Proof of competence in Germany: all federal states compared
Is proof of competence required, and for whom? This page puts all 16 federal states of Germany side by side: 16 of 16 are sourced from official sources, the latest check was on 29 October 2026.
Proof of competence by federal state
| Federal state | Summary | Source | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | Owners of fighting dogs (requirement for the permit) | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Bavaria | None named in the LStVG (Art. 18, 37) | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Berlin | Owners of listed dogs; voluntary for everyone else | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Brandenburg | Owners of dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Bremen | All owners (keeping begun from 01.07.2026); if begun earlier, only dangerous dogs and breeds under § 7 Abs. 3 | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Hamburg | No general requirement named | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Hesse | Owners of dangerous dogs (requirement for the permit) | Official source | checked on 29 October 2026 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | Owners of dangerous dogs (requirement for the permit under § 5) | Official source | checked on 29 October 2026 |
| Lower Saxony | People who acquired a dog for the first time after 1 July 2011 | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | Owners of dangerous dogs, of the breeds under § 10 and of large dogs (from 40 cm or 20 kg) | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | Owners of dangerous dogs (requirement for the permit) | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Saarland | Owners of dangerous dogs (including the three listed breeds) | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Saxony | Owners of dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Saxony-Anhalt | Owners of dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 29 October 2026 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | Owners of dangerous dogs; voluntary for everyone else | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Thuringia | Owners of dangerous dogs (requirement for the permit) | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
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No guarantee
As of: 29 October 2026. The official text alone is authoritative. Source and date checked per row.
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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