Pet Microchips in Belgium: DogID, CatID and Tracing

This guide explains how pet microchip registration works in Belgium, where to check a Belgian microchip, and what to do if the number is not found.

In this guide:

If you already have a microchip number, start with ChipTrace. It can help you check possible databases, country clues and manufacturer routes before you contact registries manually.

What do Belgian microchip numbers look like?

Most modern pet microchips follow the ISO standard and contain 15 digits.

The official ISO numeric country code for Belgium is 056.

A Belgian country-coded microchip may therefore begin with 056.

However, not every dog or cat living in Belgium has a 056 chip. Many pets have manufacturer-coded microchips or chip numbers from other countries.

Manufacturer-coded microchips start with the digit 9. These numbers may appear in several countries, so they do not prove where the pet was chipped or registered.

Some animals received the microchip in another country before arriving in Belgium.

This is common with:

• Imported dogs and cats
• Pets adopted through foreign rescues
• Animals that moved to Belgium with their families
• Former stray animals that later travelled abroad
• Older animals with manufacturer-coded chips

A readable foreign or manufacturer-coded chip may still link to a Belgian record when a veterinarian has registered the animal in DogID or CatID.

In short, the first digits can give a clue about origin. They do not prove where the animal lives or which database holds the registration.

Example formats commonly found in Belgium

Many different microchip numbers may appear in Belgium. These examples show a few possible formats, but many other variations exist.

• 056123456789012 — Belgian country-coded microchip
• 981123456789012 — manufacturer-coded microchip
• 945123456789012 — manufacturer-coded microchip
• 528123456789012 — foreign country-coded microchip

A manufacturer-coded prefix can appear in more than one country. For this reason, use the prefix as a clue only.

What about older identification numbers?

DogID and CatID can also recognise some older identification formats.

These may include:

• Older 15-digit numbers
• Nine digits followed by a letter
• Ten-character numbers containing letters and digits
• Some older tattoo numbers, especially in dog records

If an older number does not work in one search, ask a veterinarian or authorised organisation to check the animal again.

Read our guide to pet microchip numbers for more detailed information and practical steps.

What should you do if you find a pet with a Belgian microchip number?

Follow these quick tracing steps to help reunite the animal with its owner.

1. Ask a veterinarian, shelter, rescue, police service or municipal animal service to scan the animal and confirm the full microchip number.
2. Use ChipTrace to check available international routes and 100+ databases worldwide.
3. Search Online DogID when the animal is a dog.
4. Search Online CatID when the animal is a cat.
5. Open EUROPETNET for a separate manual European search.
6. Check any pet passport, registration document or veterinary document when available.
7. Contact any veterinarian, shelter, rescue or breeder that may be connected to the animal.

DogID or CatID may show limited information that helps with tracing.

Do not expect to receive the owner’s private details directly. A veterinarian, shelter, rescue, police service or database may need to contact the registered owner.

If nobody can reach the owner, you can post on local social media and leave leaflets at veterinary clinics, shelters and nearby shops.

Do not publish the complete microchip number online. Share only part of it so ownership claims can be checked safely.

Remember: some owned cats in Belgium are allowed to roam near their home. Do not assume every outdoor cat is lost.

Before taking action, look for signs that the animal is injured, frightened, displaced, trapped, very young, or unfamiliar with the area.

Read Found a Microchipped Pet? What to Do Next for practical advice and template messages you can send to local shelters and vets.

What if the microchip number is not found in any database?

A missing database result is not always the end of the trace.

Start by asking a veterinarian, shelter, rescue or municipal animal service to scan the animal again and confirm every digit. One wrong digit can return no result.

Possible causes and next steps:

• A vet implanted the chip, but nobody completed the registration. Ask the veterinarian, breeder, shelter or rescue to check their records.
• Someone entered the number incorrectly. Re-scan the animal and search again with the verified number.
• The registration is very recent. Ask the database or veterinarian when the record should appear, then try again later.
• The owner made the contact details private. Ask a veterinarian, shelter, police service or database to help contact the owner.
• Another country may still hold the animal’s registration. Use ChipTrace for country or manufacturer clues and open the relevant manual route.
• The chip is manufacturer-coded. Use the manufacturer or distributor route when no registry result appears.

Extra tracing routes to try

• Use ChipTrace again after confirming the number. It can also suggest a likely country, manufacturer or distributor, including contact information where available.
• Search DogID when the animal is a dog.
• Search CatID when the animal is a cat.
• Open EUROPETNET for a separate manual European search.
• Check databases in countries where the animal may have lived.
• Contact the microchip manufacturer or distributor. They may identify the distributor who sold the chip and the vet, breeder, shelter or rescue that received it.

You can use the email template ChipTrace creates to contact the manufacturer or distributor when no registration is found.

Manufacturers and distributors normally do not give out the owner’s private details. Instead, they may identify the distributor that supplied the chip, the vet or organisation that received it, or pass a matched enquiry to the next organisation.

Finding the owner is not guaranteed, but these extra steps often help. If you still cannot trace the owner after checking every route, contact a local shelter, rescue, police service, municipality or veterinary clinic for advice.

Read our guide to why a microchip may not appear in any database.

Check a Microchip

Which microchip databases are used in Belgium?

Belgium uses two official national pet microchip databases.

DogID is the official database for dogs.

CatID is the official database for cats.

Both databases cover Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region.

A dog should be registered in DogID. A cat should be registered in CatID.

In practice, these databases are not the same as one open public owner directory. Public searches may show limited information. Authorised services may need to help with owner contact.

Can the public search DogID and CatID?

Yes, the public can use the official online search routes for DogID and CatID.

However, a public search may not show the owner’s full private contact details.

If the owner has made contact details private, a veterinarian, shelter, rescue, police service or database may need to contact the owner.

This protects personal data while still allowing lost pets to be traced.

Can EUROPETNET find a Belgian registration?

Yes. Belgium takes part in EUROPETNET.

DogID and CatID are listed as Belgian member organisations.

A manual EUROPETNET search may therefore identify a Belgian registration.

ChipTrace may provide a button or link that opens EUROPETNET. ChipTrace does not perform that EUROPETNET search itself. The user completes the manual search.

If EUROPETNET gives no result, do not assume that the animal is unregistered in Belgium. Re-check ChipTrace, DogID, CatID and any relevant foreign databases.

Read how ChipTrace works for more information about database checks and manual searches.

How does ChipTrace search Belgium?

ChipTrace checks available Belgian and international database routes where possible.

For Belgium, this includes guidance and direct routes for DogID, CatID and EUROPETNET manual searching.

ChipTrace also checks 100+ other registries and databases worldwide.

This increases the chance of finding a registration, especially when a pet was imported, adopted through a rescue, moved between countries or has a manufacturer-coded chip.

ChipTrace can also suggest manufacturer or distributor contact routes where available. That may help when no public database result appears.

ChipTrace shows which databases and services it checked. It does not reveal the registered owner’s private contact details. An authorised organisation must contact the owner.

Are microchips required in Belgium?

Dogs and cats in Belgium must normally be microchipped and registered.

The detailed rules are set by Belgium’s three regions: Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region.

Because regional rules can change, always check the official regional guidance or ask a veterinarian when timing, transfer or sterilisation rules matter.

Dogs

Dogs must normally be microchipped and registered before they are eight weeks old.

A dog must also be identified and registered before it is sold, adopted or given away.

A veterinarian registers the dog in DogID.

Dogs in Belgium also need an EU pet passport.

Cats

Cats must normally be microchipped and registered before they are twelve weeks old.

A cat must also be identified and registered before it is sold, adopted or given away.

A veterinarian registers the cat in CatID.

Separate regional rules also apply to cat sterilisation.

Ask a veterinarian or regional animal-welfare service which rules apply where the cat lives.

Who can implant and register the microchip?

A veterinarian normally implants a new microchip in Belgium.

The vet scans the animal first. This checks whether a readable chip is already present.

If needed, the vet implants the chip, scans it again and creates the first registration.

The registration shows who is listed as the registered owner or keeper. It may not prove legal ownership on its own.

How to register a pet microchip in Belgium

Registering a dog

A veterinarian completes the first DogID registration.

To register a dog:

1. Make an appointment with a veterinarian.
2. Ask the veterinarian to scan the dog.
3. If needed, ask the veterinarian to implant a microchip.
4. Ask the veterinarian to register the dog in DogID.
5. Ask the veterinarian to prepare or update the EU pet passport.
6. Check that the microchip number matches the passport.
7. Check your name, telephone number, email and address.
8. Keep the registration documents with the passport.

A dog must already be identified and registered before it moves to a new owner.

Registering a cat

A veterinarian completes the first CatID registration.

To register a cat:

1. Make an appointment with a veterinarian.
2. Ask the veterinarian to scan the cat.
3. If needed, ask the veterinarian to implant a microchip.
4. Ask the veterinarian to register the cat in CatID.
5. Check the microchip number and your contact details.
6. Ask for proof of registration.
7. Keep the proof with the cat’s records.

The proof of registration may be digital or on paper.

Does the vet register the chip automatically?

Do not assume that implantation alone completes the record.

Implanting and registering are different steps.

The microchip only contains a number. DogID or CatID links that number to the animal and owner.

Before you leave the clinic, ask:

• Has the animal been entered in DogID or CatID?
• Which name is on the record?
• Are the telephone number and email address correct?
• Is the animal’s status correct?
• Do I need a confirmation, code or document?

This small check can prevent a much bigger problem later.

Can I add a global microchip registration?

Yes. A global registration can provide another route back to the owner.

Animal-ID allows owners to create an additional record using an existing microchip number.

This can help when:

• The pet travels outside Belgium
• The animal was first registered in another country
• A finder uses an international search service
• The Belgian registration is difficult to identify from abroad
• The animal has a foreign or manufacturer-coded chip

Important: a global registration is only a safety net. It does not replace the required DogID or CatID registration.

Updating Animal-ID also does not update DogID or CatID. Keep the same contact details in every active record.

How to check your pet’s microchip registration

This section is for owners who already know their pet’s microchip number.

If you do not know the number, ask a veterinarian, shelter or rescue to scan the animal first.

To check the registration:

• Search Online DogID when the animal is a dog.
• Search Online CatID when the animal is a cat.
• Use ChipTrace to check available international routes and possible foreign registrations.
• Open EUROPETNET when another European record may be involved.
• Compare the number with the pet passport or registration document.
• Sign in to the correct database and check the registered details.

When checking the record, confirm the owner’s name, address, telephone number and email address.

Also check that the pet’s status is correct. The record should not still show the pet as missing, stolen, exported or deceased if that information no longer applies.

A public search may show only limited information. Vets, shelters and other authorised services may be able to help with more.

How to update a Belgian microchip registration

Update DogID or CatID whenever important information changes.

Update the registration when:

• You move home
• Your telephone number changes
• Your email address changes
• The animal goes missing
• The animal is found again
• The animal moves to a new owner
• The animal moves abroad
• The animal dies

Many changes can be made through Online DogID or Online CatID.

You may need a Belgian electronic identity card or itsme.

A veterinarian can also help.

Report changes as soon as possible.

Changing the details in the pet passport does not update the database. The DogID or CatID record must also be changed.

How to transfer a Belgian microchip registration

The animal must already be identified and registered before it moves to a new owner.

The current owner should start or report the transfer.

Transferring a dog

The current owner should report the change to DogID.

The dog’s passport must go to the new owner.

DogID may ask for a transfer document or confirmation from the current owner.

The new owner should check the record after the transfer.

Transferring a cat

A CatID transfer can normally be completed online through CatID.

The current and new owner may both need to confirm the change.

A veterinarian can help if the transfer cannot be completed online.

The new owner should receive updated proof of registration.

What if the pet is still registered to someone else?

Contact the previous owner, breeder, shelter or rescue first.

Ask them to complete the transfer or provide the documents needed for the change.

If this is not possible, contact DogID, CatID or a veterinarian.

They may ask for:

• An adoption contract
• A purchase agreement or invoice
• The pet passport
• The registration document
• Veterinary records
• A signed statement from the former owner
• Proof that the animal is now in your care

A database record can show who appears as the owner or contact. However, it may not settle a legal ownership dispute on its own.

Buying or adopting a pet in Belgium

Ask for the complete microchip number before taking the animal home.

When possible, ask a veterinarian, shelter or rescue to scan the animal.

Make sure the scanned number matches every document.

Buying or adopting a dog

Before buying or adopting a dog, check that:

• The dog is microchipped
• The dog is registered in DogID
• The dog has an EU pet passport
• The microchip number matches the passport
• The current owner will report the transfer
• You will receive the passport and transfer documents
• Any import registration has been completed

Do not buy or adopt a dog that has not been identified and registered.

Buying or adopting a cat

Before buying or adopting a cat, check that:

• The cat is microchipped
• The cat is registered in CatID
• The microchip number matches the registration document
• The current owner will complete the transfer
• You will receive an adoption contract or purchase document
• Any foreign registration also needs an update

Make sure the CatID registration changes to your name.

A chip linked to the previous owner may delay contact when the cat is found.

What should you do if your pet goes missing?

Act quickly.

Dog owners should update the status through DogID.

Cat owners should update the status through CatID.

A veterinarian can also help.

You should:

• Check that your contact details are correct.
• Contact local veterinarians.
• Contact shelters and rescue organisations.
• Contact the police when appropriate.
• Share a recent photo and the area where the animal disappeared.
• Keep checking foreign or global registrations if the pet was imported.

Do not publish the complete microchip number online.

Share only part of the number publicly. Keep the full number for veterinarians, shelters, rescues, police services, databases and trusted organisations helping with the search.

When the animal returns, update the database and close every missing-pet report.

Bringing an imported pet to Belgium

A foreign microchip registration does not automatically create a Belgian record.

A dog or cat moving permanently to Belgium must normally be registered in DogID or CatID.

A pet visiting Belgium for a short period may not need a Belgian registration.

If the animal will live in Belgium, ask a Belgian veterinarian which registration deadline applies.

Take:

• The animal
• Its EU pet passport or official health certificate
• Its rabies vaccination record
• The microchip certificate, when available
• Your identification
• Your Belgian address and contact details
• Any foreign registration documents
• An adoption or transfer document, when relevant

The veterinarian can scan the existing chip and compare it with the documents.

Normally, the vet does not need to replace a readable foreign or manufacturer-coded chip.

However, DogID or CatID still needs to link the chip to the correct Belgian owner record when the animal will live in Belgium.

Keep any foreign registration active until the Belgian record has been confirmed.

Pets brought in by a foreign rescue

Ask the rescue who is responsible for the Belgian registration.

Also ask:

• Who is named in the passport or health certificate
• Which foreign database holds the current record
• Whether the Belgian registration has been completed
• Who will transfer the Belgian record to the adopter
• Who will update the foreign registration

Do not assume that a foreign registration automatically appears in DogID or CatID.

Travelling with a pet to or from Belgium

Microchip registration and border requirements are separate.

For most travel within the EU, dogs, cats and ferrets need:

• A readable microchip
• A valid rabies vaccination
• An EU pet passport

Normally, the vet must implant the microchip before, or on the same day as, the rabies vaccination used for travel.

After the first rabies vaccination, you normally need to wait at least 21 days before travel.

If the pet travels from outside the EU, other documents may be needed. For example, some journeys require an animal health certificate, a declaration, entry through an approved travellers’ point, or a rabies antibody blood test.

For this reason, always check the current rules before travelling.

Travelling to Belgium from outside the European Union

If you are travelling to Belgium from outside the European Union with a dog, cat or ferret, check the official European Commission rules before you travel.

Requirements may include identification by microchip, rabies vaccination, an animal health certificate, a declaration, entry through an approved travellers’ point, and a rabies antibody blood test for some departure countries.

Read the official European Commission guidance: Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to the EU from a non-EU country.

New EU certificate models from October 2026: For non-commercial movements of dogs, cats or ferrets into the EU from a non-EU country or territory, the new EU animal health certificate model applies from 1 October 2026. Certificates using the previous model remain valid only if they were issued before that date.

For commercial entry, the revised certificate model applies from 17 October 2026. Certificates using the previous model are accepted only if they were issued before that date.

Read the official European Commission guidance for non-commercial pet travel into the EU and commercial entry of dogs, cats and ferrets into the EU.

Travelling from Belgium to another country

If you travel from Belgium to another country, the destination country may set its own rules.

For EU travel, the EU pet passport and rabies rules normally apply.

For non-EU travel, you may need export documents, a health certificate, official endorsement or extra tests.

Before travelling, ask your veterinarian and check the destination country’s official requirements.

Useful Belgian microchip links

DogID
Open the official Belgian dog-registration database

Online DogID
Search or manage a Belgian dog record

CatID
Open the official Belgian cat-registration database

Online CatID
Search or manage a Belgian cat record

EUROPETNET
Complete a separate manual European microchip search

Animal-ID
Create an additional global microchip registration

Official Belgian pet-travel guidance
Check Belgian travel and entry guidance before travelling

European Commission – bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country
Read the EU rules for dogs, cats and ferrets entering the EU from outside the EU

European Commission – travelling with a pet within the EU
Check EU pet travel rules before travelling