Dogs in Luxembourg: rules, tax and travel

Dogs must be chipped within 4 months of birth, declared to the commune, covered by liability insurance and are taxed by the commune (at least 10 EUR a year). Potentially dangerous dogs need extra training and authorisation.

Dog tax rates and off-lead zones are set by each of the communes, while the dog declaration, chip and insurance duties are national.

Breed rules

Where	Rule	Breeds and notes
Whole country	Permit required	Staffordshire Bull Terrier, English Mastiff, American Staffordshire Terrier, Tosa, chiens de type pit bull ou boerbull (morphological criteria), crosses of the above Loi du 9 mai 2008 relative aux chiens art. 10: 'chiens susceptibles d'etre dangereux' must be declared, the owner must complete a 12-hour course and the dog a 24-hour training course with exam, leash everywhere unless exempted by diploma, muzzle on case-by-case order; all dogs in Luxembourg need liability insurance. [1]

Registration and microchip

Registration

Declare the dog to the commune of residence within 4 months of birth, with a vet certificate. Declare again within one month after moving or changing owner, and report loss or death.[2]

Microchip

Compulsory. A vet implants the chip and records it in a database at the latest 4 months after birth. Rabies vaccination starts from 12 weeks, after identification.[2]

Dog tax and licence

Dog tax

The commune charges an annual dog tax of at least 10 EUR, and rates vary by commune. Guide, police, army, customs and rescue dogs are exempt.[2]

a year

Licence or owner test

No general licence for ordinary dogs. Potentially dangerous dogs need a keeping authorisation from the Ministry of Agriculture, a theory course (Hondsführerschäin) and an obedience exam before 18 months.[2]

Insurance

Liability insurance

Civil liability insurance covering damage by the dog is compulsory for dog owners. Proof is needed when declaring the dog.[2]

Leash and muzzle

Leash and muzzle

Dogs must be on a lead inside built-up areas, on public transport, in shared parts of apartment buildings, public car parks, petrol stations, at public events, and on sports fields, cycle paths and fitness trails. Elsewhere the dog must be under control. Communes can set off-lead zones.[2]

Other rules

Keeping animals not on the authorised list, and breeding dogs or cats, needs prior authorisation from ALVA, the food and veterinary authority. No fixed limit on the number of dogs or cats was found.[3]

A new EU Regulation on the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats will in time require every dog to be microchipped and registered in a national database. Private dog keepers get a long phase-in.[4]

Travelling to Luxembourg with a dog

From an EU country

EU Regulation 576/2013 applies: pets travel with their owner, a maximum of five per trip, with a microchip, a pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination.[5]

From outside the EU

Pets must have a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at 12 weeks or older and valid 21 days after the primary course, and an animal health certificate (or a pet passport when coming from a listed country). Unlisted origins must enter through a designated travellers point of entry. Maximum five pets per trip.[6]

Rabies antibody test

Needed only for pets arriving from non-EU countries that are not on the EU list. Blood is taken at least 30 days after the first rabies vaccination and at least 90 days before the certificate is issued, with a result of 0.5 IU/ml or more from a designated lab. Pets from listed countries do not need it.[6]

Tapeworm treatment

A tapeworm (Echinococcus) treatment for dogs is required only when entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway. It must be given by a vet 24 to 120 hours before arrival.[7]

Not confirmed yet: Quarantine. We only show what an official or named source states.

Laws change: this is general information, not legal advice. The authority linked on each line has the final word.