Dog Bite Laws by State

Dog bite liability rules for all 50 states and DC: which states make owners strictly liable, which follow the one-bite rule, and the statute behind each.

Updated Oct 12, 2026How we calculate

State	Rule	Details	Source
Alabama	Limited strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites on their own property and for bites elsewhere if they knew the dog was dangerous.	Ala. Code §§ 3-1-3, 3-6-1
Alaska	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
Arizona	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites to people lawfully in a public or private place, unless the victim provoked the dog.	Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 11-1025
Arkansas	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
California	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites in a public place or to people lawfully on private property, even if the dog never bit before.	Cal. Civ. Code § 3342
Colorado	Limited strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for economic damages when a dog causes serious bodily injury or death. Other bites follow the negligence rules.	Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-124
Connecticut	Strict liability	Owners and keepers are strictly liable for any damage their dog causes, unless the victim was trespassing or teasing the dog.	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-357
Delaware	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for injuries their dog causes, unless the victim was trespassing, committing a crime or provoking the dog.	Del. Code tit. 16, § 3053F
District of Columbia	One-bite / negligence	Liability usually turns on whether the owner knew the dog was dangerous or broke a leash or control law.
Florida	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites in public places or on private property where the victim was lawfully present. A “Bad Dog” sign can limit liability, except for children under six.	Fla. Stat. § 767.04
Georgia	Limited strict liability	Owners are liable when they knew the dog was vicious or dangerous and let it run at large, including breaking a local leash law.	O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7
Hawaii	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for injuries their animal causes, unless the victim was trespassing or provoked it.	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 663-9
Idaho	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
Illinois	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable when a dog injures someone who was peaceably and lawfully where they had a right to be, without provoking it.	510 ILCS 5/16
Indiana	Limited strict liability	Strict liability covers bites to people carrying out a legal duty, such as mail carriers. Other bites usually follow the one-bite and negligence rules.	Ind. Code § 15-20-1-3
Iowa	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for injuries their dog causes, unless the victim was doing something unlawful that contributed to the injury.	Iowa Code § 351.28
Kansas	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
Kentucky	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for any damage their dog causes.	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.235(4)
Louisiana	Limited strict liability	Owners are liable for injuries they could have prevented, unless the victim provoked the dog.	La. Civ. Code art. 2321
Maine	Limited strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for injuries their dog causes off the owner’s premises. Bites on the owner’s property follow the negligence rules.	Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 7, § 3961
Maryland	Limited strict liability	The law presumes the owner knew the dog was dangerous, which the owner can rebut. Owners are strictly liable for a dog running at large.	Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-1901
Massachusetts	Strict liability	Owners and keepers are strictly liable for any damage their dog causes, unless the victim was trespassing, committing a crime or teasing the dog.	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 155
Michigan	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites to people lawfully on public or private property who did not provoke the dog.	Mich. Comp. Laws § 287.351
Minnesota	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable when a dog attacks or injures someone acting peaceably where they had a right to be, without provoking it.	Minn. Stat. § 347.22
Mississippi	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
Missouri	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites to people lawfully on public or private property. Damages are reduced by the victim’s share of fault.	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 273.036
Montana	Limited strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites inside incorporated cities and towns. Elsewhere the negligence rules apply.	Mont. Code § 27-1-715
Nebraska	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for injuries their dog causes, except to trespassers.	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 54-601
Nevada	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
New Hampshire	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for damage their dog causes, unless the victim was trespassing or committing a tort.	N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:19
New Jersey	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites in public places or to people lawfully on private property, even if the dog never bit before.	N.J. Stat. § 4:19-16
New Mexico	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
New York	One-bite / negligence	Owners are liable for injuries if they knew or should have known the dog was vicious. Medical costs are covered without proof of fault if the dog was already declared dangerous.	N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. Law § 123
North Carolina	Limited strict liability	Strict liability applies to dogs over six months old running at large at night and to dogs declared dangerous. Otherwise the one-bite rule applies.	N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 67-12, 67-4.4
North Dakota	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
Ohio	Strict liability	Owners, keepers and harborers are strictly liable for injuries their dog causes, unless the victim was trespassing, committing a crime or teasing the dog.	Ohio Rev. Code § 955.28
Oklahoma	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for injuries to people lawfully present who did not provoke the dog.	Okla. Stat. tit. 4, § 42.1
Oregon	Limited strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for economic damages (such as medical bills) from a dog bite. Pain and suffering requires the usual negligence or one-bite proof.	Or. Rev. Stat. § 31.360
Pennsylvania	Limited strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for a bite victim’s medical costs. Other damages need proof of negligence or that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.	3 Pa. Stat. § 459-502
Rhode Island	Limited strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites off the owner’s property. On the owner’s property, the one-bite rule applies.	R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-16
South Carolina	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites and attacks on people lawfully present who did not provoke the dog.	S.C. Code § 47-3-110
South Dakota	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
Tennessee	Limited strict liability	Owners are strictly liable when a dog running at large or not under control causes injury. On the owner’s property, the victim must prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous.	Tenn. Code § 44-8-413
Texas	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew the dog was dangerous (the one-bite rule) or were negligent, for example by breaking a leash law.	Marshall v. Ranne, 511 S.W.2d 255 (Tex. 1974)
Utah	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for injuries their dog causes, regardless of the dog’s history.	Utah Code § 18-1-1
Vermont	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.
Virginia	One-bite / negligence	No general dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew the dog was dangerous or were negligent, for example by breaking a leash law.
Washington	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for bites in public places or to people lawfully on private property.	Wash. Rev. Code § 16.08.040
West Virginia	Limited strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for injuries from a dog running at large. Bites on the owner’s property follow the negligence rules.	W. Va. Code § 19-20-13
Wisconsin	Strict liability	Owners are strictly liable for injuries their dog causes. Damages double if the owner knew the dog had bitten before.	Wis. Stat. § 174.02
Wyoming	One-bite / negligence	No dog bite statute. The owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or if they were negligent.

Last reviewed October 2026. Rules change: check the statute or ask a lawyer licensed in the state before relying on any row. Data feed: JSON.

Strict liability

In strict liability states, a statute makes the owner responsible for bite injuries even if the dog had never bitten before. Defenses such as trespassing or provoking the dog usually still apply.

The one-bite rule and negligence

Where there is no statute, the owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, or were careless, for example by breaking a leash law. A prior bite or aggressive behavior is the usual proof.

Limited statutes

Some states apply strict liability only in certain situations: bites off the owner’s property, dogs running at large, serious injuries only, or medical costs only.

Estimate a claim with the dog bite settlement calculator.