Dog Tax in the Netherlands and Belgium (2026): Leash, Poop and Chip Rules Explained

Just moved to the Netherlands or Belgium with your dog? The first surprise is often the dog tax in the Netherlands, which some cities charge and others do not. Then come the leash rules, poop rules and microchip rules, which differ again between the Netherlands and Flanders. Here is a clear overview for 2026, with real examples and how to check your own town.

Dog tax in the Netherlands in 2026: who still charges it?

Dog tax (hondenbelasting) is a municipal tax. Each municipality decides whether to charge it and how much. According to a count by Dutch press agency ANP (January 2026), dog owners pay it in 102 municipalities this year, down from 111 in 2025. Ten years ago about two thirds of municipalities charged it. Now it is less than a third.

On average you pay about €76 per dog. Nineteen municipalities charge more than €100. In the north, only Leeuwarden, Smallingerland and Vlieland still charge it. Wijk bij Duurstede, on the other hand, brought it back.

Good to know: the money goes into the municipality's general budget. It does not have to be spent on dog bins or dog parks.

Examples: what does a dog cost in 2026?

These amounts come from each municipality's official 2026 dog tax regulation. Notice how different they are: in Tilburg every extra dog costs more, in Katwijk and Utrecht each dog costs the same. Kennels often have a separate rate.

How does it work in practice?

• Registering: in a municipality with dog tax, you must report a new dog yourself. If you do not, you risk a fine.
• Moving or losing a dog: many municipalities charge per full month. If you move away or your dog dies, you can often get part of it back. In Katwijk, for example, from €5.
• Exemptions: guide dogs and assistance dogs are exempt almost everywhere. Katwijk also exempts puppies under three months while they live with their mother.

Leash rules: where must your dog be on a leash?

There is no national leash law in the Netherlands. Each municipality sets its own rules in its APV (local bylaws) and area decisions. Usually it comes down to this: on the leash in built-up areas, except in designated off-leash areas (losloopgebieden).

• The Hague: dogs are not allowed on children's playgrounds or play and sunbathing lawns. In off-leash areas your dog may run free, as long as it does not bother traffic or other visitors or disturb wildlife.
• Rotterdam: the APV has a leash requirement. District decisions mark off-leash and dog-walking zones.
• Staatsbosbeheer nature areas: dogs are welcome in almost all areas, on a leash. There are separate off-leash areas, and even there your dog must come when called. Stricter rules can apply during the breeding season. Always check the signs at the entrance.

Heading to the beach? Rules change by season and by section. See our guide to dog-friendly beaches in the Netherlands and Belgium. Taking the train there? Read how to travel with your dog on public transport.

Being on a leash does not have to mean a tiring walk. If your dog pulls hard, first read why a harness is often kinder to your dog's neck than a collar.

Poop rules: cleaning up after your dog

The duty to clean up is also in the APV. In many municipalities you must pick up poop right away in built-up areas and always carry something to do it with. There are differences:

• The Hague: cleaning up is compulsory everywhere, including off-leash areas and the beach. You must always carry a bag or scoop. Only people with a guide or assistance dog are exempt.
• Rotterdam: some designated dog zones have no clean-up duty. Everywhere else, you clean up.

Fines differ per municipality and per offense. Municipal enforcement officers (boa's) can fine you. Always carrying bags is cheaper.

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Microchip and registration in the Netherlands

According to the Dutch government, your dog must be microchipped and registered within 7 weeks of birth. A vet, or a chipper listed in the RVO register, does this. You may not chip your dog yourself.

• Buying or adopting a dog? It must have a chip, a registration and a European pet passport. Buying an unregistered dog is an offense.
• After buying, you register online as the new owner.
• Imported dogs must already be chipped abroad and be registered within 2 weeks of arrival. Good to know if you move here with your dog.

Dog rules in Flanders (Belgium)

Dog tax in Belgium

As far as we know, there is no dog tax left in Flanders. Overijse scrapped it in 2020 and was then described as the last Flemish municipality that still had one. Taxes are a municipal choice in Belgium too, so check your municipality's tax regulation if in doubt. Wallonia and Brussels have their own rules.

Microchip and DogID

Every dog must be microchipped and registered in DogID by the age of 8 weeks at the latest. Only a vet may chip. Your dog also needs a passport. Coming from abroad and staying at least 6 months? Register your dog within 8 days. The city of Ghent warns of fines up to €1,000 if your dog is not in order.

Leash and poop rules

Leash and poop rules are in your municipality's police regulation. Breaking them often leads to a GAS fine (a municipal administrative fine). Two examples:

• Ghent: dogs must be on a leash everywhere, except in the fenced off-leash meadows (more than 20). You must always carry at least two poop bags.
• Opwijk: always carry a bag and pick up right away. A bag left behind counts as litter.

In Flemish forests and nature areas the rule is clear: your dog stays on the leash and on the paths. Off-leash is only allowed in a marked dog zone (hondenzone), under supervision. The Flemish nature agency shows them all on a map.

The Netherlands and Flanders side by side

Who pays if your dog causes damage?

In the Netherlands, the owner (bezitter) of an animal is liable for the damage it causes (Article 6:179 of the Dutch Civil Code), even if you did nothing wrong yourself. In Belgium the owner is responsible too. So check that your liability insurance (in Belgium, your familiale verzekering) covers damage caused by your dog.

FAQ