Dogs in Essen: Dog tax, off-leash areas and rules
Dog tax in Essen: €156 for the first dog. Plus registration, off-leash areas, the rules in North Rhine-Westphalia and dog care at DOGSY – each item with official source and date checked.
574,682 inhabitants (as of 2024-12-31) · Source
Dog tax in Essen
- First dog
- €156 per year
- Second dog
- €216 per yearApplies to each dog when two dogs are kept.
- Further levels
- Only one dog 156 euros; two dogs 216 euros each; three or more dogs 252 euros each (§ 2 Abs. 1).
- Listed breed
- €852 per yearper dangerous dog within the meaning of § 3 of the bylaw
- Reductions and exemptions
- Half tax on application for dogs guarding agricultural properties; further reductions and exemptions not evaluated.
- Registration
- Within two weeks.
Legal basis: Hundesteuersatzung der Stadt Essen vom 15. Dezember 2025 (Ortsrecht 9.02) (in force since 01.01.2026)
Further official sources: Stadt Essen: Hundesteuer in Essen (registration deadline)
Not yet checked: Registration deadline from the city's page, not from the bylaw; exemptions (§ 4, § 5) not evaluated.
checked on 28 October 2026
Off-leash areas in Essen
29 – designated dog meadows with a special sign
Under the regulatory ordinance (Ordnungsbehördliche Verordnung), the leash requirement applies on all public areas, except the specially designated dog meadows; the 29 dog meadows are marked by a special sign and linked in the city's geoportal.
checked on 29 October 2026
Leash in Essen
Separate city rules (e.g. green space bylaws, hazard prevention or dog ordinances) not checked; the rules of the federal state apply.
Rules in North Rhine-Westphalia
The state rules on leashes, listed breeds, proof of competence, liability insurance and identification – each topic with source and date checked.
Dog care in Essen
At DOGSY, dog owners find support from people nearby. The services in Essen:
More cities in Germany
The same information for other cities.
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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