🦮 Dog Leash Laws by State
Few states have a true statewide leash law. Most either ban dogs from "running at large" — off the owner's property and not under control — only in certain places or situations, or leave it to cities and counties. Your city or county ordinance is usually where the actual leash rule is, and it is often stricter than state law.
11 Banned statewide19 Only in some places or situations21 Set by cities and counties
| State | Status | What the law says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Only in some places or situations | Alabama has no statewide leash law, but dogs must be leashed in state wildlife management areas. Cities and towns may ban dogs from running at large on their streets. | Ala. Code § 9-11-305; § 11-47-110 |
| Alaska | Set by cities and counties | Alaska has no statewide leash law. State law only allows anyone to kill a vicious or rabid dog that is running at large; leash rules are set by local governments. | Alaska Stat. § 03.55.010 |
| Arizona | Only in some places or situations | Arizona requires a dog to be on a leash or in a car, cage or similar enclosure at a public school or park, and a female dog in heat may not be at large. Counties may ban dogs from running at large in unincorporated areas. | A.R.S. § 11-1012; § 11-1005 |
| Arkansas | Set by cities and counties | Arkansas has no statewide leash law. Cities and towns have the power to ban dogs from running at large. | A.C.A. § 14-54-1102 |
| California | Only in some places or situations | California has no statewide leash law. State law bars letting a female dog in heat run at large, and dogs off their premises must wear an ID or licence tag; leash rules are set by cities and counties. | Cal. Food & Agric. Code §§ 30951, 30955 |
| Colorado | Only in some places or situations | Colorado has no statewide leash law. Where a county or local board of health orders rabies vaccination, an unvaccinated dog may not run at large; leash rules are local. | C.R.S. § 25-4-610 |
| Connecticut | Banned statewide | Connecticut bars owners from letting a dog roam at large on someone else's land, or on any public highway, unless it is attended or under control. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-364 |
| Delaware | Banned statewide | Delaware bars dogs from running at large at any time. Off its owner's property a dog must be on a leash, with exceptions such as hunting, training and designated off-leash areas. | Del. Code tit. 9, § 3048F |
| District of Columbia | Banned statewide | In the District of Columbia an owner may not let an animal go at large — off the owner's premises and not leashed or otherwise under control. Designated dog parks are an exception. | D.C. Code § 8-1808(a) |
| Florida | Set by cities and counties | Florida has no statewide leash law. State dog law expressly leaves it to cities and counties to prohibit or regulate dogs running at large. | Fla. Stat. ch. 767 |
| Georgia | Set by cities and counties | Georgia has no statewide leash law; leash and running-at-large rules are set by cities and counties. | Official text |
| Hawaii | Only in some places or situations | Hawaii has no statewide leash law, but an owner may not let a female dog run at large while in heat. Leash rules are set by each county. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 143-14 |
| Idaho | Only in some places or situations | In Idaho, after a complaint and notice from the sheriff, an owner who lets a dog run at large without an attendant — in a city, town or village or near farms and homes — commits an infraction. Day-to-day leash rules are local. | Idaho Code § 25-2805 |
| Illinois | Banned statewide | Under the Illinois Animal Control Act a dog found running at large may be impounded, the owner pays a $25 public safety fine, and a dog caught a second time must be sterilized. Hunting dogs and dogs in dog parks are exempt. | 510 ILCS 5/9 |
| Indiana | Only in some places or situations | Indiana has no statewide leash law. On state parks and other Department of Natural Resources properties a pet must be caged or on a leash no longer than six feet, under the owner's supervision; elsewhere leash and running-at-large rules are set by cities and counties. | 312 IAC 8-2-6(a)(1) |
| Iowa | Only in some places or situations | Iowa has no statewide leash law, but a dog running at large without a valid rabies tag (or proof of vaccination) must be impounded. Leash rules are local. | Iowa Code § 351.37 |
| Kansas | Set by cities and counties | Kansas state dog law has no running-at-large or leash rule; these are set by cities and counties. | Official text |
| Kentucky | Only in some places or situations | Kentucky has no statewide leash law, but a peace officer or animal control officer may seize a dog running at large unaccompanied between sunset and sunrise. Daytime rules are local. | KRS § 258.265 |
| Louisiana | Banned statewide | Louisiana bars owners from letting a dog run at large on unenclosed land or trespass on the land of another. Parishes and cities may add their own rules. | La. R.S. 3:2771 |
| Maine | Banned statewide | Maine makes it unlawful for any dog, licensed or not, to be at large — off its owner's premises and not under control — except when used for hunting. | 7 M.R.S. § 3911 |
| Maryland | Set by cities and counties | Maryland has no statewide leash law; each county sets its own rules on dogs running at large. | Official text |
| Massachusetts | Only in some places or situations | Massachusetts has no general statewide leash law, but dogs must be on a chain or leash in public highway rest areas, and a city or town may order all dogs restrained. Day-to-day leash rules are local. | M.G.L. c. 140, §§ 167, 174B |
| Michigan | Banned statewide | Michigan makes it unlawful to let a dog stray unless it is held on a leash, except working dogs (hunting, farm, guide and similar) while working with their owner. | M.C.L. § 287.262 |
| Minnesota | Only in some places or situations | Minnesota has no statewide leash law, but any person may seize and impound an unlicensed dog found running at large. Leash rules are local. | Minn. Stat. § 347.14 |
| Mississippi | Only in some places or situations | Mississippi has no statewide leash law. A dog running at large without a collar and rabies tag, or unvaccinated, may be impounded by officers; cities regulate running at large. | Miss. Code § 41-53-13; § 21-19-9 |
| Missouri | Only in some places or situations | Missouri has no statewide leash law. State law bars dogs with or exposed to rabies from running at large, and pets in state parks must be on a leash no longer than ten feet. | Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 322 |
| Montana | Only in some places or situations | Montana has no statewide leash law. A dog running at large without a current licence tag may be seized and impounded, and cities and towns may restrict or prohibit dogs running at large. | MCA §§ 7-23-102, 7-23-4102 |
| Nebraska | Only in some places or situations | Nebraska has no general statewide leash law, but in counties of 80,000 or more people (and their first-class cities) it is unlawful to let a dog run at large. Elsewhere it is set locally. | Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 54-607, 54-608 |
| Nevada | Only in some places or situations | Nevada has no general statewide leash law. It is unlawful to let a dog run at large while tracking, harassing or killing big game; other leash rules are set by counties and cities. | NRS ch. 503 |
| New Hampshire | Banned statewide | In New Hampshire a dog that is at large — off its owner's premises and not under reasonable control — is a nuisance, and its owner can be fined. Towns may adopt stricter control rules. | RSA 466:31 |
| New Jersey | Set by cities and counties | New Jersey has no statewide leash law; each municipality may prohibit or regulate dogs running at large. | N.J.S.A. 40:48-1 |
| New Mexico | Set by cities and counties | New Mexico requires every city and county to provide, by ordinance, for seizing dogs and cats running at large. The leash rules themselves are local. | N.M. Stat. § 77-1-12 |
| New York | Set by cities and counties | New York has no statewide leash law. Any municipality may enact a local law on keeping dogs and dogs running at large, including night-time confinement orders. | N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. Law §§ 121, 122 |
| North Carolina | Only in some places or situations | North Carolina has no statewide daytime leash law, but no one may let a dog over six months old run at large at night unaccompanied. Daytime rules are local. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 67-12 |
| North Dakota | Set by cities and counties | North Dakota has no statewide leash law; cities may regulate or prohibit animals running at large. | N.D. Cent. Code § 40-05-01 |
| Ohio | Set by cities and counties | Ohio has no general statewide leash law. Counties, townships and cities may adopt restraint rules, and dogs must be leashed or kept under control only during a rabies quarantine. | Ohio Rev. Code §§ 955.221, 955.26 |
| Oklahoma | Set by cities and counties | Oklahoma has no statewide leash law. Counties of 200,000 or more people, cities and some school boards may regulate or prohibit dogs running at large. | 4 Okla. Stat. § 43 |
| Oregon | Set by cities and counties | Oregon has no statewide leash law. Dogs may not run at large where a county ordinance or local vote has prohibited it. | ORS §§ 609.060, 609.095 |
| Pennsylvania | Banned statewide | Pennsylvania requires owners to keep a dog at all times confined on their premises, firmly secured so it cannot stray, or under the reasonable control of a person (or lawfully hunting). | 3 P.S. § 459-305 |
| Rhode Island | Set by cities and counties | Rhode Island has no statewide leash law; city and town councils must set ordinances on unrestricted dogs and leash laws. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-1 |
| South Carolina | Set by cities and counties | In South Carolina it is unlawful to let a dog run at large only in counties and cities that have adopted penalties under the state law; otherwise rules are local. | S.C. Code § 47-3-50 |
| South Dakota | Only in some places or situations | South Dakota has no general statewide leash law, but letting a dog run at large in a state park is a misdemeanor. Counties and cities regulate running at large elsewhere. | SDCL § 40-34-5 |
| Tennessee | Banned statewide | Tennessee requires dog owners to keep their dog under reasonable control at all times and stop it from running at large; penalties rise with any damage or injury caused. | Tenn. Code § 44-8-413 |
| Texas | Set by cities and counties | Texas has no statewide leash law. State law expressly lets cities and counties adopt leash requirements, and only bars dogs known to attack livestock from running at large. | Tex. Health & Safety Code §§ 822.007, 822.012 |
| Utah | Set by cities and counties | Utah has no statewide leash law; leash and running-at-large rules are set by cities and counties, with state rules only inside rabies quarantine areas. | Official text |
| Vermont | Set by cities and counties | Vermont has no statewide leash law. State law lets each city or town regulate the leashing, restraint and running at large of dogs by ordinance (a registered working farm dog on its own farm is exempt). A dog known to chase deer or moose may not run at large unaccompanied. | 20 V.S.A. §§ 3549, 4748 |
| Virginia | Set by cities and counties | Virginia has no statewide leash law. Any locality may prohibit dogs from running at large or require leashes by ordinance. | Va. Code §§ 3.2-6538, 3.2-6539 |
| Washington | Set by cities and counties | Washington has no statewide leash law; leash and running-at-large rules are set by cities and counties. | RCW 35.27.370 |
| West Virginia | Only in some places or situations | West Virginia has no general statewide leash law, but dogs on the State Capitol grounds must be leashed, and owners are liable for damage done by a dog running at large. Other rules are local. | W. Va. Code §§ 5A-4-4, 19-20-13 |
| Wisconsin | Banned statewide | In Wisconsin a dog running at large — off its owner's premises and not under control — may be impounded and the owner fined. Dogs engaged in legal hunting are exempt. | Wis. Stat. § 174.042 |
| Wyoming | Set by cities and counties | Wyoming has no statewide leash law. Counties may declare animals running at large a nuisance in unincorporated areas, and towns may regulate or prohibit it. | Wyo. Stat. §§ 11-31-301, 15-1-103 |
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General information, not legal advice. Laws change and local authorities often add stricter rules. Each row links to its source and was checked on the date shown at the top — confirm with your local authority or a lawyer before relying on it.