Consultation and preventative care
Microchipping prices at UK vets
Implanting a microchip under your pet's skin and registering it on a database.
Lowest published prices
Prices are copied from each practice's own website on the date shown and can change. Check with the practice before you book. How we collect prices
All pets £24.20–£42.50 · median £26.25 · 7 practices
- Parc Vetcare£24.20 checked (practice's own price list) from the practice's own price list (published before the CMA standard list)
- West Edinburgh Vets£25 checked (practice's own price list) from the practice's own price list (published before the CMA standard list)
- Petworth Veterinary Centre£26 checked (practice's own price list) from the practice's own price list (published before the CMA standard list)
- Langford Vet Practice£26.25 checked (practice's own price list)
- Barnhouse Veterinary Surgery£28 checked (practice's own price list) from the practice's own price list (published before the CMA standard list)
- VetShack£35 checked (practice's own price list)
- King Street Vets£42.50 checked (practice's own price list) from the practice's own price list (published before the CMA standard list)
In-hours, standard prices including VAT, from 7 practices that already publish; not a UK average. We show a range once 3 practices list a price and a median once 5 do.
What it is
The CMA's definition covers the appointment with the vet or registered veterinary nurse, the microchip implantation and "database registration" (Explanatory Note, Annex 1).
Official price-list name: Microchipping
(CMA Order, Schedule 1).
What's included
- Anything that is an essential part of the service, and VAT (Art. 7(2)(d) and (f))
Why the price varies
- Whether registration is included. The CMA's definition includes database registration, so a price without it would not match the definition.
- Care plans. The CMA found that the large groups' standard plans always included microchipping (final report Appendix G, paragraph 1.5). It is a one-off, so it only saves you money once.
- Timing. Ask whether the price changes if it is done at the same visit as a vaccination or neutering.
Background
According to GOV.UK, all dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by eight weeks old, and cats in England by 20 weeks old, including indoor cats. Owners can be fined up to £500 if their pet is not microchipped or registered when required.
Questions to ask the practice
- Does the price include registering the chip on a database, and which one?
- Can it be done at the same visit as a vaccination?
- Who do I contact to update my details if I move?
We explain prices, not treatment. Ask your vet about the clinical choices for your own pet.
The rules
What the practice's price list must show, with the Order's article references
The exact name from Schedule 1, “Microchipping”, with no free-text description (Art. 7(2)(a)).
As for every item: each version on its own line with the standard one marked, a cat price and five dog bands where the price depends on the animal, and VAT included, kept up to date and changed before a higher price is charged (Art. 7(2)(b), (c), (f) and (g), and 7(5)).
Large vet groups must publish from 23 December 2026 and smaller practices from 23 March 2027 (Art. 3 and 7).
Unhappy with a bill or a price? Our guide explains how to complain, from the practice's own process to free mediation.
Questions
Is microchipping compulsory?
For dogs across the UK, yes, by eight weeks old. For cats, in England, by 20 weeks old. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, microchipping a cat is optional (GOV.UK).
Do I pay to update my details later?
Keeping the details up to date is the owner's responsibility, and GOV.UK notes that the database may charge a fee for changes. That fee is not part of the practice's price.
Why might my bill be higher than the listed price?
Listed prices are for the typical case. Each price list must say so, and must warn that prices may go up in more complex or complicated cases (Art. 7(2)(l)). The price must still include anything that is an essential part of the service (Art. 7(2)(d)).
How up to date are the prices here?
Every price shows the date we last checked it and links to the practice's own page. We re-check weekly, and daily from 23 to 31 December 2026. If a price looks wrong, email [email protected].
Sources
- Competition and Markets Authority, The Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026 (published 22 September 2026): Article 3 (compliance dates), Article 7 (price list) and Schedule 1 (the 36 price-list items).
- CMA, Veterinary services for household pets: summary of the final report (24 March 2026).
- CMA, Annex 1 to the Explanatory Note: indicative price lists (22 September 2026; definitions to support practices, guidance rather than part of the Order).
- GOV.UK, Get your dog or cat microchipped (accessed 4 November 2026).
- CMA, Final report Appendix G: whether LVG pet care plans provide value for money (24 March 2026).
- Practice prices: each practice's own published price list, linked next to every price.