10 Dutch Cities With Highest Dog Tax
Dog-loving expats in the Netherlands should be aware of hondenbelasting (dog tax) which needs to be paid annually by residents who own a dog. These are the 10 Dutch cities with highest dog tax…
Not all cities in the Netherlands have a dog tax. As of 2024 only 35% of the country’s 342 municipalities still impose a dog tax. Amsterdam ended its dog tax in 2017, Rotterdam in 2018, Rijswijk in 2019, Breda in 2020, Delft in 2021, Groningen in 2022, Utrecht in 2023 and The Hague in 2024.
Originally, the hondenbelasting was implemented as a way to help city councils limit the number of dogs living in their town. It was a time before vaccines when contracting rabies was often fatal. In Dutch municipalities that still levy dog tax today, the revenue goes into the general fund. The amount charged for dog tax is left to the discretion of the municipality.
DUTCH CITIES WITH HIGHEST DOG TAX
For 2024 these are the 10 municipalities in Netherlands with the highest dog tax (for the first dog*)
- 1- Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht (South Holland) €145.44
- 2- Katwijk (South Holland) €132.21
- 3- Tilburg (North Brabant) €128.76
- 4- Barendrecht (South Holland) €114.72
- 5- De Bilt (Utrecht) €111.00
- 6- Utrechtse Heuvelrug (Utrecht) €107.36
- 7- Oegstgeest (South Holland) €106.93
- 8- Haarlem (North Holland) €104.28
- 9- Vlissingen (Zeeland) €102.75
- 10- Den Bosch (Noord-Brabant) €102.12
For people who own multiple dogs, the amount of tax per dog typically increases with each additional dog.
For example, if you live in Haarlem with 2 dogs in 2024, the tax charged on the first dog is €104.28 while the tax on the second dog is €176.52. The total dog tax to be paid would be €280.80.
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