Dog owners in Germany pay taxes every year
In Germany, dog owners are required to pay a dog tax (Hundesteuer) along with the registration of their pets by local authorities. The amount of tax to be paid annually varies depending on the states and municipalities. In Germany, dog ownership …

In Germany, dog owners are required to register their pets with local authorities, and a dog tax (Hundesteuer) is levied. The amount of tax that must be paid annually varies according to states and municipalities.
The tax requirement for those wanting to own a dog in Germany has drawn attention. The German government collects a dog tax (Hundesteuer) from dog owners upon the registration of their pets with local authorities. The amount of tax to be paid each year varies based on states, municipalities, or the breed of the dog, generally ranging from 50 to 200 euros.
Annual tax up to 600 euros for dangerous breeds
For certain breeds classified as dangerous, higher taxes must be paid. The identification of these breeds varies from state to state, but generally, breeds like Rottweilers and Pitbulls fall under the category of “dangerous breeds.” For these classified breeds, an annual tax of up to 600 euros may be imposed.
Guide dogs are exempt from tax
In some cases, dog owners may be exempt from the dog tax. Guide dogs that assist disabled individuals are exempt from the tax, and some municipalities offer a temporary tax exemption for dogs adopted from animal shelters (Tierheim).
Additional tax for 2nd or 3rd dogs in some states
In large cities, the tax amount is higher, while smaller settlements with lesser populations impose lower taxes. In the capital, Berlin, the annual tax for the first dog is around 120 euros, while in Hamburg, it is about 90 euros. The annual tax in Munich is 100 euros, in Cologne it is 156 euros, in Bremen it is 150 euros, in Paderborn it is 72 euros, and in Ingolstadt, it is 65 euros. In Stuttgart, dog owners pay 108 euros for the first dog and 216 euros for the second dog. Additional taxes may apply for 2nd or 3rd dogs in some states. Owners with multiple dogs may be required to pay higher taxes for each extra dog. In the city of Ahlen in North Rhine-Westphalia, dog owners pay no tax at all. Those who do not pay the dog tax may face fines of up to 10,000 euros.
200 years of history in Berlin
According to the Berlin State Ministry of Finance, the taxation of dogs in Berlin has roots that extend deep into history. The tax, which has a history of about 200 years in the Berlin State, is described as a “traditional, historical municipal expenditure tax.”
The purpose of the dog tax is to limit the number of dogs
Article 2a of the Basic Law on Traditional Expenditure Taxes states that “keeping a dog goes beyond meeting general living needs and requires an expense,” while the Federal Ministry of Finance aims to limit and control the number of dogs in the country through regulatory tax practices.
“We pay about 200 euros in tax”
Sharing her thoughts on the dog tax, Sena Çakır said, “It needs time and a lot of love. We take it for walks twice a day, spending a total of 2 hours. At the end of the year, we receive a document from the municipality, and we pay about 200 euros annually in tax. We have health insurance, and when it goes to the vet, they pay immediately due to its card. Thankfully, because it has a vision problem, the insurance pays every 6 months.” Abdullah Yandım added, “This is like a child for us, like a baby. I can’t do without seeing it for 1-2 days; I feel sad when I don’t see it. I don’t miss my wife; I miss my dog, so to speak.”
Tax installment options
Canan Candan indicated that there are many dogs in shelters in Germany, saying, “They are brought from Romania and Turkey. If you apply there, they investigate. Are you available, can you take care of the dog? Age is also very important; they are not given to elderly people. After the investigation, you can become a dog owner. You can choose big or small; there are so many dogs in shelters, but they are well taken care of; there are no dogs on the streets. You can adopt from shelters. Shelters also have financial assistance options.” Candan shared that she pays an annual tax of 156 euros, stating, “This is divided into two and paid every 6 months. The tax is slightly higher for larger dogs. You give that to the government as tax, and it somehow goes back to the dogs. For example, there are poop bags next to trash cans that you can use. Other social packages are also provided. When you own a dog in Germany, you must report it and pay tax.”
Candan emphasized that dogs must be vaccinated, saying, “There are certain standards, of course, depending on the owner’s responsibility. You can choose not to do anything, but of course, when you get a dog, there are even health insurances available. You can have them done if you want; if you don’t want to, you pay extra at the vets. There are mandatory vaccinations. If they go outside and have any infection issues, they can be covered by insurance. I have generally done the most important vaccinations. And you get a chip, which is placed under the skin. If the dog gets lost, when it escapes, the authorities and police have a device that can read the number, and there is a place where your previously reported information is collected. When this puppy is found, they can find you from that place where your information is collected.”
“The responsibility is huge”
Candan emphasized the importance of responsibility, stating, “Taking a living being and mistreating it at home or not taking it outside is definitely a problem. You need to be responsible. I take it out 3 times a day. I take it out around 06:30 in the morning when I am the morning shift, I take it out when I come home at noon, and I try to take it out every 6-7 hours in the evening before bed. Since it is a small dog, it shouldn’t stay too long. Ultimately, it has to wait at home; it doesn’t do its business at home, but like a child, it needs to relieve itself, which is not healthy for the animal. I take it out 3 times a day. It can suddenly get sick; like a child, it can vomit at night, it can disturb you with its discomfort. You can’t just go on vacation as you please; you can’t just leave for 2 days. Just like finding a caregiver for a child, you need to do the same for a dog since it’s a living being. The responsibility is huge; I didn’t think it would be this much, but I was ready for it; I knew what awaited me. I adopted knowingly, but I was ready.”
Candan also mentioned that puppies raised in laboratories are often adopted, stating, “They are said to be very cute and sweet; they are raised in laboratories, and a lot of money is spent, and they have many illnesses. I would recommend adopting from shelters; I also want to say that the responsibility is huge.”