Is dog liability insurance required in Germany?
There is no uniform, nationwide requirement for dog liability insurance. While the German Civil Code governs the owner's liability nationwide, each federal state decides in its own dog law whether and for which dogs insurance is required.
The difference between liability and an insurance requirement matters. For any damage your dog causes you are liable under Section 833 BGB in any case, regardless of fault and with all your private assets. The states' insurance requirement additionally demands that you cover this risk with a policy and can present proof of it.
The states can roughly be divided into three groups: a requirement for all dogs, a requirement only for certain dogs, and no general requirement. Which group applies to you is shown in the overview in the next section.
Overview: dog liability insurance requirement by federal state
The table below summarises the situation for all 16 federal states. It is current as of July 2026. Because state law and municipal by-laws can change, when in doubt also check the information for your federal state and municipality.
| Federal state | Required for whom? | In brief |
|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | certain dogs | dangerous and listed dogs |
| Bavaria | no general requirement | partly regulated at municipal level for fighting dogs |
| Berlin | all dogs | minimum cover 1 million euros, excess capped |
| Brandenburg | certain dogs | behaviour-based, for dogs assessed as dangerous |
| Bremen | all dogs | new since 1 July 2026, plus dog licence for new owners |
| Hamburg | all dogs | minimum cover 1 million euros, excess capped |
| Hesse | certain dogs | dangerous dogs under a permit procedure |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | no requirement | the only state with no insurance requirement at all |
| Lower Saxony | all dogs | from 6 months, at least 500,000 / 250,000 euros |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | certain dogs | dangerous, listed and large dogs (40/20 rule) |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | certain dogs | dangerous dogs, at least 500,000 / 250,000 euros |
| Saarland | certain dogs | dangerous dogs, annual proof required |
| Saxony | certain dogs | dangerous dogs under a permit model |
| Saxony-Anhalt | all dogs | proof at the latest 3 months after birth |
| Schleswig-Holstein | all dogs | as an insurance requirement, breed list abolished |
| Thuringia | all dogs | at least 500,000 / 250,000 euros |
What this means: Even where there is no requirement, the financial risk remains. That is why insurance makes sense almost everywhere, not only where the law demands it.
Focus on the cuddles, we'll focus on the costs.
Required for all dogs: these seven federal states
In seven federal states every dog must have liability insurance, regardless of breed, size or weight: Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia.
The exact requirements differ:
- Berlin and Hamburg require a comparatively high minimum cover of 1 million euros for personal injury and cap the permitted excess.
- Lower Saxony, Thuringia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bremen set the minimum cover at 500,000 euros for personal injury and 250,000 euros for property damage.
- Saxony-Anhalt requires proof early, at the latest three months after the dog is born.
- Schleswig-Holstein has abolished the breed list and regulates insurance as a requirement for all dogs.
Important to know: these statutory minimum cover amounts are floors, not a recommendation. A single serious personal injury can exceed them many times over, so a considerably higher level of cover makes sense. With Dalma you are covered with up to 15 million euros, regardless of what your federal state requires as a minimum.
Tip: Bremen is the most recent addition. Since 1 July 2026, under the new Bremen law on keeping dogs, a requirement applies there for all dogs; previously it applied only to dangerous dogs. Also new is a dog licence for anyone acquiring a dog for the first time from that date, as well as a microchip and registration requirement.
Required only for certain dogs
In seven states the requirement depends on which dog you keep: Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Saxony. Two groups are mainly affected.
- Dangerous dogs: dogs classified as dangerous in an individual case after an incident or because of proven aggression. For them, official permission is usually required, to which proof of insurance is tied.
- Listed breeds: dogs of certain breeds that a state law classifies as dangerous across the board, often called listed dogs. Here too, liability insurance is a precondition for keeping them.
Brandenburg has taken its own path and, since 1 July 2024, no longer looks at the breed but at the behaviour of the individual dog. A special rule for large dogs applies in North Rhine-Westphalia, more on that in the next section.
The federal states that often raise questions
Dog liability insurance requirement in North Rhine-Westphalia
NRW does not require insurance for every dog, but goes further than most states in the second group. Alongside dangerous and listed dogs, the state dog law also requires liability insurance for large dogs. Under the so-called 40/20 rule, a dog counts as large if, fully grown, it reaches at least 40 cm at the withers or weighs at least 20 kg. For these dogs the law requires, besides insurance, registration, a microchip and proof of expertise. The minimum cover is 500,000 euros for personal injury and 250,000 euros for other damage. For smaller dogs below these limits there is no legal requirement in NRW, but the cover is still recommended.
Dog liability insurance requirement in Bavaria
Bavaria has no general insurance requirement, not even for listed breeds at state level. There is one exception for fighting dogs: individual municipalities can make proof of liability insurance a condition for keeping such a dog. For all other dogs, insurance in Bavaria is voluntary. Given the liability under Section 833 BGB, however, it is strongly recommended here too.
When do I have to take out dog liability insurance?
If a requirement applies in your federal state, it usually applies from the start of keeping the dog. The best time is therefore before the dog moves in, so that you are covered from day one and can present proof immediately.
Some states name specific deadlines. In Saxony-Anhalt proof is due at the latest three months after birth; in Lower Saxony the requirement applies from the age of six months. If you move to another federal state, check the rules that apply there, because the requirement can take effect soon after the move.
Our assessment: Do not wait for a specific trigger. Dog liability insurance can be taken out with no waiting period and protects you from the first day. It is precisely in the first weeks with a new, as yet untrained dog that many mishaps happen.
Focus on the cuddles, we'll focus on the costs.
What happens if I ignore the requirement?
Anyone who cannot show valid dog liability insurance in a state where it is required risks two things. First, there can be regulatory consequences: depending on the state and the individual case, this ranges from a warning to a fine to conditions on keeping the dog. In some states high fines are possible.
Second, and this is the real risk, the liability remains. If your dog causes damage, you are personally and unlimitedly liable under Section 833 BGB. Without insurance you pay treatment costs, compensation for pain and suffering and any follow-up costs out of your own pocket. For serious personal injury, that can quickly become a threat to your livelihood.
Why dog liability insurance is worthwhile, also with Dalma
The legal requirement is only one side. The real reason for dog liability insurance is the financial risk that applies to every dog, large or small, calm or spirited.
A single moment is enough: your dog runs into the road and causes an accident, a cyclist swerves and falls, or a guest trips over it. Even one such incident can cause costs that exceed decades of premiums many times over. That is why insurance also makes sense in Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where no one requires it.
Dog liability insurance with Dalma
Dalma's dog liability insurance meets the legal requirements and goes beyond them. It covers personal injury, property and financial loss with up to 15 million euros, applies from the first day with no waiting period and for all breeds and sizes with no age limit. So it fits both where insurance is required and as voluntary cover.
You can read how liability insurance fundamentally differs from your dog's health insurance in the guide Dog liability and health insurance. A full overview is given on the dog liability insurance page.
Frequently asked questions about the dog liability insurance requirement
Is dog liability insurance required in Germany?
There is no nationwide requirement. Each federal state decides for itself whether and for which dogs insurance is required. In seven states it applies to all dogs, in seven only to certain dogs; in Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania there is no general requirement.
In which federal states is dog liability insurance required for all dogs?
In Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia every dog must be insured. Bremen was added on 1 July 2026.
Is dog liability insurance required in NRW?
Not for every dog. In North Rhine-Westphalia it is required for dangerous and listed dogs as well as for large dogs from 40 cm at the withers or 20 kg in weight, the so-called 40/20 rule. For smaller dogs it is voluntary, but recommended.
Is dog liability insurance required in Bavaria?
No, in Bavaria there is no general insurance requirement. Only for fighting dogs can individual municipalities require proof of insurance. Insurance still makes sense because of owner liability.
When do I have to take out dog liability insurance?
In states where it is required, insurance usually applies from the start of keeping the dog. It is best to take it out before the dog moves in. Some states name deadlines, such as Saxony-Anhalt with three months after birth or Lower Saxony from six months.
