Dogs in Germany: rules, tax and travel

There is no single national dog register. Owners register the dog with their municipality for dog tax. Berlin also requires entry in the Berlin dog register and a report to the tax office within one month.[7]

No nationwide duty for dogs. Some Länder require a chip for all dogs, for example Berlin, where an unchipped dog is an administrative offence.[7]

Dog tax (Hundesteuer) is a local tax. Each municipality sets its own rate, with higher rates for second dogs and for listed breeds. In the 2026 Bund der Steuerzahler survey of Lower Saxony and Bremen the first dog cost 15 to 158 EUR a year, 52 EUR on average. Berlin charges 120 EUR for the first dog.[8]

typical 52 EUR, 15 to 158 EUR a year

There is no national dog licence. Several Länder require a competence test for listed or large dogs. One news source says Lower Saxony requires a dog ownership test for every new owner.[9]

Liability insurance for all dogs is required in Berlin, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia, and for listed, large or dangerous dogs in most other Länder. Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have no legal duty, according to this source.[10]

Leash rules are set by the Länder and municipalities. In Berlin dogs must be on a lead in all public space except marked dog run areas, and on public transport. There is no general muzzle rule that is not tied to a breed or to dangerous dogs.[7]

Tethering a dog is banned. The only exception is while a handler is present during the activity the dog is trained for, with a tether of at least three metres.[11]

Dogs must be given enough exercise outside a kennel, adjusted to breed, age and health.[12]

Cutting off body parts of a dog, such as ear cropping or tail docking, is banned. Exceptions are a vet's medical indication, certain hunting dogs and sterilisation.[13]

In Lower Saxony forests and open countryside, dogs must be on a lead from 1 April to 15 July to protect nesting and young wild animals. Other Länder have similar periods with different dates.[14]

A new EU Regulation on the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats will in time require every dog to be microchipped and registered in a national database. Private dog keepers get a long phase-in.[15]

Pets need an EU pet passport, a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination (given from 12 weeks of age). The pet must be at least 15 weeks old to travel, and a maximum of five pets per person applies.[16]

Pets must have a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at 12 weeks or older and valid 21 days after the primary course, and an animal health certificate (or a pet passport when coming from a listed country). Unlisted origins must enter through a designated travellers point of entry. Maximum five pets per trip.[17]

Needed only for pets arriving from non-EU countries that are not on the EU list. Blood is taken at least 30 days after the first rabies vaccination and at least 90 days before the certificate is issued, with a result of 0.5 IU/ml or more from a designated lab. Pets from listed countries do not need it.[17]

Germany does not require tapeworm treatment on entry. The treatment is required only for dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway.[18]

No quarantine for pets that meet the rules. A pet that does not may be sent back at the owner's expense or placed in official quarantine.[16]