Boerboel Bans, Laws & Insurance: Where the Breed Is Restricted
Which countries ban Boerboels, what US law actually says, and the two issues that matter far more for most American owners: homeowners insurance and housing rules. The honest picture, from a breeder who screens every buyer.
By Derek Peterson, Peterbuilt Boerboel · Updated July 2026
The Short Answer
Boerboels are legal in all 50 US states at the state level. A small number of cities and counties restrict the breed through local ordinances, and some military housing policies limit large guardian breeds. Internationally, roughly a dozen countries ban or restrict Boerboels, including Denmark, France, Qatar, Bermuda, Mauritius, and Singapore. For most US owners, the practical hurdles are not the law at all: they are homeowners insurance breed lists and HOA or landlord pet rules. Both are manageable if you disclose honestly and do the paperwork before you bring a puppy home.
Why Are Boerboels Banned in Some Countries?
Boerboels appear on breed lists because they are a giant guardian breed: a male commonly weighs 150-200 lbs, the breed was developed to protect South African homesteads, and a mismanaged dog of that size can cause serious injury. When governments respond to dog attacks, blanket breed lists are a fast, visible policy tool, and large mastiff-type breeds usually get swept onto them together.
We will not pretend the concern comes from nowhere. A poorly bred, unsocialized, untrained Boerboel is a genuine liability, and we say so plainly on our temperament page. But the evidence is also clear that breed alone is a poor predictor of how an individual dog behaves. The largest genetic study of dog behavior to date (Morrill et al., published in Science in 2022) found that breed explains only about 9 percent of the behavioral variation between individual dogs, and that behaviors labeled as aggression showed no meaningful breed effect at all. Breeding, socialization, training, and the home a dog lands in matter far more than the label on its pedigree.
That is exactly why we screen buyers instead of selling to whoever pays first. A well-bred Boerboel with a stable temperament, placed in a home that is prepared for it, is the strongest argument against breed bans there is. The breed also gets lumped in with bully breeds it is not closely related to; our Boerboel vs Pitbull comparison covers where that confusion comes from.
Which Countries Ban or Restrict Boerboels?
Here is the country-by-country picture as of July 2026. Status ranges from outright bans on keeping the breed to import prohibitions and leash-and-muzzle rules.
| Country | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Legal (state level) | No state bans the breed by name. A small number of city and county ordinances restrict it; details below. |
| United Kingdom | Legal | Never listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act. The 2023-24 XL Bully ban does not cover Boerboels. |
| Australia | Legal | Not on the federal banned-import list (which names the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, and Presa Canario). |
| Denmark | Banned | On the 13-breed prohibition list since July 2010: keeping, breeding, and importing are illegal. Pre-2010 dogs were grandfathered with leash and muzzle rules. |
| France | Restricted (Category 1) | Mastiff ("boerbull") type dogs without a recognized pedigree are Category 1 "attack dogs": buying, selling, and importing them is prohibited, and existing dogs face permit, muzzle, and sterilization requirements. |
| Ukraine | Restricted | On the national dangerous-dogs list (updated 2021), with microchipping, muzzle, and liability insurance requirements. |
| Romania | Restricted | Declared a dangerous breed under Emergency Ordinance 55/2002; importation is prohibited and ownership carries legal conditions. |
| Russia | Not on the current national list | Earlier draft dangerous-breed lists named the Boerboel, but the final 2019 government list of 12 "potentially dangerous" breeds does not. Regional and local rules still apply, so verify before moving. |
| Switzerland (Geneva) | Banned by canton | The canton of Geneva prohibits the Boerboel on its dangerous-breeds list. Swiss dog law varies canton by canton. |
| Qatar | Import banned | On the list of dog breeds prohibited from importation. |
| Bermuda | Prohibited | On the prohibited-import breed list since 2003, and it remained there after the 2018 revisions moved some other breeds to a restricted list. |
| Mauritius | Prohibited | Both importation and ownership are prohibited. |
| Singapore | Import banned | On the AVS list of breeds not allowed in for sale, visit, or permanent stay, including crosses; also not an approved breed for HDB flats. |
| Faroe Islands | Prohibited | Applies Denmark's prohibited-breed list, plus additional breeds, to imports and ownership. |
| Turks & Caicos | Restricted | Moved to the restricted-breed list in 2024: importing one requires a special license, with heavy fines for non-compliance. |
| Tunisia | Reported restrictions | Reported to prohibit importing mastiff-type dogs, but official English-language sourcing is thin. Confirm with Tunisian authorities before travel. |
| Malaysia | Disputed | Viral articles claim a ban, but the national banned and restricted import lists published by Malaysia's Department of Veterinary Services do not name the Boerboel. Verify directly with DVS before relocating. |
Boerboels also appear on import-ban or dangerous-dog lists in Iceland (added in 2021), Morocco, Oman, Luxembourg, and Greenland, and on the Netherlands' non-binding high-risk breed guidance list.
Verify before you travel or move. Breed laws change, sometimes quickly: the UK added a breed type in 2023, Turks and Caicos reworked its list in 2024, and the Democratic Republic of Congo began regulating Boerboels the same year. Before relocating or traveling with a Boerboel, confirm the current rules with the destination country's embassy or its official veterinary or agriculture authority, not with a blog post (including this one).
Are Boerboels Banned Anywhere in the United States?
No US state bans the Boerboel. Breed-specific legislation in America is local: a 2021 analysis counted roughly 1,200 city and county ordinances regulating some breed, the overwhelming majority aimed at pit bull types. A handful name the Boerboel. Before you buy or move, check your city and county codes, because the ordinance, not state law, is what animal control enforces.
Fairfield, Iowa is the commonly cited example: its dangerous-animal ordinance names the Boerboel alongside several other breeds, and it also covers dogs over 100 pounds, a clause that catches every adult Boerboel regardless of breed wording. Weight-based clauses like that are worth watching for even in towns that never mention the breed. The searchable database at bsldb.app is the fastest way to check breed-specific ordinances by state and city, and your city clerk's office can confirm what is currently on the books.
Military families: housing is where the breed rules bite. Privatized military housing policies consistently bar wolf hybrids and any dog with a bite history, and most restrict named breeds (typically pit bull types, Rottweilers, Dobermans, and chows). The exact list and any weight caps vary by installation and by the housing company that runs it, and some policies restrict large guardian types broadly. Get your installation's current pet policy in writing from the housing office before you PCS with a Boerboel, not after.
Will Homeowners Insurance Cover a Boerboel?
Often yes, but not always, and not always on standard terms. Many US insurers keep restricted-breed lists that include large mastiff types, and some name the Boerboel. Depending on the carrier, a listed breed can mean an excluded dog-liability endorsement, a premium surcharge, or a declined application. Other carriers do not ask about breed at all, so the answer depends heavily on which insurer you call.
- Disclose honestly. Hiding the dog is the one move that can genuinely hurt you: misrepresentation can void a claim exactly when you need coverage most.
- Shop multiple carriers. Breed lists vary widely. Some large insurers, State Farm among them, are breed-neutral and underwrite on the dog's bite history instead of its breed.
- Ask precisely what changes. A surcharge with full liability coverage is a very different outcome than a policy that silently excludes dog liability.
- Consider umbrella liability coverage. A personal umbrella policy adds liability protection above your homeowners limits and is inexpensive relative to what a serious bite claim costs.
- Document your dog. Training records, a Canine Good Citizen title, and a clean history give an underwriter something concrete to say yes to.
We are breeders, not insurance agents, so treat this as a map rather than advice for your specific policy. The pattern we see with our own puppy buyers is consistent, though: owners who disclose the breed and shop two or three carriers find workable coverage.
Do Landlords and HOAs Restrict Boerboels?
Frequently, and this trips up more Boerboel owners than any law does. Rental and HOA pet rules commonly cap dogs at 50 to 100 pounds, which excludes every adult Boerboel before breed is even discussed, and many keep restricted-breed lists that include mastiff types. If you rent or live under an HOA, get written approval naming your dog's breed and expected adult weight before you sign a lease or send a breeder a deposit. A verbal "that should be fine" from a leasing agent protects nobody, least of all the dog.
Boerboel Legality FAQ
Are Boerboels legal in the UK?
Yes. Boerboels are legal in the UK and have never been listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act. The 2023-24 XL Bully ban does not cover Boerboels. Because banned types are assessed by physical conformation rather than pedigree, owners of large bully-type crosses should keep registration paperwork that documents exactly what their dog is.
Are Boerboels legal in Australia?
Yes. The Boerboel is not on Australia's banned-import breed list, which names the American Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, and Perro de Presa Canario. Normal import and quarantine rules apply, and local councils can still declare an individual dog dangerous based on its behavior.
Why are Boerboels banned in Denmark?
Denmark added the Boerboel to its dangerous-dogs prohibition list on July 1, 2010, alongside 12 other fighting and guarding breeds. Keeping, breeding, and importing listed breeds is illegal. Dogs owned before March 17, 2010 were grandfathered but must be leashed and muzzled in public. It is a blanket breed law, not a judgment about any individual dog.
Can I import a Boerboel into Singapore?
No. The Boerboel is on the Animal and Veterinary Service's list of breeds not allowed into Singapore for sale, temporary visits, or permanent stay, and crosses of listed breeds are included in the prohibition. The breed is also not on the approved list for HDB flats.
Do insurance companies consider Boerboels an aggressive breed?
Many US insurers put large mastiff types, and sometimes the Boerboel by name, on restricted-breed lists. Depending on the carrier, that can mean excluded dog liability coverage, a surcharge, or a declined policy. Other insurers, including State Farm, are breed-neutral and ask about bite history instead of breed. Disclose your dog honestly and compare several carriers.
The Best Answer to Breed Bans Is a Well-Placed Dog
Every Boerboel that lands in the right home, with the right preparation, makes the case for the breed. Start with our guide on whether a Boerboel fits your family, browse the Boerboel FAQ, and if the breed is right for you, we would love to hear from you.