Yes; you can register your pet’s microchip for free. You just need to know where to look. We found genuinely free options in the UK and US, as well as international registries that accept microchips from many countries.
The registries in this guide do not require you to buy their microchip, pay after a trial period, or subscribe just to keep your basic registration active.
In this guide
- Free microchip registries in the UK
- Free microchip registries in the US
- Free international microchip registries
- What do we mean by free?
- Can you register a microchip in more than one database?
- Does a free registration replace your official registration?
- Taking your pet abroad?
- Keep your registration up to date
Free microchip registries in the UK
The UK gives pet owners a choice of microchip databases. Some charge for registration or certain services, but free options are available.
If you register your pet in the UK, the database must be DEFRA compliant. This means it meets the government standards for storing and tracing microchip records. You can check the current list of compliant databases on GOV.UK.
Lost Paws
Lost Paws offers free lifetime microchip registration.
You can register an existing microchip without paying and keep your contact details up to date for free. You do not need a paid subscription to keep the basic registration active.
Lost Paws is DEFRA compliant. This means you can use it for your pet’s UK registration, not just as an additional record.
Registration: Free
Contact updates: Free
Registration expires: No
Existing microchips accepted: Yes
Paid subscription required: No
DEFRA compliant: Yes
HomeAgain UK
HomeAgain UK also offers free microchip registration.
You can register an existing microchip and keep your contact details up to date without paying for a subscription.
HomeAgain UK is also DEFRA compliant.
Registration: Free
Contact updates: Free
Registration expires: No
Existing microchips accepted: Yes
Paid subscription required: No
DEFRA compliant: Yes
Free microchip registries in the US
The US does not have one national pet microchip database. Microchips can be registered with different manufacturers and independent registries.
This makes it important that a vet or shelter can find the database where your pet is registered.
The AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool helps with this. Enter a microchip number and it can show which participating registry has a record for that chip. It does not show the owner’s personal details.
Free Pet Chip Registry
Free Pet Chip Registry accepts microchips from any manufacturer.
Registration is free for life. You can also keep your contact information up to date without paying a maintenance fee or subscription.
The registry participates in the AAHA microchip lookup system. This helps vets, shelters, and other people searching a microchip find the registry holding your pet’s record.
Registration: Free
Contact updates: Free
Registration expires: No
Any manufacturer’s microchip accepted: Yes
Paid subscription required: No
AAHA lookup participation: Yes
United Pet Club
United Pet Club also offers free lifetime microchip registration and accepts microchips from any manufacturer.
Paid plans are available for additional services, but you do not need one to keep the basic registration active. The free registration does not expire.
United Pet Club also participates in the AAHA microchip lookup system.
Registration: Free
Contact updates: Free
Registration expires: No
Any manufacturer’s microchip accepted: Yes
Paid subscription required: No
AAHA lookup participation: Yes
Free international microchip registries
Some international databases also allow you to register an existing microchip for free.
This can be useful if you travel or move abroad with your pet. An international registration can give someone another way to trace the microchip if your pet is found in another country.
However, it does not replace any registration required where you live.
Animal-ID
Animal-ID is an international animal identification platform.
You can register an existing microchip for free and keep the basic registration without paying a subscription. Premium services are available, but they are optional.
Registration: Free
Contact updates: Free
Registration expires: No
Existing microchips accepted: Yes
International: Yes
Premium subscription required: No
United Pet Club
United Pet Club also accepts registrations from outside the US.
You can add an existing microchip from another manufacturer. The basic registration is free for life, and paid services are optional.
Registration: Free
Contact updates: Free
Registration expires: No
Existing microchips accepted: Yes
International: Yes
Paid subscription required: No
What do we mean by free?
We are quite strict about the word “free”.
Every registry in this guide lets you register an existing microchip for free, keep the registration active without an expiry date, and update your contact details without paying. You also do not need to buy the registry’s own microchip or take out a paid subscription.
Optional paid extras are fine. They just need to be optional.
Can you register a microchip in more than one database?
In many cases, yes. An additional registration can give someone another way to find you if your pet goes missing, especially when travelling abroad.
However, keep every registration up to date. Several records with old phone numbers can make tracing your pet more difficult.
If you do not know where your pet is currently registered, enter the microchip number into the ChipTrace microchip lookup.
Does a free registration replace your official registration?
Not always.
Some countries require pets to be registered with an official or approved database. In Spain, for example, adding your pet to an international registry does not replace the required regional registration. In the UK, your pet still needs to be registered with a DEFRA-compliant database.
Our pet microchip country guides explain how microchip registration and lookup work in different countries.
Taking your pet abroad?
An international registration can provide another way to trace your pet if they go missing while travelling or after you move abroad.
You normally keep the same microchip when moving to another country, but you may need to register it in a new database.
Read our guide: Does my pet need a new microchip when moving abroad?
Keep your registration up to date
Whichever database you use, make sure your phone number, email, and address are correct.
If you have registered the microchip with more than one database, remember to update every record.
A free registration is only useful if someone can find it and the information leads back to you.
In short: free lifetime microchip registration is available in the UK, US, and internationally. Choose a registry that accepts your existing microchip, lets you update your contact details for free, and can be found when someone searches the chip. Always keep any registration required where you live.