Dog tax in Germany 2027: what your city charges

Sometime in January, it lands in the letterbox: your German dog tax notice. For many owners, that is the moment they first take a closer look at the figures. The differences are bigger than you might expect. If you live with one dog in Augsburg, you pay 84 euros a year. In Mainz, it is 186 euros, more than twice as much for the same dog.

The figures are changing for 2027. Several major German cities have approved increases for the new year, along with a number of smaller towns and municipalities. Here you will find the current rates for all 50 most populous cities, taken from each city's tax bylaw or official tax page, plus what you need to know about registration, exemptions and moving home.

These cities are raising dog tax in 2027

The following increases for 2027 are backed by adopted decisions and official sources, starting with the major cities, followed by smaller towns and municipalities:

Köln and Lübeck already raised their rates on 1 January 2026, with Köln increasing its rate from 156 to 174 euros. Karlsruhe, Heidelberg, Mannheim and Stuttgart also adjusted their rates in 2026.

To find out whether your municipality is raising its rate in 2027, check its official gazette or council documents. Many cities will include the new amount in the next tax notice anyway.

Dog tax in Germany's 50 largest cities

The table shows the annual charge for the first and second dog, the rate for listed dogs (dogs a city classifies as dangerous based on a breed list or an individual assessment) and, where known, when the rates took effect. Bear in mind that almost every city calculates the tax a little differently. In some, only the second dog costs more; in others, keeping two dogs raises the rate for both.

¹ Household-based rates: if you keep two dogs, you pay the higher rate for each dog, including the first. Many of these cities raise the rate again for households with three or more dogs. ² Wuppertal: the city's service portal lists 288 € from the second dog onwards, while the wording of the bylaw states 288 € per dog for households with two dogs. If in doubt, ask the tax office. ³ Nürnberg: the announcement of the 2027 increase does not give a new rate for dogs classified as fighting dogs. All amounts are annual, as at 20.10.2026, obtained directly from the cities. Cities are ranked by population according to the Statistisches Bundesamt municipal directory, as at 31.12.2025.

What dog tax actually is

In Germany, dog tax is a local tax on personal expenditure. The German Basic Law gives the federal states the right to regulate taxes of this kind, and they pass that power on to municipalities. Each city and municipality therefore decides whether to levy the tax and how much to charge. Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen each have their own state law.

In 2025, municipalities collected around 429,7 million euros in dog tax, about a third more than ten years earlier. Dog tax is not a fee for poo bags or dog exercise areas: the money goes into the general budget, as München and Heilbronn explain, for example. Many cities also cite a regulatory purpose: they want to limit the number of dogs within the city.

Who pays dog tax?

Anyone who takes a dog into their household is liable for the tax on privately kept dogs. If several people live in a household, many bylaws treat all of them as keepers and make them jointly liable. A foster dog can also become taxable: after three months in Köln and after just one month in Lübeck. Puppies usually become taxable only at a certain age, often three or four months.

Registration, deregistration and tax tags

Register a new dog with your city or municipality, usually through the tax office or online. Deadlines are short and vary: one month in Berlin, four weeks in Köln, and two weeks in München and Lübeck. Missing the deadline can mean a fine, so it is best to do it in the first week. This also applies to dogs adopted from a shelter or taken in from a private individual.

You must deregister your dog if it dies, goes to a new keeper or you move away. You then return its tax tag. Not every city still uses them: Berlin stopped issuing dog tax tags in 2024, while München offers a choice between a tag and a microchip.

Moving home with a dog

If you move to another municipality, deregister your dog in the old one and register it in the new one. Depending on the bylaw, your liability ends with the month you move away or on the day before your move. To prevent double payment, some cities, including Köln, will credit tax already paid elsewhere if you apply. Keep your old tax notice until the new one arrives.

Exemptions and reductions

In addition to shelter dogs, many cities completely exempt certain other dogs. These mainly include guide dogs and recognised assistance dogs, certified search and rescue dogs, and service dogs. Several cities are expanding these exemptions: Köln has exempted assistance dogs since 2026, and Heilbronn will do so from 2027. People receiving Bürgergeld or basic income support can get a reduction or exemption in many places; Köln, for example, offers a reduced rate of 60 euros. There are also local arrangements: in München, a dog is tax-free in the year after its keeper passes a dog handling licence test, while Frankfurt significantly reduces the rate for listed dogs after they pass a companion dog test.

All exemptions require an application. Nothing happens automatically, even if you meet the conditions.

Listed dogs: why the rate is so high

Many bylaws charge several times the normal rate for dogs a city classifies as dangerous: 600 to over 1.000 euros a year is not unusual. The breeds affected are set out in state law or the bylaw itself. Some cities deliberately have no separate rate, including Dresden, Leipzig, Duisburg and Bochum. In others, the charge falls once a dog has passed a temperament test. If you are considering taking in a dog of a listed breed, ask your municipality first. The tax is often the smaller part of the requirements involved.

What next?

Dog tax is not the biggest expense in a dog's life. Food, veterinary care, insurance and equipment usually cost much more each year. Even so, it pays to know your city's rules, especially if you are getting a second dog or moving home. Spending ten minutes reading the bylaw can make a three-figure difference over a year.

Still wondering which dog suits you? Our Breed quiz can help you narrow it down. For the first few weeks, our free Puppy Starter Pack comes with printable checklists.

Your municipality's bylaw is always the binding authority. This article does not constitute tax advice.

Taxes aside, your dog is part of the family. If you would like to give them a permanent place on your wall, you will find dog portraits from your own photo and other gifts for dog lovers.

Further reading

• Puppy checklist: essentials and the first 3 days
• The first 30 days with a puppy: a plan for weeks 1 to 4
• Teaching your dog to stay home alone without the drama

Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: rates for the 50 cities from the linked municipal bylaws or tax pages (see table). Population figures: Statistisches Bundesamt, Gemeindeverzeichnis, Stand 31.12.2025. Revenue: Statistisches Bundesamt, Pressemitteilung N069 vom 07.10.2026. Hamburg 2027: Drittes Gesetz zur Änderung kommunalabgabenrechtlicher Vorschriften vom 04.03.2026 (HmbGVBl. Nr. 9, S. 98) und Mitteilung der Finanzbehörde vom 21.04.2026. München 2027: Änderungssatzung vom 12.08.2026 und Beschlussvorlage der Stadtkämmerei vom Juli 2026. Nürnberg 2027: Pressemitteilung der Stadt Nr. 657 vom 17.06.2026. Heilbronn: Pressemitteilung vom 26.03.2026. Aalen, Wesseling, Rellingen, Claußnitz: Satzungen und Mitteilungen der Gemeinden. Köln 2026: Pressemitteilung und Satzung der Stadt Köln. Legal basis: Art. 105 Abs. 2a Grundgesetz. Registration deadlines: service.berlin.de, stadt.muenchen.de, Satzungen Köln und Lübeck.