Let X be a complete, geometrically irreducible, singular, algebraic curve defined over a field of characteristic p big enough. Given a local ring Op,x at a rational singular point P of X, we attached a universal zeta function which is a rational function and admits a functional equation if Op,x is Gorenstein. This universal zeta function specializes to other known zeta functions and Poincaré series attached to singular points of algebraic curves. In particular, for the local ring attached to a complex analytic function in two variables, our universal zeta function specializes to the generalized Poincaré series introduced by Campillo, Delgado, and Gusein-Zade.