Microchipping a dog or cat typically costs £30 at a UK vet practice. Prices vary by region and whether your practice is independently owned.
The national median is based on 2,605 published prices from UK vet practices.
Most practices publish a price between £18 and £47 (5th to 95th percentile, 2,605 published prices).
The national median microchipping price is £30. Most practices publish between £18 and £47.
Regional variation is real: the cheapest median is in East Midlands (£28) and the dearest in London (£35) — a gap of £8.
Group-owned practices publish a median microchipping price of £30, compared with £25 at independent practices.
58% of first-opinion practices publish a microchipping price online. The remaining 42% do not — owners at those practices usually need to call.
Since June 2024, microchipping is compulsory for cats in England. Combined with the 2016 requirement for dogs, demand for microchipping is higher than ever.
A straightforward procedure with a single national median. The standalone price is what this page shows.
Microchipping is a routine procedure: a small chip the size of a grain of rice is implanted under the skin, usually between the shoulder blades. Some practices include microchipping in a vaccination visit or puppy-check package. The price on this page is the standalone published price only.
Most practices publish between £18 and £47 (2,605 published prices).
Source: Rightvet pricing data, June 2026.
Region and ownership structure both move the published figure.
Microchipping is a short procedure, yet published prices vary across the UK. Where you live and whether your practice is independently owned are the two biggest factors.
The median published microchipping price is £28 in East Midlands and £35 in London.
Regional medians use first-opinion practices in each region that publish a microchipping price online.
Group-owned practices publish a median microchipping price of £30 against £25 at independent practices. Check who owns your local vet to understand where it sits.
Median published price.
Median published price.
Many practices include microchipping within a puppy vaccination visit, a new-pet health check, or a pet care plan. Where it is bundled, no separate price appears online. This accounts for part of the 42% of practices that do not publish a standalone microchipping price. If you are comparing costs, ask the practice whether microchipping is included and at what price.
Across 4,825 UK first-opinion practices mapped by Rightvet, 2,812 publish a microchipping price online. The remaining 2,013 do not publish one.
2,812 practices publish a microchipping price online.
2,013 practices do not publish one, so owners usually need to call, email or ask in practice.
Source: Rightvet pricing data, June 2026.
Editorial context only. Rightvet does not give legal advice.
Dogs have been legally required to be microchipped in England, Scotland and Wales since April 2016. From 10 June 2024, cats aged 20 weeks or over are also required to be microchipped in England. Scotland and Wales have separate legislation in progress. Northern Ireland has its own rules.
Rightvet does not give legal advice. For the official position on compulsory microchipping requirements, see GOV.UK: get your dog microchipped and GOV.UK: cat microchipping guidance.
The 2024 cat requirement has increased demand for microchipping at vet practices. If you are booking for the first time, it is worth checking that the practice can register the chip on a database recognised under the legislation, and asking whether registration is included in the quoted price.
Three questions worth asking before you confirm your appointment.
The chip implantation takes only seconds, but the administrative steps afterwards matter. Asking the right questions beforehand avoids surprises.
Is the chip registered to a database recognised by the government legislation? (For dogs: Defra-compliant; for cats in England: APHA-approved.)
Which database will it be registered on, and what are the ongoing registration costs?
Is registration included in the published price, or is it charged separately?
Sourced from each practice's own website. Nothing estimated.
Rightvet maps RCVS-registered UK veterinary practices and records microchipping prices published on their own websites. This page uses first-opinion practices only for comparisons. No price on this page is estimated.
CMA service 7 is the microchipping price as defined in the Competition and Markets Authority's standardised service list. It is species-agnostic: the same service code covers dogs, cats and rabbits. The standalone published price is used; bundled-in prices (e.g. within a puppy package) that are not published separately are not counted.
Rightvet maps 4,825 UK first-opinion practices. Of these, 2,812 publish at least one microchipping price online. Regional and ownership figures use only practices that publish a matching price.
If a price is wrong for your practice, email hello@rightvet.uk and we will review it.
What other owners ask before they book.
The median published price for microchipping a dog at a UK vet practice is £30. Prices typically range from £18 to £47 across practices that publish a price online.
In England, microchipping became compulsory for cats aged 20 weeks or over on 10 June 2024. Scotland and Wales have separate legislation. See the GOV.UK guidance for the official position on legal requirements.
Not always. Some practices include registration on a recognised database in the quoted price; others charge separately or leave registration to the owner. Ask the practice before booking.
Yes. Some local councils, rescue centres and pet charities offer microchipping at reduced cost or free for eligible owners. Rightvet maps vet practice prices only; non-vet providers are not included in these figures.
Published microchipping prices vary because practices set their own fees and may include different things — registration, consultation time, appointment length — in the same headline price. Region and ownership structure also play a part, as the data on this page shows.