Boulder's Voice and Sight Tag Program, Explained

Boulder does not hand out off-leash access. It teaches a course, checks your paperwork, mails you a tag, and then tickets you if your dog chases a deer anyway.

The Voice and Sight Tag Program is the most elaborate off-leash regime in any city we have documented, and it is worth understanding properly before you register, because the standard is higher than most owners assume.

Verbatim from the city's programme page:

"The Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department currently allows for guardians to hike with their dogs off leash on certain designated trails under the Voice and Sight Control Tag program."

Certain designated trails. Not all of them, and our dogs on OSMP trails guide covers which.

The standard, quoted in full

This is the part to read twice. Verbatim:

"Voice and sight control means the ability of a dog guardian to adequately control a dog by using voice commands and sight commands (such as hand gestures). In order for a guardian or keeper to have voice and sight control over a dog, the guardian must:" "be able to see the dog's actions; and" "be able to prevent the dog from engaging in the following behaviors, using voice and sight commands, without regard to circumstances or distractions:"

And the four behaviours, verbatim:

"Charging, chasing, or otherwise displaying aggression toward any person or behaving toward any person in a manner that a reasonable person would find harassing or disturbing;" "Charging, chasing, or otherwise displaying aggression toward any dog;" "Chasing, harassing, or disturbing wildlife or livestock; or" "Failing to come to and stay with the guardian or keeper immediately upon command by such person."

"Without regard to circumstances or distractions." That phrase does the work. A recall that holds in your garden and fails at a fleeing rabbit does not meet this standard.

The city agrees it is demanding, verbatim: "It is a high standard to have your dog off leash and under Voice and Sight Control when confronted by distractions, wildlife, other animals like horses, dogs and the occasional cat."

It is required by law, not a courtesy

Verbatim: "It is required by law for anyone intending to use voice and sight control privileges. Participation in the program and displaying a valid program tag on all dogs under voice and sight control is required by the Boulder Revised Code (BRC) 6-1-16 and 6-13-2 through 6-13-5."

BRC 6-1-16 and 6-13-2 through 6-13-5 are the sections. Our Boulder leash rules and where they apply guide explains that gap.

Four steps, and roughly a month

The city's own warning on timing, verbatim: "keep in mind that it may take up to a month to complete all of the program requirements before you can take advantage of the off-leash trail system."

Step one: the education course. Verbatim: "Dog guardians must complete a free online course every 5 years, mandated by law, in order to participate in the Voice & Sight Tag Program. The course covers the specific legal requirements of Voice & Sight control, goes over tips for successfully managing dogs off-leash, and discusses some common scenarios that could be encountered."

It is free, online, and available with a transcript and a screen-reader-friendly version.

Then wait a day, verbatim: "Please wait one full business day between taking the class and registering for Voice and Sight Tags to allow class attendance to be processed for registration."

Step two: the rabies certificate. And Boulder is strict about the format, verbatim: "A rabies tag will not be accepted as proof of vaccination." The certificate should carry the clinic letterhead, the words "Rabies Vaccination Certificate" across the top, the dog's details, the owner's details and the "date of vaccination, next due date, lot/serial number of vaccination, and tag number".

A medical exemption exists, verbatim: "Exemption from the rabies vaccination requirement is possible with a letter from a veterinarian affirming that the animal is medically unable to receive the required vaccination."

Step three: the city dog licence, if you live in Boulder. Verbatim: "If you are required to have a city dog license, it must be purchased before the DocuPet system will give you the option to register for Voice and Sight." Our Boulder dog licence guide covers that separately, and note the city says plainly that a licence alone does not buy off-leash rights.

Step four: register and pay through DocuPet, then wait. Verbatim: "Please allow up to seven business days for tags to be processed and delivered in the mail."

There is no test. Verbatim: "No. By registering for the program and displaying the tags on your dog, you are simply stating that you have attended the education class on voice and sight control."

Which means the honesty of your own assessment is the whole safeguard. Our dog training for voice and sight control guide covers the city's own coaching on that.

What it costs, and residency matters a lot

Verbatim: "The registration fee includes 1 dog and 1 guardian. The fee for each additional guardian in a household is $5, and the fee for each additional dog is $10."

Renewal, between November 1 and January 31:

Resident status	Renewal fee
City of Boulder residents	$5
Boulder County residents not in the City of Boulder	$20
Non-Boulder County residents	$30

Initial registration, or renewal after January 31:

Resident status	Fee
City of Boulder residents	$13
Boulder County residents not in the City of Boulder	$33
Non-Boulder County residents	$75

$13 against $75 is the spread between a city resident and a visitor from outside the county, for the same tag on the same trails.

A fee waiver exists, verbatim: "The additional guardian and dog registration fees will be waived for City of Boulder households who meet income criteria consistent with the City of Boulder Food Tax Rebate Program or the Parks and Recreation Reduced Rate Program."

Tags are annual. Verbatim: "All Voice & Sight Tags expire on December 31 of each year and must be renewed annually. Tags for the following year can be purchased starting November 1." The refresher course is required "at least every five years".

So renew in November or December. Waiting until February costs a city resident $13 instead of $5.

The tag does not protect you from a ticket

The city is blunt about this, and the list of ways to get one is longer than most tag holders realise. Verbatim, in answer to whether the tag protects you: "No. A dog guardian who participates in the program and walks a dog under voice and sight control in areas where it is allowed may still be issued for any violation of voice and sight control rules including but not limited to the following infractions:"

"The dog guardian is walking more than two dogs under voice and sight control;" "The dog guardian is not carrying a leash for each dog being walked under voice and sight control;" "The dog guardian fails to display a voice and sight tag on dog;" "The dog guardian has a dog under voice and sight control and is not registered in the Voice and Sight Tag Program" "The dog is not within the guardian's sight and under voice control at all times;" "The dog does not come to and stay with the guardian immediately upon command;" "The dog charges, chases or otherwise displays aggression toward any person, or behaves in a way that any reasonable person may find harassing or disturbing;" "The dog charges, chases or otherwise displays aggression toward any dog; or" "The dog chases, harasses or disturbs wildlife or livestock."

Two of those catch careful people out.

A maximum of two dogs off leash per guardian. Three dogs means one of them is on a lead.

And you must carry a leash for every dog. A tag holder walking two dogs off leash without two leads in hand is in violation, even if both dogs are perfect.

The penalties, which escalate and then change direction

Verbatim:

"Offenses related to not meeting the requirements of the Voice and Sight Tag Program, off-leash or voice and sight control violations, and dog at large circumstances are subject to a maximum penalty for a first violation of $100. For a second violation within 24 months, the maximum penalty is a fine of $200. A third violation within the same 24 months will result in a fine of not less than $300."

Violation	Penalty
First	Maximum $100
Second within 24 months	Maximum $200
Third within 24 months	Not less than $300

Read the third row carefully. The first two are ceilings. The third is a floor.

And the court can do more than fine you, verbatim: "Additionally, the courts may impose conditions that require attendance at the education class related to voice and sight control, evaluation or training of the dog, or temporary suspension or permanent revocation of voice and sight control privileges for egregious violations or repeat offenders."

Permanent revocation is on the table. Our Boulder's aggressive animal court process guide covers what a court-ordered evaluation involves, because Boulder Municipal Court publishes its whole procedure.

Where the tag does and does not work

The city answers this directly, verbatim:

"The Voice and Sight Tag Program applies only to certain City of Boulder lands where having a dog on a leash is not required. On-leash control is always required within the city limits of Boulder except in specially designated dog parks or other areas specifically exempted from this requirement. All trails posted as requiring a leash prohibit the use of voice and sight control."

A tag is not a city-wide off-leash pass. Pavements, streets and most parks are lead-only regardless.

And on some trails there is a distance limit, verbatim: "On trails where dog guardians are required to stay on trail and dogs can be managed under voice and sight control, dogs are allowed no more than 20 feet away from the trail."

Twenty feet. That is the On-Corridor Voice and Sight regime, and our dogs on OSMP trails guide lists the trails it applies to.

Seasonal overlays suspend the privilege entirely on named trails, which our Boulder's seasonal dog leash restrictions guide covers.

Two useful edge cases

Dog walkers without dogs. Verbatim: "If you don't intend to register a dog and only walk other peoples dogs under voice and sight control; the registration process is streamlined to not include dog information. No tags will be shipped."

Commercial walkers need more. Verbatim: "If you are a commercial dog-walker, you will also need a Commercial Use Permit to bring dogs to Open Space and Mountain Parks." Worth knowing before you hire someone, and our hiring a dog walker guide covers what else to ask.

Who to contact

Programme questions: [email protected] or 303-441-3440.

Education course questions: [email protected] or 303-441-3440.

Tags, accounts and lost tags: DocuPet, [email protected] or 877-239-6072. Lost tags can be replaced online through the renew and update link.

To report a problem with someone else's dog on OSMP, verbatim: "please call the City of Boulder's non-emergency dispatch at 303-441-3333."

Is it worth it?

If you live in Boulder and hike often, yes. $13 the first year and $5 a year afterwards buys access to a system the city itself describes as rare, verbatim: "Open Space and Mountain Parks is one of few systems on the Colorado Front Range which allow dog guardians to walk dogs off-leash."

If you are visiting for a week, probably not. $75 for a non-county resident, plus a course, plus up to a month of processing, against trails where a lead is always an option.

And if your recall is honestly not solid around wildlife, no. Boulder is bear and mountain lion country, chasing wildlife is one of the four listed violations, and the city's own advice is to leash up around wildlife regardless of your tag. Our dogs and wildlife in Boulder guide covers that, and our Boulder dog parks guide covers where to train instead, since the city recommends the fenced parks for exactly that purpose.

Frequently asked questions

What is Boulder's Voice and Sight Tag Program? A city programme, rolled out by Open Space and Mountain Parks in 2006, that allows registered guardians to walk dogs off leash on designated OSMP trails if the dog displays a programme tag and is under voice and sight control at all times.

Is the programme mandatory to walk a dog off leash? Yes. The city states that participation and displaying a valid tag are required by law under Boulder Revised Code 6-1-16 and 6-13-2 through 6-13-5.

What does voice and sight control mean? The city defines it as being able to see the dog's actions and to prevent it, using voice and sight commands and without regard to circumstances or distractions, from charging or chasing people or dogs, from chasing or disturbing wildlife or livestock, and from failing to come to and stay with the guardian immediately on command.

How much does a Voice and Sight tag cost? Initial registration or renewal after January 31 is $13 for city residents, $33 for county residents outside the city and $75 for non-county residents. Renewal between November 1 and January 31 is $5, $20 and $30 respectively. Additional guardians cost $5 and additional dogs $10.

How long does registration take? The city says it may take up to a month to complete all requirements, including one full business day between the class and registration, and up to seven business days for tags to arrive by post.

Is there a test for the tag? No. The city states that by registering and displaying the tags you are stating that you attended the education class.

Sources

• City of Boulder, Voice and Sight Program
• City of Boulder, Dogs on OSMP
• City of Boulder, Dog Licensing
• City of Boulder, Dog Parks
• City of Boulder, Aggressive Animal Cases
• PetCompass, hiring a dog walker

Fees and programme rules change annually. Confirm with the city and DocuPet before registering.