, and ask the directorate what sanction applies to the delay.

At what age can a kitten or puppy be chipped?

The 5 March 2025 amendment requires registration of cats and dogs of any age. Your vet will tell you the right time based on the young animal's condition.

How do I find out if my pet already has a chip?

Any vet clinic can check with a scanner in a few seconds. You can also ask whether the number is registered in your name.

Can I register a cat I took in from the street?

Yes. When you take it to the vet, it is registered in your name along with an examination, vaccines and a microchip, and the animal counts as owned.