About the dog license and other rules
Dusseldorf. According to Statista, around ten million dogs live in German households. For many people, a dog is a natural part of everyday life. However, to ensure that coexistence with the animal and other people works well, dog owners must follow a few rules. What evidence is required, when dogs must be kept on a leash and what threatens in the event of a violation are not uniformly regulated nationwide. The ARAG experts provide an overview.
Dog driving license in Bremen: This has been valid since July 2026
In Bremen, since July 1st, a dog license has been required for everyone who acquires a dog from this point onwards. The theoretical knowledge test must be taken before the dog is accepted. The practical test follows within a year and must be taken again with each individual dog. The dog must be at least twelve months old.
If you have owned a dog for at least two years in the past five years and have taken the theoretical test, you only have to take the practical test for a new dog. Even if you have several dogs, a practical test with each individual animal is required. According to ARAG experts, the background is that not only the knowledge of the owner, but also the safe handling of the respective dog should be checked.
Anyone who fails to provide evidence of the required expertise will face consequences. In Bremen, a violation can be punished with a fine of up to 50,000 euros. In addition, the dog may be prohibited from being kept until the required tests have been passed.
What do owners need to know?
Despite the extensive regulations in some federal states, there is no nationwide requirement in Germany to obtain a dog license before purchasing a dog. Which requirements apply depends on where you live and partly also on the type of dog. Some federal states require proof of expertise for certain dogs that are classified as dangerous.
Regardless of what applies where, the ARAG experts point out the special responsibility that dog owners bear. According to the Civil Code, animals are not things, but certain regulations about things are applied to them accordingly. At the same time, animal protection law obliges owners to ensure the well-being of their animal. The owner also has responsibility towards other people and animals. Dog owner liability insurance can therefore make sense and is even required in some federal states.
Leash exemption, proof of expertise
and dog license: what is the difference?
The terms are often equated in everyday life, but according to ARAG experts they mean different things. Exemption from the leash allows a dog, under certain conditions, to be allowed to run free in places where a leash is generally required. A prerequisite may be a successfully completed obedience test. In Hamburg, such an exemption is possible under certain conditions.
A certificate of expertise, on the other hand, is intended to prove that the owner has the necessary knowledge to keep and safely handle a dog. Which test is required and who it applies to varies from state to state.
The term dog license is also not used uniformly across the country. In Lower Saxony and Bremen, for example, the proof of competence consists of a theoretical and a practical part of the examination. The theoretical test must be taken before you start keeping dogs, the practical test must be taken within the first year.
Rules regarding leash requirements are not the same everywhere
According to the ARAG experts, there is no nationwide uniform leash requirement. The requirements differ depending on the federal state and sometimes also on the municipality or specific location. Therefore, before going for a walk, dog owners should find out what rules apply in each location.
Special leash requirements may apply, for example, in playgrounds, in certain green spaces, in nature reserves or during the breeding and breeding season. In Lower Saxony, for example, dogs must be kept on a leash in the open countryside from April 1st to July 15th.
Even when on vacation, dog owners should check local regulations. In Hamburg, for example, there is a general obligation to keep on a leash. There are also designated dog run areas. And in most coastal towns on the North and Baltic Seas, dogs are only allowed on designated beach areas between April and October. Anyone who violates applicable regulations may face a fine, depending on the regulations.
ARAG SE
Was this amount interesting or helpful?
Your rating shows us what you and your furry friend like – it's like a treat for us.