How to Update Microchip Info After Moving
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Updating your microchip registration after a move is the single most-forgotten step in pet safety — and it's what makes the chip work. A chip with your old phone number or address can't reunite you with a lost pet. Log in to your microchip registry, update your phone, email, and address, and confirm the changes. It takes a few minutes and should happen every time your contact details change.
Why this step matters so much
A microchip stores only an ID number. When a lost pet is scanned, that number is looked up in a registry to find your contact details. If those details are out of date — an old phone, a previous address — the trail goes cold even though the chip did its job.
Moving is exactly when this breaks. People update their address for banks and subscriptions but forget the microchip registry, and a pet is most likely to get lost soon after a move, in unfamiliar surroundings. Update the chip as part of moving, not later.
Step 1: Find which registry holds your chip
If you're not sure where your pet's chip is registered, use the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup (petmicrochiplookup.org). Enter the chip number and it will show which registry the chip is enrolled with, so you know where to log in.
Common U.S. registries include AKC Reunite, HomeAgain, PetLink, and 24PetWatch. You'll update the details in whichever one holds your chip.
Step 2: Log in and update your details
- Go to your registry's website and sign in to your account. If you've forgotten your login, use the account-recovery option with the email or chip number on file.
- Open your pet's profile.
- Update your phone number, email, and address — and double-check each field.
- Update your emergency/secondary contact too, if it also changed.
- Save and confirm. Look for a confirmation email or on-screen success message.
If you switched vets in the move, that's fine — the registration follows the chip, not the clinic.
Other times to update — not just moving
Update your microchip registration whenever any of these change:
- Your phone number or email
- Your home address
- Your pet's ownership (adoption, rehoming, or a new co-owner)
- Your emergency contact's details
A quick annual check is a good habit even when nothing's changed — confirm everything is still current, since some registries let records lapse.
Make it easy to remember next time
The reason this step gets skipped is that it lives in a website you visit once and forget. Keeping the chip number and registry handy — and setting a nudge around any move — solves that.
Tavi tip: Store your pet's microchip number in Tavi and set a reminder to update the registry whenever you move or change your phone. With the number saved right in your pet's profile, you can update the registry in minutes instead of hunting for old paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
I moved and forgot to update my pet's microchip — is it too late?
No, it's never too late — just do it now. Log in to your microchip registry and update your phone, email, and address. If you're unsure which registry holds the chip, use the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup with your chip number to find it, then update the details.
Does updating my address cost anything?
Usually updating your contact details is free or included with your registry account, though some registries charge for premium features or annual membership. The core task — keeping your phone number and address current — is the whole point of the chip, so don't let a small fee stop you if one applies.
Do I need to update the chip if I change vets?
No — the microchip registration is tied to the chip and your contact details, not your veterinary clinic. Changing vets doesn't affect it. You only need to update the registry when your own contact information, address, or your pet's ownership changes.
How do I know my update actually saved?
Look for an on-screen confirmation and a confirmation email from the registry. To be sure, log back in and view your pet's profile to check the new details are showing. You can also run the AAHA lookup to confirm the chip points to the correct, current registry record.
Tavi's guides are informational and not a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment. When in doubt, call your veterinarian. Sources: American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Universal Pet Microchip Lookup; AKC Reunite; American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA); HomeAgain
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