How Much Does It Cost to Microchip a Cat?
If you have not had your cat microchipped yet, now is the time. The law applies to all cats in England aged 20 weeks and over.
Failing to comply can result in a fine of up to £500. Below, we cover what microchipping involves, where to get it done and whether pet insurance plays any role in the cost.
*General information only. Does not represent Perfect Pet Insurance policies specifically.
Always check your provider’s terms before purchasing.*
What Does Cat Microchipping Cost in the UK?
The average cost to microchip a cat at a private veterinary practice is £20 to £25. Some vets charge as little as £10, particularly during microchipping campaigns or awareness events.
Others charge up to £30, especially in London and the South East where vet fees tend to be higher across the board.
The fee covers the microchip itself, the implantation procedure and registration on an approved database. There is no ongoing annual charge for the chip, though some databases charge a small fee if you need to update your contact details later.
Can You Get a Cat Microchipped for Free?
Yes. Charities including Cats Protection, the RSPCA and Blue Cross run regular microchipping events where the procedure is free or heavily discounted.
If cost is a barrier, these are worth looking into. Some local councils also fund free microchipping sessions, particularly since the law changed in 2024.
Is It a Legal Requirement to Microchip Your Cat?
Yes. Since 10 June 2024, all cats in England must be microchipped by the time they reach 20 weeks old.
Owners who fail to microchip their cat can be issued a notice, and if they do not comply within 21 days, they face a fine of up to £500.
The law already applied to dogs in England (since 2016). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet introduced compulsory cat microchipping, though it is widely recommended by vets and animal welfare organisations across all four nations.
What Does Cat Microchipping Involve?
A microchip is a tiny electronic chip – about the size of a grain of rice – that is injected under the skin between your cat’s shoulder blades using a sterile needle. The whole thing takes a few seconds.
Most cats barely react. No anaesthetic is needed.
Each chip contains a unique 15-digit number that is linked to your contact details on an approved database. If your cat goes missing and is found by a vet, rescue centre or local authority, they scan the chip and your details come up immediately.
That is how lost cats get home.
Does Pet Insurance Cover the Cost of Microchipping?
In general, most pet insurance does not cover you for microchipping because it is classified as a preventative or routine procedure, not a treatment for illness or injury. The same applies to vaccinations, flea treatments and worming – these are all part of responsible pet ownership and fall outside the scope of insurance cover.
That said, some vet health plans (sometimes called wellness plans or monthly payment plans) do include microchipping as part of a bundled package. These are separate from insurance and cover routine preventative care for a fixed monthly fee.
While microchipping is a one-off cost, the bigger financial risk with cats is unexpected illness or injury. Vet bills for conditions like kidney disease, urinary blockages or road traffic accidents can run into thousands.
Having insurance for your cat in place means those unexpected costs are covered, giving you one less thing to worry about.
What Happens If Your Cat Is Already Microchipped?
If your cat was microchipped as a kitten or when you adopted them, you are already compliant with the law. The one thing to check is whether your contact details are up to date on the database.
If you have moved house or changed phone number since the chip was registered, updating those details is essential – otherwise the chip is there but nobody can reach you.
You can check which database your cat’s chip is registered on by visiting Check a Chip (www.check-a-chip.co.uk) and entering the microchip number from your cat’s records.
Are All Microchip Databases the Same?
No. The UK has multiple approved pet microchip databases, and your cat’s chip is registered on one of them.
Petlog, run by the Kennel Club, is the largest. Others include MicrochipCentral, SmartTrace, Petscanner and several more.
The problem is that these databases do not automatically talk to each other.
This matters if your cat goes missing. The person who finds your cat takes it to a vet.
The vet scans the chip and gets a 15-digit number. They then need to search the right database to pull up your contact details.
Most vets and rescue centres use a lookup tool that checks all databases at once, but not all do. Some older scanners cannot read all chip frequencies either.
The practical takeaway: know which database your cat is on, keep a note of the microchip number and make sure your phone number and address are current. A chip with wrong details is no better than no chip at all.
If you have just brought a new kitten home, microchipping is only one of the things on your to-do list. Getting insurance sorted early is just as important – premiums are lowest when your kitten is young and healthy.
Our guide to how much kitten insurance costs in the UK breaks down what to expect.
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Sources
[1] GOV.UK (2024). Cat Microchipping Now Mandatory
[2] PDSA (2024). Microchipping Cats: What You Need to Know
Expecting a litter soon? You can estimate the arrival date with our calculator for your cat’s due date and plan ahead for microchipping the kittens.
Microchipping is a small one-off. Bigger bills arrive without warning, and pet insurance cover from Perfect Pet is built for those.
