Dog rules Germany

Dog rules in Germany

All 16 federal states and the six topics in one table: summary, status and date checked. One click leads to the page with the full text and the official source.

All federal states, all topics

The summary condenses the sourced entry. Where it says "being checked", the official text applies until further notice.

All federal states, all topics
Federal stateLeash rulesListed breedsProof of competenceDog taxLiability insuranceMicrochip and registration
Baden-WürttembergDangerous dogschecked on 28 October 2026Breed list with 12 breedschecked on 28 October 2026Owners of fighting dogs (requirement for the permit)checked on 28 October 2026being checkedRequired for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026Microchip required for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026
BavariaSet by the municipalitychecked on 28 October 2026Breed list with 19 breedschecked on 28 October 2026None named in the LStVG (Art. 18, 37)checked on 28 October 2026being checkedRequired for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026No microchip obligation named in the sourcechecked on 28 October 2026
BerlinGeneralchecked on 28 October 2026Breed list with 3 breedschecked on 28 October 2026Owners of listed dogs; voluntary for everyone elsechecked on 28 October 2026being checkedbeing checkedMicrochip required for all dogs, with registerchecked on 28 October 2026
BrandenburgAt certain places, dangerous dogschecked on 28 October 2026No breed listchecked on 28 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogschecked on 28 October 2026Responsible: municipalitychecked on 28 October 2026Required for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026Microchip required for all dogschecked on 28 October 2026
BremenAt certain places, dangerous dogschecked on 28 October 2026Breed list with 4 breedschecked on 28 October 2026All owners (keeping begun from 01.07.2026); if begun earlier, only dangerous dogs and breeds under § 7 Abs. 3checked on 28 October 2026Responsible: municipalitychecked on 28 October 2026Required for all dogschecked on 28 October 2026Microchip required for all dogs, with registerchecked on 28 October 2026
HamburgGeneralchecked on 28 October 2026Breed list with 15 breedschecked on 28 October 2026No general requirement namedchecked on 28 October 2026being checkedRequired for all dogschecked on 28 October 2026Microchip required for all dogs, with registerchecked on 28 October 2026
HesseDangerous dogs, at certain places, set by the municipalitychecked on 29 October 2026Breed list with 9 breedschecked on 29 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogs (requirement for the permit)checked on 29 October 2026Responsible: municipalitychecked on 29 October 2026Required for some dogschecked on 29 October 2026Microchip required for some dogs, without registerchecked on 29 October 2026
Mecklenburg-Western PomeraniaAt certain places, dangerous dogs, set by the municipalitychecked on 29 October 2026No breed listchecked on 29 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogs (requirement for the permit under § 5)checked on 29 October 2026being checkedNo obligation named in the sourcechecked on 29 October 2026Microchip required for some dogs, without registerchecked on 29 October 2026
Lower Saxonybeing checkedNo breed listchecked on 28 October 2026People who acquired a dog for the first time after 1 July 2011checked on 28 October 2026being checkedRequired for all dogschecked on 28 October 2026Microchip required for all dogs, with registerchecked on 28 October 2026
North Rhine-WestphaliaAt certain places, large dogschecked on 28 October 2026Breed list with 14 breedschecked on 28 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogs, of the breeds under § 10 and of large dogs (from 40 cm or 20 kg)checked on 28 October 2026Responsible: municipalitychecked on 28 October 2026Required for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026Microchip required for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026
Rhineland-PalatinateDangerous dogschecked on 28 October 2026Breed list with 3 breedschecked on 28 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogs (requirement for the permit)checked on 28 October 2026being checkedRequired for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026being checked
SaarlandDangerous dogschecked on 28 October 2026Breed list with 3 breedschecked on 28 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogs (including the three listed breeds)checked on 28 October 2026being checkedRequired for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026Microchip required for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026
SaxonyDangerous dogschecked on 28 October 2026Breed list with 3 breedschecked on 28 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogschecked on 28 October 2026Responsible: municipalitychecked on 28 October 2026Required for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026No microchip obligation named in the sourcechecked on 28 October 2026
Saxony-AnhaltDangerous dogs, set by the municipalitychecked on 29 October 2026Breed list with 4 breedschecked on 29 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogschecked on 29 October 2026Responsible: municipalitychecked on 29 October 2026Required for all dogschecked on 29 October 2026Microchip required for all dogs, with registerchecked on 29 October 2026
Schleswig-HolsteinAt certain placeschecked on 28 October 2026No breed listchecked on 28 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogs; voluntary for everyone elsechecked on 28 October 2026Responsible: municipalitychecked on 28 October 2026Required for some dogschecked on 28 October 2026Microchip required for all dogschecked on 28 October 2026
ThuringiaDangerous dogschecked on 28 October 2026No breed listchecked on 28 October 2026Owners of dangerous dogs (requirement for the permit)checked on 28 October 2026being checkedRequired for all dogschecked on 28 October 2026Microchip required for all dogschecked on 28 October 2026

No guarantee

As of: 29 October 2026. The official text alone is authoritative. Each cell shows the date checked; the source is on the detail page.

Not legal advice. We summarise the rules in plain language. This is a guide and does not replace information from the competent authority.

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