Last updated: 11 August 2026
Dogs in Italy must be microchipped and entered in the official companion-animal register.
Italy’s registration system includes national and territorial records.
First, the newer national system is called SINAC. It is available through the Ministry of Health’s VetInfo platform.
Also, the Ministry of Health still keeps the existing public search online.
However, regional and provincial registers remain important because records may not appear in every official route at the same time.
For this reason, you may need to use more than one Italian search.
This guide explains how pet microchip registration works in Italy, which official systems may hold the record, how Italian and foreign chip numbers can look, and what to do if a microchip is not found.
Use it to check the right tracing routes, understand VetInfo, SINAC, the Ministry of Health search and regional registers, and prepare the documents you may need as a pet owner, finder, adopter or rescuer.
In this guide:
ChipTrace can help you check available databases, identify possible country or manufacturer clues, and decide the next tracing step.
What do Italian microchip numbers look like?
Most modern pet microchips follow the ISO standard and contain 15 digits.
The official ISO numeric country code for Italy is 380.
An Italian country-coded microchip may therefore begin with 380.
However, not every dog or cat living in Italy has a 380 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 Italy.
This is common with:
- Imported dogs and cats
- Pets adopted through international rescues
- Animals that moved to Italy with their families
- Former stray animals that later travelled abroad
- Older animals with manufacturer-coded chips
A readable foreign or manufacturer-coded chip can normally be registered in Italy.
Some older animals may have a tattoo instead of a microchip.
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 Italy
Many different microchip numbers may appear in Italy. These examples show a few possible formats, but many other variations exist.
380123456789012— Italian country-coded microchip981123456789012— manufacturer-coded microchip945123456789012— manufacturer-coded microchip250123456789012— 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.
Read our guide to pet microchip numbers for more detailed information and practical steps.
What should you do if you find a pet with an Italian microchip number?
Follow these quick tracing steps to help reunite the animal with its owner.
- Ask a veterinarian, shelter, rescue, municipal kennel or animal service to scan the animal and confirm the full microchip number.
- Use ChipTrace to check available databases and 100+ international routes.
- Open the newer VetInfo Italy search.
- Search the existing Ministry of Health national database.
- Check the relevant regional or provincial register.
- Ask an Italian veterinarian or local ASL veterinary service to check the official records.
- Open EUROPETNET for a separate manual European search.
- Check databases in countries where the animal may have lived.
Why more than one Italian search may be needed
Italy is moving companion-animal records into SINAC, but regions may not move at the same time.
Therefore, the existing Ministry of Health search and the relevant regional or provincial register should still be checked.
A public result may identify the register connected to the microchip. It should not show the registered owner’s private contact details.
A registry, veterinarian, ASL service, shelter or other authorised organisation can contact the owner instead.
ChipTrace provides direct links to the official Italian search routes. The user completes those searches manually on the Italian websites.
Do not publish the complete microchip number online. Share only part of it so ownership claims can be checked safely.
Remember: many owned cats in Italy spend time outside. 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, municipal kennel or animal service to scan the animal again and confirm every digit. One wrong digit can return no result.
Possible causes and next steps:
- The chip was implanted, but the registration was not completed. 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 record appears only in one Italian system. Check VetInfo, the Ministry of Health search and the relevant regional or provincial register.
- The registration is very recent. Ask the veterinarian or ASL service when the record should appear, then try again later.
- 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 the newer VetInfo Italy route.
- Search the existing Ministry of Health national database.
- Check the official list of regional and provincial registers.
- Ask an authorised veterinarian or ASL veterinary service to check the official systems.
- 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.
A manufacturer match is not a registration result. It does not prove that the animal came from Italy.
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, municipal kennel, rescue, animal service or veterinary clinic for advice.
Read our guide to why a microchip may not appear in any database.
Which microchip databases are used in Italy?
Italy’s system includes national and territorial records.
The regions and autonomous provinces have traditionally managed their own companion-animal registers.
Italy is now moving towards a newer national system called SINAC.
Some regions have already moved their records into SINAC. Other regional or provincial services may still remain relevant.
The existing Ministry of Health public search also remains available.
This means several official routes may need to be checked.
What is VetInfo?
VetInfo is the Ministry of Health’s wider veterinary information platform.
It provides access to several national veterinary systems.
However, VetInfo is not the name of one separate pet microchip registry.
Instead, the newer companion-animal system is available through VetInfo.
What is SINAC?
SINAC stands for Sistema Informativo Nazionale Animali da Compagnia.
In English, this means National Information System for Companion Animals.
SINAC is the newer national system for companion-animal records.
It can contain information about dogs, cats, ferrets and other companion animals.
Authorised veterinarians, ASL veterinary services and other approved users can manage records through SINAC.
Some regions also provide owner services through the platform.
The public search route is available at anagrafecanina.vetinfo.it.
A result should not display the registered owner’s full private contact details.
An authorised organisation may use the record to contact the owner.
What is the existing Ministry of Health search?
The Ministry of Health also provides an existing national public search.
It is called the Banca dati dell’Anagrafe Animali d’Affezione.
In English, this means the Companion Animal Register database.
The user can enter a complete microchip or tattoo number.
A result may identify the regional or provincial register connected to the animal.
The search does not show the owner’s full private details.
This route is still important during the move to SINAC.
It can be opened at salute.gov.it/anagcaninapublic_new.
If no result appears, the Ministry advises checking the individual territorial registers because regions update the national database at different times.
What are the regional and provincial registers?
Italy has 20 regions.
The autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano also manage companion-animal information.
Regional procedures are not always identical.
Some regions have moved their records into SINAC. Other regional systems or services may still be needed.
A regional record may contain newer information than a national public result.
This is why a direct regional check remains important.
The Ministry of Health provides an official list of the regional and provincial registers.
Which Italian search should be used first?
There is no need to choose only one.
Instead, use both national routes when possible.
Then, check the relevant territorial register.
The best order is:
- Search VetInfo Italy.
- Search the existing Ministry of Health database.
- Check the relevant regional or provincial register.
- Ask a veterinarian or ASL veterinary service to check the official systems.
Using all available routes gives the best chance of finding the record.
Can EUROPETNET find an Italian registration?
EUROPETNET is a separate European microchip search network.
A manual search may identify a registration connected to Italy or another European country.
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 Italy.
The Italian national, regional and provincial searches should still be completed.
Read how ChipTrace works for more information about database checks and manual searches.
How does ChipTrace search Italy?
ChipTrace checks available connected databases and international search routes where possible.
At the moment, ChipTrace does not complete the official Italian searches automatically.
Instead, ChipTrace provides direct links to:
- The newer VetInfo Italy route
- The existing Ministry of Health search
- Regional or provincial searches when relevant
- EUROPETNET for a separate manual European search
The user completes these searches manually.
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 may also identify reliable manufacturer or distributor information from the complete microchip number.
A manufacturer match is not treated as a registration result. It does not prove the animal’s country of origin.
ChipTrace shows which automatic databases were checked. It also shows which manual Italian routes are still available.
ChipTrace does not display private owner information. The registry or an authorised organisation must contact the owner.
Are microchips required in Italy?
Dogs
Yes. Dogs in Italy must be identified with a microchip and entered in the official register.
This should normally be completed by the end of the dog’s second month of life.
The registration is normally completed by an authorised veterinarian.
A dog should also be registered before it is sold, adopted or given to another person.
Ask a local veterinarian or ASL veterinary service about the exact regional procedure.
Cats
Italy does not have one national rule requiring every privately owned cat to be microchipped.
However, regional rules can be stricter.
A cat may therefore need to be microchipped and registered in one region even when the same rule does not apply elsewhere.
A cat also needs a microchip when identification is required for international travel.
Microchipping and registration are strongly recommended even when they are voluntary.
An indoor cat can also escape.
Ferrets
Ferrets can be microchipped and entered in the companion-animal register.
They do not have the same general national registration rule as dogs.
Regional requirements may differ.
A ferret normally needs a microchip for travel within the European Union.
Ask a local veterinarian which rules apply.
Who can implant and register the microchip?
An authorised veterinarian normally implants the microchip.
The veterinarian can also create the official registration.
A public ASL veterinary service may also complete the process.
The animal and owner details are entered in the correct official system.
Implanting and registering are separate steps.
The microchip contains only an identification number. The owner’s contact details are stored in the database.
A working chip may still be difficult to trace when the registration was never completed.
How to register a pet microchip in Italy
An authorised veterinarian normally completes the identification and registration.
To register a pet:
- Make an appointment with an authorised veterinarian.
- Take the animal and any existing documents.
- Ask the veterinarian to confirm the complete microchip number.
- If needed, the veterinarian implants a new microchip.
- Provide your identity and contact details.
- Provide information about the animal.
- Provide proof of ownership or transfer when required.
- The veterinarian enters the record in the correct official system.
- Check every digit of the microchip number.
- Keep the registration certificate.
Useful documents may include:
- Your identity document
- Your Italian tax code
- Proof of your address
- The animal’s vaccination record
- An EU pet passport
- The microchip certificate
- An adoption contract
- A purchase agreement
- A signed transfer document
- A foreign registration certificate
The exact documents and fees can vary between regions.
Ask the veterinary clinic or local ASL veterinary service what to bring.
Does the veterinarian register the chip automatically?
The veterinarian who implants a new microchip should normally create the official record at the same time.
However, it is still important to check.
Ask the veterinarian to confirm that:
- The registration has been submitted
- The complete microchip number is correct
- The animal is registered under your name
- Your telephone number is correct
- Your email address is correct
- Your home address is correct
- The correct national or regional system was used
Ask for a registration certificate or another written confirmation.
Do not assume that implantation alone completes the registration.
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 Italy
- The animal was first registered in another country
- A finder uses an international search service
- The Italian registration is difficult to identify from abroad
- The animal has a foreign or manufacturer-coded microchip
Important: a global registration is only a safety net. It does not replace the required Italian registration for a dog.
Updating Animal-ID does not update an Italian national or regional record.
Keep the same contact details in every active registration.
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:
- Use ChipTrace to check available databases.
- Search the newer VetInfo Italy route.
- Search the existing Ministry of Health database.
- Check the relevant regional or provincial register.
- Ask an authorised veterinarian to check the official record.
- Ask the local ASL veterinary service for help.
- Open EUROPETNET for a separate manual European search.
- Compare the number with the registration certificate and pet passport.
When checking the record, confirm the registered owner’s name, address, telephone number and email address.
Also check that the animal’s status is correct. It should not still be marked as missing, transferred or dead if that information no longer applies.
A public search may identify the register without showing your personal information. This is normal.
How to update an Italian microchip registration
Ask an authorised veterinarian or ASL veterinary service to update the official record.
Update the registration when:
- You move home
- Your telephone number changes
- Your email address changes
- The animal moves to a new owner
- The animal goes missing
- The animal is found again
- The animal moves to another Italian region
- The animal moves abroad
- The animal dies
Some regions provide online owner services.
Other changes must be completed through a veterinarian or public veterinary service.
Updating the pet passport alone does not update the official database.
Update any foreign or global registration separately.
What happens when you move to another Italian region?
A permanent move may need to be recorded in the system used at the new address.
The process may involve the old and new regional services.
Changing your home address does not always transfer the animal automatically.
Contact an authorised veterinarian or ASL veterinary service in the new region.
Take:
- The animal
- Your identity document
- The registration certificate
- The vaccination record or pet passport
- Proof of your new address
The veterinarian or ASL service can explain the correct regional procedure.
How to transfer an Italian microchip registration
The registered owner must be changed when an animal is sold, adopted or given away.
The previous and new owners may both need to sign the transfer documents.
An authorised veterinarian or ASL veterinary service normally records the change.
Useful documents may include:
- An adoption contract
- A purchase agreement
- A signed transfer form
- The registration certificate
- The pet passport
- Veterinary records
- Identity documents for both owners
After the transfer, check the new owner’s name and contact details.
Signing an adoption or sale document does not update the database automatically.
What if the pet is still registered to someone else?
Contact the previous owner, breeder, shelter or rescue first.
Ask them to help complete the transfer.
If this is not possible, contact an authorised veterinarian or ASL veterinary service.
Explain how the animal came into your care.
Provide any documents they request.
Do not create a second, conflicting registration.
A database record can show who appears as the registered owner. However, it may not settle a legal ownership dispute on its own.
Buying or adopting a pet in Italy
Ask for the complete microchip number before taking the animal home.
When possible, ask a veterinarian, shelter or rescue to check the number.
Make sure the number matches every document.
Also ask for:
- The registration certificate
- The name of the national or regional system holding the record
- The vaccination or health record
- The EU pet passport, when available
- An adoption contract or purchase agreement
- Confirmation of who will complete the transfer
- Information about any foreign registration
A dog should already be microchipped and registered before it moves to a new owner.
The official registration must then be changed to the new owner.
Do not rely only on the name written in the pet passport.
The database record must also be updated.
What about a pet adopted from an Italian rescue?
Ask the rescue which records already exist.
Also ask:
- Whether the complete microchip number has been confirmed
- Who is named in the Italian register
- Which national or regional system holds the record
- Who will complete the ownership transfer
- Who will register the animal in another country when it is adopted abroad
- Whether the rabies and travel documents are complete
In some cases, the pet needs active registrations in Italy and in its destination country.
Keep the Italian registration active until the new record has been confirmed.
What should you do if your pet goes missing?
Act quickly.
Report the animal as missing as soon as possible.
Contact an authorised veterinarian or the local ASL veterinary service.
Ask for the missing status to be added to the official record.
Check that your telephone number and email address are correct.
You should:
- Contact local veterinarians.
- Contact municipal shelters and kennels.
- Contact rescue organisations.
- Contact the municipality or local police when relevant.
- Share a clear photograph and the area where the animal disappeared.
Do not publish the complete microchip number online.
Share only part of the number publicly. Keep the full number for veterinarians, shelters, municipal kennels, rescues, ASL services, databases and trusted organisations helping with the search.
When the animal returns, ask for the missing status to be removed.
Bringing an imported pet to Italy
A foreign database registration does not automatically create an Italian record.
After arrival, ask an authorised Italian veterinarian or ASL veterinary service to check the microchip and documents.
Take:
- The animal
- Its EU pet passport or official animal health certificate
- Its rabies vaccination record
- The microchip certificate, when available
- Your Italian identity and address details
- Any foreign registration documents
- An adoption or transfer document, when relevant
A readable foreign or manufacturer-coded microchip normally does not need to be replaced.
The existing number can normally be added to the correct Italian system.
Check that the number matches every document.
Keep the foreign registration active until the Italian record has been confirmed.
Update the foreign record with your Italian contact details when possible.
Travelling with a pet to or from Italy
Microchip registration and border requirements are separate.
The requirements depend on the country of departure and destination.
Travelling within the European Union
For most travel within the EU, dogs, cats and ferrets need:
- A readable microchip
- A valid rabies vaccination
- An EU pet passport
Normally, the veterinarian must implant the microchip before, or on the same day as, the rabies vaccination for travel.
After the first rabies vaccination, you normally need to wait at least 21 days before travel.
Authorities may still accept a clearly readable tattoo if someone applied it before 3 July 2011.
Bringing a pet to Italy from outside the European Union
A dog, cat or ferret will normally need:
- A readable microchip
- A valid rabies vaccination
- An official EU animal health certificate
- An owner’s non-commercial movement declaration
- Entry through an approved travellers’ point when required
Also, some journeys may require a rabies antibody blood test.
This depends on the country or territory from which the animal travels.
Start preparing several months before the journey.
Check the current Italian and European Union rules before travelling.
Travelling from Italy to another country
If you travel from Italy 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 Italian microchip links
VetInfo Italy
Search the newer Italian companion-animal system
Ministry of Health national search
Search the existing national companion-animal database
Regional and provincial registers
Find the correct territorial register
Italian microchip and registration guidance
Read the official identification and registration information
Italian pet-travel guidance
Check current Italian entry rules for dogs, cats and ferrets
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
EUROPETNET
Complete a separate manual European microchip search
Animal-ID
Create an additional global microchip registration