Hund (a dog in Berlin: register, tax and dangerous breeds)
If the dog is moving with you or you already keep it in Berlin, check the register and the insurance. When the entry and the policy are already in force, a repeat registration is not needed; if your address changes, update the details.
In Berlin these include the Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Bull Terrier and their crosses. Such a dog must be reported at once to the district Ordnungsamt (€30), a Führungszeugnis must be ordered within 3 weeks, and within 8 weeks you must prove the Sachkunde, insurance and a positive Wesenstest. Outside a fenced area a muzzle and a lead no longer than 2 m are required. The step-by-step procedure is in the route "A dog in Berlin".
Since 2024 registration in the Hunderegister also counts as the tax registration, so a separate visit to the Finanzamt is not needed. The tax notice arrives in about 4 weeks; you can set up SEPA direct debit. An exemption is filed as a separate service.
If you keep the dog permanently, it is entered in the Hunderegister (the central dog register). You can do this online, in writing or by phone. Since 2024 the entry in the register also serves as the registration for the dog tax.
The official Berlin page calls liability insurance mandatory for Listenhunde (within 8 weeks of registration, with an excess of no more than €500 a year) and for tourists with a dog (at least €1 million per case). For other owners this page states no general requirement: Haftpflicht insurance for a dog covers damage the dog caused, and its terms are written in the policy.
NOSTRES is an independent service. The procedure and applicability depend on your situation; the final decision is made by the responsible authority or insurance fund.