Dog tax in Schleswig-Holstein 2027: What your dog costs in the largest cities

Print my Pet · 05.11.2026 · 4 min read·Updated 06.11.2026

In Schleswig-Holstein you pay between €105 in Norderstedt and €156 in Lübeck per year for your first dog. We are not aware of any changes in any of the 8 cities in our table for 2027.

Dog tax in Schleswig-Holstein: the cities in comparison

The table shows 8 cities, sorted alphabetically: Kiel and Lübeck from our nationwide city table, plus Flensburg, Neumünster, Norderstedt, Elmshorn, Wedel and Ahrensburg. Pinneberg is missing because we couldn't find any statutes there.

City	1. Dog	2. Dog	List dog	2027	Source
Ahrensburg	120 €	140 €	520 €	no change known	ahrensburg.de
Elmshorn²	120 €	132 €	540 €	no change known	elmshorn.de
Flensburg³	132 €	180 €	600 €	no change known	flensburg.de
Kiel	150 €	225 €	no separate sentence	no change known	kiel.de
Lübeck	156 €	156 €	684 €	no change known	known.luebeck.de
Neumünster	130 €	148 €	no separate sentence	no change known	neumuenster.de
Norderstedt	105 €	150 €	750 €	no change known	norderstedt.de
Frond	120 €	120 €	no separate sentence	no change known	wedel.de

¹ About the scale: In all cities in this table, only the second dog costs more, the first stays at the lower rate. Many statutes have an additional level from the third dog onwards. ² Elmshorn: Source is the city's dog tax page. ³ Flensburg: €600 applies to dogs whose dangerousness the authorities have determined. All amounts per year. For the cities in our nationwide table, the status as of October 20th, 2026 applies; we retrieved the rest from the cities themselves on November 5th, 2026. “N/A” means: We did not find the sentence in the source.

What applies to dangerous dogs in Schleswig-Holstein

Schleswig-Holstein does not have a breed list. The law on keeping dogs (HundeG) has been in effect since the beginning of 2016. According to the state government, a dog can no longer be classified as dangerous because of its breed, but only if it has become conspicuous, for example because it has bitten a person or another animal. The municipality or office then examines the case. After two years, the classification can be withdrawn if the character test and veterinary examination have been passed.

Cities are still allowed to increase the dog tax if a dog is classified as dangerous. Flensburg then charges €600, Norderstedt €750, Lübeck €684, Ahrensburg €520 and Elmshorn €540. Kiel, Neumünster and Wedel do not have their own set. Regardless of state law, according to federal law, pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and bull terriers may not be imported into Germany for permanent keeping, as the state expressly points out.

Shelter dogs and exemptions

Kiel is particularly generous when it comes to animal shelter dogs: 48 months tax-free for a dog that has lived permanently in the Kiel animal shelter, but only once within six years per household. Flensburg releases dogs from the Flensburg animal shelter for 24 months, and for a dog classified as dangerous there, 36 months. Neumünster and Norderstedt grant twelve months, Wedel six months. In Ahrensburg you only pay tax for a dog from the animal welfare association after six months.

Almost everywhere, the exemption only applies to dogs from a specific animal shelter and only upon application, in Neumünster once for one dog per household.

This is how you calculate your dog tax

In the cities in the table, only the second dog costs more. In Kiel you pay €150 plus €225 for two dogs, so €375 per year. In Lübeck each dog costs €156, in Wedel each dog costs €120. In Norderstedt it is 105 € plus 150 €, a total of 255 €, a third dog there costs 185 €.

If a dog is added during the year, you usually only pay pro rata. With our dog tax calculator you can quickly calculate your amount.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the dog tax in Kiel 2027? Kiel charges €150 for the first and €225 for the second dog per year and does not have its own rate for listed dogs. We are not aware of any changes for 2027.

Are there listed dogs in Schleswig-Holstein? No, there is no longer a breed list. A dog is only considered dangerous if the authorities classify it as such after an incident.

Where is the dog tax in Schleswig-Holstein the lowest? Among the eight cities in our table, Norderstedt is the cheapest at €105 for the first dog, the most expensive is Lübeck at €156.

How long is an animal shelter dog tax-free in Kiel? 48 months if the dog was permanently housed in the Kiel animal shelter. The exemption is available for one dog and only once in six years per household.

The statutes of your community are always binding. This article is not tax advice.

Sources, accessed on 05.11.2026: Hundesteuersatzungen und Steuerseiten der Städte (Ahrensburg, Elmshorn, Flensburg, Kiel, Lübeck, Neumünster, Norderstedt, Wedel). Schleswig-Holstein: Landesportal Schleswig-Holstein: Private Hundehaltung. Für die Städte aus unserer bundesweiten Tabelle gelten die dort erfassten Beträge mit Stand 20.10.2026.