Deutschlandticket, dog tax, EU regulation, state laws, vet fees: what really applies in 2027, what comes later and what is only planned. As of 30 October 2026.
ew Year's Eve, just before midnight. You are standing at the door with leash and poop bags, the dog wants one last trip outside, and one question keeps going round in your head: what is actually different from tomorrow? The honest answer is shorter than most New Year guides make it sound.
The three most important changes for 2027: the Deutschlandticket costs 66.80 euros from 1 January 2027 instead of 63 euros. Individual cities are raising the dog tax, for example Munich and Nuremberg to 144 euros and Heilbronn to 132 euros for the first dog. And the new EU regulation on dogs and cats has been adopted and is already in force, but in principle only applies from 31 August 2028; the chip requirement for private owners only takes effect in the 2030s. We found no new nationwide dog law for 2027. Everything else, from the Animal Welfare Act to vet fees, is planned or still under review.
The table separates what has been decided, what already applies and what is only planned. Taxes and state law are matters for municipalities and states, so much of this does not affect everyone.
| Change | Applies from | Who is affected | Status and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deutschlandticket 66.80 euros instead of 63 euros | 1.1.2027 | all passengers, also with a dog | decided; Bavarian transport ministry, 30.9.2026 |
| Dog tax Munich: 144 euros instead of 100 euros, fighting dog 1,200 euros | 2027 | owners in Munich | decided; bylaw amendment of 12.8.2026 |
| Dog tax Nuremberg: 144 euros, each further dog 168 euros | 2027 | owners in Nuremberg | decided; city press release, 17.6.2026 |
| Dog tax Heilbronn: 132 euros, each further dog 264 euros | 1.1.2027 | owners in Heilbronn | decided on 26.3.2026; newspaper report, bylaw not checked |
| EU Regulation 2026/1818 on dogs and cats | in force since end of August 2026, applies from 31.8.2028 | owners, breeders, traders, shelters | decided; European Parliament, EUR-Lex |
| Chip and registration requirement for private owners under the EU regulation | dogs 2036, cats 2041 | owners who do not pass on animals | decided; transition periods according to Euronews and trade press |
| Dog law Lower Saxony: competence certificate for all new owners | no date | owners in Lower Saxony | planned, not yet decided; dpa, 21.1.2026 |
| Veterinary fee schedule (GOT) | open | everyone with vet costs | planned: evaluation, results expected end of 2026; Bundestag |
| Dog licence Bremen | in force since 1.7.2026 | new owners in Bremen | already in force; Bremen Senate press office |
| New EU travel rules for pets | in force since 22.4.2026 | everyone travelling with a dog | already in force; Federal Ministry of Agriculture |
The price rises from 63 euros to 66.80 euros per month on 1 January 2027, which is 3.80 euros more. The Bavarian transport ministry announced this on 30 September 2026. For the first time, a price index made up of personnel, energy and general costs sets the price; the conference of transport ministers adopted it unanimously in March 2026 and it is to be applied every year from now on.
As far as we could find, nothing changes for your dog. Whether he rides free with the Deutschlandticket is still set by the local transport association. Our comparison of dog rules in German cities shows how much this varies: in Hamburg dogs ride without a ticket, in other cities you need a child's fare.
The dog tax is a municipal tax. Each city sets the amount itself, so there is no nationwide "2027". We verified three decisions.
Munich raises it the most: according to the amended dog tax bylaw of 12 August 2026, each dog costs 144 euros instead of 100 euros, a fighting dog 1,200 euros instead of 800 euros. According to the finance committee paper, the new rate applies from 2027 (City of Munich bylaw).
Nuremberg raises the rate for the first time since 2005: from 2027 the first dog costs 144 euros instead of 132 euros, each further dog in the household 168 euros. At the same time, more marks in the severe disability pass are recognised, so more owners of indispensable assistance dogs can be exempted.
Heilbronn raises the rate for the first dog from 110 euros to 132 euros on 1 January 2027, and for each further dog from 240 euros to 264 euros. Dangerous dogs will cost 600 euros and 1,200 euros there. The city council decision dates from 26 March 2026; we rely on a newspaper report here and have not read the bylaw ourselves.
We have collected further cities and the rules on registration, exemptions and listed breeds in our guide to the dog tax 2027. When in doubt, ask your municipality, because only the local bylaw counts.
Regulation (EU) 2026/1818 on the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats is the first EU-wide rule of its kind. Parliament adopted it on 28 April 2026, the Council on 22 May 2026, and it appeared in the Official Journal on 10 August 2026. It enters into force 20 days after publication, so at the end of August 2026, and applies in principle from 31 August 2028.
What it provides can be summed up in four points.
Dogs and cats are to be identified by microchip and registered in a national database compatible with those of other states. Breeding closely related animals, such as parents with offspring or siblings, is banned, as is mutilating animals for shows or events. Dangerous equipment such as prong collars and collars without a suitable fastening is restricted. Anyone importing animals commercially from third countries must chip and register them first; private importers must register at least five working days before arrival.
The deadlines are the most important point for 2027: breeders, traders and shelters have four years (so until about 2030), private owners ten years for dogs and 15 years for cats. According to the trade press, these are 31 August 2036 and 31 August 2041 for owners who do not pass on animals. If you had your dog chipped with a suitable transponder before August 2028, you are said to meet the requirement as long as the chip stays readable. We could not access the text of the regulation itself; the deadlines rely on Parliament, Euronews and Austrian authority pages. In everyday terms: in 2027 you do not have to register anything because of this regulation.
We have not found German laws that supplement the regulation or establish a nationwide pet register.
The Animal Welfare Act is being amended right now, but not for dogs. The "Fifth Act Amending the Animal Welfare Act" (Bundestag paper 21/6809) concerns video surveillance in slaughterhouses. The Bundestag debated it for the first time on 9 July 2026 and plans to vote on 5 November 2026. According to the Bundestag, the text contains nothing on breeding of extreme traits, identification or online trade in dogs.
People keep arguing about vet costs. The fee schedule for veterinarians (GOT) was last comprehensively revised in 2022 and is to be evaluated four years later. A study has been commissioned; according to the Bundestag, its results are expected at the end of 2026. No concrete change has been announced, and any adjustment would depend on the results. If you want to keep costs in view, our guide to dog insurance can help.
Dog laws are a matter for the states. In Bremen, the dog licence has applied since 1 July 2026 to everyone who gets a dog from that date: the theory exam comes before the dog, the practical exam within a year afterwards. Anyone who already has a dog is generally exempt; for dogs classed as dangerous there is a two-year transition period. The law also requires liability insurance (at least 500,000 euros for personal injury and 250,000 euros for property damage) as well as chip and registration; the Senate press release does not give a start date for these.
In Lower Saxony the state government plans a reform, reported by dpa in January 2026. It provides for a competence certificate for everyone who gets a dog (currently owners are exempt if they kept a dog for at least two of the last ten years), a duty to report a move or hand-over, no breed list, and the possibility for dogs classed as dangerous to lose that status again. This is planned, not decided, and the report gives no date. Whether the cabinet or the state parliament have since debated it, we could not verify.
For Berlin there are debates about a competence certificate and the breed list, but according to our research no decision. A rule "in all states from 2027" does not exist. Which leash rules and dog meadows apply in your city is in our city comparison.
If you travel with your dog in 2027, the new EU rules for private travel with pets (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131) already apply, and have since 22 April 2026. According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, no more than five animals may travel in one vehicle; more is only allowed for training, competitions, shows or sports events. Within the EU you need a microchip, a valid pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination. When entering from non-EU countries, a health certificate and a written declaration are required; depending on the country of origin, a rabies antibody test may also be demanded. For Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland, tapeworm treatment also applies.
How long older pet passports remain valid is governed by a transitional provision. We could not check the exact date in the text of the regulation. Ask your vet practice before booking and look at the ministry's page. The full order of chip, vaccination and waiting period is in our travel checklist.
According to Euronews, the new EU entry system EES has been running across the whole Schengen area since April 2026, and the start of ETIAS has been postponed. Both affect travellers from third countries rather than German nationals, and neither regulates anything about dogs.
Whatever the laws say, a few checks are worth it. Read your last dog tax notice and check with your municipality whether the bylaw for 2027 has changed. Check whether your dog has a readable chip and whether the number is stored with a pet registry; it is not yet mandatory for you privately, but helpful if he ever goes missing. Plan trips with pet passport, vaccination schedule and waiting periods early. And keep vet invoices and vaccination data in one place, for example in the health section of the Souldog app, so everything is at hand when questions come up.
We only included what we could support with a source. Not verified are a nationwide liability insurance requirement, a German pet register as an obligation, further cities beyond Munich, Nuremberg and Heilbronn (see the dog tax guide), and changed dog rules in public transport at the turn of the year. If one of these changes, we will update this article.
The good thing about the turn of the year: for most dog owners, 2027 stays calm. Look at your dog tax and travel plans, remember 31 August 2028 for the EU rules, and then get the dog out the door. If you are interested in the rules and meadows of your city, start with the city comparison or with a dog meadow nearby.
Souldog