Gyeonggi Province: Grace Period for Dangerous Dog Permit Ends This Year... Up to 10 Million Won Fine for Noncompliance

Permit Required to Keep Dangerous Dogs by Year-End
Gyeonggi Province Urges Owners to Apply for Permit
Animal Registration, Insurance, and Neutering Mandatory
Free Mock Assessment for First 30 Applicants

Gyeonggi Province, ahead of the end of the grace period for the permit system for keeping dangerous dogs, has urged all owners of such dogs in the province to complete the permit process by the end of this year.

Gyeonggi Province announced that the grace period for the dangerous dog breeding permit system will end at the end of this year and urged completing the permit within the period. Photo by Gyeonggi Province

The "permit system for keeping dangerous dogs" is a measure under the Animal Protection Act that requires individuals who own or intend to own dangerous dogs to obtain permission from the head of the city or province, with the aim of strengthening safety management for companion animals.

If owners of dangerous dogs fulfill requirements such as animal registration, liability insurance, and neutering, they can apply for a permit. The head of the city or province will then decide whether to grant the permit after the dog has undergone a "dangerous dog temperament assessment."

Due to the operation of the grace period for the permit system for keeping dangerous dogs, all current owners must obtain their permit by December 31 of this year. Failure to do so by the deadline may result in penalties, including fines of up to 10 million won.

At the first dangerous dog temperament assessment of 2026, scheduled to be held in Siheung on the 30th, the Gyeonggi Province Temperament Evaluation Committee—composed of at least three experts, including veterinarians, animal behaviorists (trainers), and animal welfare specialists—will assess the dogs' aggressiveness and other factors across 14 different criteria.

As was the case last year, to help the system become firmly established, a free mock temperament assessment service will be offered to the first 30 applicants who wish to participate.

Jung Bongsoo, Director of Animal Welfare, stated, "We are working to ensure the stable implementation of the permit system for keeping dangerous dogs, so we ask all owners to actively cooperate and complete their permit applications by the end of this year."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.