Registering and De-Registering a Dog: Deadlines, Forms & Moving

Registering a dog: deadlines and process

After getting a dog, you must register it with the responsible tax or regulatory office within a deadline set by the municipality — usually within two weeks to a month. The exact deadline is set out in your city’s dog tax statute (see our city pages). Registration is often possible online, by form, in person, or by mail.

Figure: Simple explanation and summary on the topic of registering and de-registering a dog: deadlines, forms & moving.

From what age is a puppy taxable?

Under most statutes, a dog only becomes taxable from a certain age — usually three to four months. Before that, no dog tax is generally due for a puppy. The local statute sets the exact age threshold.

Dog tax tag

After registering, many municipalities issue you a dog tax tag, which is attached to the collar and allows the dog to be recognised as registered and taxed. If the tag is lost, a replacement can usually be requested for a small fee.

De-registering a dog

If your dog dies, is given away, or you move without the dog, you must de-register it with the responsible office — otherwise the tax liability formally continues. A deadline of a few weeks from the triggering event usually applies here too.

Moving: re-registering your dog for tax purposes

If you move with your dog to a different city or municipality, you must register anew with the new municipality and de-register with the old one — the two processes are independent of each other and don’t happen automatically alongside your residence registration. Since tax rates can vary considerably between municipalities, it’s worth checking our dog tax table before you move.

Keeping a dog at a second residence

If you have a second residence and keep your dog there part of the time, the municipality of the second residence can, in principle, also levy dog tax. Whether and how this is handled in detail — for instance for only occasional stays — is governed by the respective statute; when in doubt, it’s worth asking the responsible office directly to avoid double taxation.