Official information Updated 2026

PPP legal hub

The PPP dog licence in Spain: what they ask for, what it costs and how to get it

Licence, insurance, certificates, registration, fines and regional rules. Practical, up-to-date guidance so your PPP dog is always in order — no small print, no legal jargon you don't need.

Important notice

This is general guidance. The rules change often and every council can have by-laws of its own. Always check with your council or a legal adviser before you start any paperwork.

The 8 breeds listed as PPP by Spanish law

Under RD 287/2002, these breeds and their crosses are treated as potentially dangerous. Tap one to read its full guide:

Pit Bull Terrier →Staffordshire Bull Terrier →American Staffordshire →Rottweiler →Dogo Argentino →Fila Brasileiro →Tosa Inu →Akita Inu →

The 4 things the law requires

Administrative licence

Issued by the council of the town where you live. You must be of legal age, with no criminal record and proof of physical and psychological fitness. Valid for 5 years (renewable).

Public liability insurance

Minimum cover of 120 000 € for damage to third parties, but your region can ask for more: Castilla y León 180 000 €, Andalusia 175 000 € and Catalonia 150 253,03 €.

Registering the dog

You enter the dog in the Municipal Register of Potentially Dangerous Animals within 15 days of getting the licence.

Muzzle and lead in public

A muzzle that meets the standard and suits the breed, plus a non-extendable lead of 2 metres at most. Visible ID (microchip + tag).

The rules region by region

RD 287/2002 sets the national floor: 120 000 € of cover and a licence valid for five years anywhere in Spain. Every region can tighten that, and so can your council: the local by-law beats this table.

Region	Minimum cover	Rule	What's different
AndalusiaThe course nobody else asks for →	175 000 €	Decreto 42/2008	Training course required
Aragón	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	—
Asturias	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	—
Balearics	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	—
CanariesWhy Las Palmas asks for almost double →	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	Las Palmas de Gran Canaria asks for 200 000 €
Cantabria	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	—
Castilla-La Mancha	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	—
Castilla y LeónThe highest figure in Spain →	180 000 €	Ley 5/1997 · Decreto 134/1999	180 000 € is what its councils usually ask for
CataloniaWhere that 150 253,03 € comes from →	150 253,03 €	Decret 170/2002	The figure comes from 25 million pesetas
Valencian CommunityThere's a deadline, and it may be running already →	120 000 €	Decreto 145/2000	Licence before the dog turns 3 months old
ExtremaduraYour breed may be on the list without you knowing →	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	Extended list: adds the Dobermann and others
GaliciaYour insurance expires every year →	125 000 €	Decreto 90/2002	The insurance renews every year · REGIAC register
La Rioja	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	—
MadridWhere to apply, district by district →	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	In the city itself you apply at your Junta de Distrito
Murcia	120 000 €	RD 287/2002 (national minimum)	—
NavarreThe newest rule in Spain →	120 000 €	Ley Foral 19/2019 · D.F. 94/2022	Its own regional framework, one of the most recent
Basque CountryHere they examine your dog too →	120 000 €	Decreto 101/2004	They ask for a vet certificate for the dog itself · REGIA register

If you move, you apply for the licence again in your new town and your insurance may fall short. All 17 regions compared, each with its own rule →

Fines and offences

Minor

150 € - 300 €

No ID on the dog, a lead over 2 m, being in a children's playground with the muzzle on but no licence to show.

Serious

300 € - 2 404 €

Not using a muzzle in public, not having valid liability insurance, not entering the dog in the council register.

Very serious

2 404 € - 15 025 €

Not having a licence, abandoning the animal, forging documents, not taking responsibility for an attack.

Legal kit

Muzzles that meet the standard, harnesses and leads under RD 287/2002.

Products we pick because they meet the national rules. If you get stopped, you're covered.

See muzzles that meet the standard Size finder

FAQ

Legal questions people ask

The most common doubts about the licence, the insurance and PPP rules.

How do I apply for the PPP dog licence?

At your council. What you need: your ID, a criminal record certificate (Ministry of Justice), a physical fitness certificate (from a doctor), a psychological fitness certificate (from a recognised centre), your liability insurance and the council's own form. Councils take 15-30 days to decide.

How much does it cost to keep a PPP dog in order?

Around 200-350 € the first time (certificates ~80 €, council fee 30-100 €, liability insurance 60-180 €/year) and 100-200 € a year after that (renewing the insurance and, every 5 years, the physical and psychological certificates again).

What happens if I'm caught without a licence?

It's a very serious offence. A fine of 2 404 € to 15 025 €, plus the dog can be taken from you temporarily until you sort things out. The licence is compulsory before you take the dog out in public.

Can I travel with my PPP dog between regions?

Yes, but you have to follow the rules of whichever region you're in at the time. If your insurance covers less than the region you're visiting requires, you can be fined.

When is the licence renewed?

Every 5 years. Your council will send you a reminder, but renewing it is your responsibility. You have to hand in all the certificates again (physical, psychological, criminal record and valid insurance). In your Sin Bozal account we warn you automatically 60 days before.

Does my PPP cross need a licence too?

Yes. RD 287/2002 covers crosses. On top of that, any dog that meets the physical criteria (over 20 kg, prominent jaw, heavy musculature) can be classed as a PPP by a vet inspector, even if it isn't a pure breed.

My breed isn't one of the eight. So it isn't a PPP?

Not necessarily. A dog is a PPP in Spain by any of these routes: (1) being on the national list of eight breeds in RD 287/2002; (2) being on your region's extended list, which can be longer —Galicia goes up to 16 breeds—; (3) meeting the physical criteria in Annex II: over 20 kg, 50 to 70 cm at the withers, a chest girth of 60 to 80 cm, heavy musculature, a broad chest and a strong jaw, even in a mixed breed; or (4) having been involved in an attack, whatever the breed. That's why breeds like the cane corso, the kangal, the boerboel or the Neapolitan Mastiff end up needing a licence in many towns without appearing on any national list.

Is the American bulldog or the American bully a PPP?

They aren't on the national list of eight breeds in RD 287/2002. But that list isn't the only test: Annex II classes as potentially dangerous any dog with heavy musculature, a broad chest and a strong jaw that weighs over 20 kg and stands between 50 and 70 cm at the withers. An adult American bulldog or American bully usually fits those measurements, so plenty of councils do ask for a licence, insurance and a muzzle. Check with your council before you assume you don't need one.

Is the cane corso a PPP?

It isn't among the eight breeds on the national list, but it's a mastiff type of 40 to 50 kg that fits the physical criteria in Annex II of RD 287/2002 squarely. In practice, many councils ask it for a licence, insurance and a muzzle just as they would a Rottweiler. The answer depends on your town's by-law and your region's list, not on the breed in the abstract.

Is the Dobermann a PPP?

It depends where you live, and it's one of the differences that costs people most. It isn't among the eight breeds on the national list, but Galicia (Ley 4/2017) and Extremadura do include it on their extended regional list, and so do council by-laws such as Logroño's. In those places it needs a licence, insurance and a muzzle. Everywhere else, only if it meets the physical criteria in Annex II.