How many microchip databases are there in Australia, and which one is my pet on?

The four national databases

1. Central Animal Records (CAR)
2. Australasian Animal Registry
3. Global Micro
4. PetSafe

Your pet's microchip number is held on one of these.

State registers are separate

New South Wales and South Australia have their own state registers. These are the NSW Pet Registry and Dogs and Cats Online (SA). They are compulsory in those states.

A state register is a separate record from a microchip database. CAR does not replace either one. Owners in those states may need to keep both records up to date.

An older database has closed

In February 2025, an older national database, Homesafe ID, closed. The Victorian Government chose CAR to take it over, after CAR expressed interest. CAR took ownership of all of its Victorian records. Its Queensland records were split between CAR and Global Micro. If your pet's chip was on Homesafe ID, use the checker below to see where it is now.

How to find out which database your pet is on

1. Find your pet's microchip number. It is on your pet's microchip paperwork or certificate.
2. Go to the CAR microchip checker.
3. Enter the number.
4. Read the result. It shows whether the chip is registered on a national database, and which one.

What it costs

The checker is free.

How long it takes

Results are instant.

What happens next

• Your pet is on CAR: sign in to check or update your details.
• Your pet is on another database: contact that database to update your details.
• Your pet isn't registered on a national database: you can sign up and list your pet on CAR. Online listing is from $13.99 and happens instantly. You'll get a certificate when your pet is listed. That's how you know it's done.
• The chip is in the breeder's or previous owner's name: see what to do if the microchip is still in the previous owner's name, or how to transfer the microchip into your name.

About CAR

CAR has been running since 1989. It is a licensed animal registry in Victoria and a licensed PPID registry service in Queensland. CAR reunites over 200,000 lost pets every year.

Good to know

• A microchip is not the same as being registered on a national database. Read Is microchipping the same as registering my pet?
• Council registration and microchip registration are separate records. Renewing or updating one does not change the other.
• In Victoria, once a pet is on a national database it can't be moved to another database.
• Outside Victoria, an owner can move a pet to another national database. CAR doesn't encourage this, because it can leave duplicate records on more than one database.
• In Queensland, if you move your pet to another database, the law says the original database must deactivate its record.
• Moved house? See how to update your pet's microchip details.

Need a hand? Call 03 9706 3187 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm Melbourne time) or email info@car.com.au.