Short answer: yes, in some form — but not the same form everywhere. Unlike the UK, Australia has no single nationwide wording every tag must carry. Registration and microchipping obligations come from state and territory legislation, while the day-to-day rule about what's on the tag itself is usually set by your local council.
That's the detail that trips owners up when they're moving states, adopting a pet, or simply ordering a new tag: the "right" answer depends on where you live.
Why a tag still matters alongside a microchip
A microchip is permanent, but it's only useful to whoever finds your pet if they have a scanner and think to use one. A collar tag does the job a microchip can't — it lets any neighbour, dog walker or passer-by contact you directly, the moment they find your dog, with no equipment at all. Councils treat the two as complementary, not interchangeable, which is why most registration schemes expect both.
The rule changes state by state
A few examples of how differently this plays out: New South Wales generally expects a collar and tag with your dog's name and your address or phone number when the dog is off your property. Victoria requires council registration from three months old, with the registration tag attached to the collar. Queensland and Western Australia both tie registration to a similar age threshold, administered locally rather than at state level. None of these fully match each other — which is exactly why "just copy what a UK or US tag says" doesn't work here.
What most councils expect on the tag
Once you know your council's exact wording, a practical tag usually has room for: your pet's name, a current mobile number, and — where your council requires it — your surname or suburb. A second contact number is worth the space if you have one. One detail to leave off deliberately: the microchip number itself. That belongs with the microchip registry and your council, not engraved on a tag anyone can read.
Check before you engrave
Because the rule is set locally, the fastest way to get it right is to look up your own council's animal registration page directly, rather than relying on a general guide (including this one) as the final word.
For the full breakdown — state-by-state requirements, direct links to each state's guidance, and a step-by-step way to find your own council's rule — see our complete Australian Pet Tag Laws & Requirements guide.
Once you know what your tag needs to say, browse our Australian pet ID tags to get it engraved correctly the first time.
