Fewer Dutch municipalities opt to charge annual dog tax
By Simone Jacobs
Pet owners in the Netherlands are expected to pay dog taxes in fewer and fewer municipalities. As of 2026, only 102 of the 342 municipalities charge an annual dog tax.
Less than third of Dutch municipalities charge dog tax
The number of municipalities that choose to charge an annual dog tax (hondenbelasting) has been declining for years, reports NOS. A decade ago, residents in two out of three municipalities had to pay dog taxes every year, but this has dropped to less than a third in 2026.
Last year, 111 municipalities still charged a dog ownership tax, nine of which abolished the tax for 2026, including De Bilt, Hoorn, Beuningen and Lingewaard. On the other hand, Wijk bij Duurstede reinstated the tax this year after removing it years before.
Dog taxes rise in several Dutch cities
While more municipalities are scrapping the dog ownership tax, many cities where the levy still applies are raising the amounts. Indeed, 88 of the 102 municipalities are increasing the annual dog tax this year.
On average, dog owners in the Netherlands pay 76 euros in taxes per dog. 19 municipalities charge over 100 euros, with Katwijk charging the most at 142,18 euros per dog.
Municipalities are allowed to decide whether to charge an annual tax for dog ownership and are free to use the collected money as they see fit. Anyone who adopts a dog in a city that charges the dog tax is responsible for reporting their dog ownership to the municipality; failing to do so can result in a fine.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more