Vet Costs in Germany: GOT Fees Explained (2026)

The German veterinary fee schedule gives each service a base fee, but that is only one part of the invoice. GOT base fees are not fixed total prices.

What the GOT regulates

The Gebührenordnung für Tierärztinnen und Tierärzte, shortened to GOT, is the federal regulation governing payment for veterinary professional services in Germany. Its schedule lists individual services and the fee for the 1x rate.

The current regulation took effect on 22 November 2022 and was amended in March 2023. Listed GOT amounts exclude VAT. They also do not automatically include every medicine, material, diagnostic step, external expense, house visit, or travel cost that may be necessary.

Ordinary services: one to three times the GOT rate

For ordinary veterinary services, the statutory range is generally one to three times the GOT base fee. The rate is continuous, so it is not limited to only 1x, 2x, or 3x.

Section 2 tells the veterinarian to consider the difficulty, time required, timing of the service, value of the animal, and local circumstances. There is no statutory rule that every routine visit uses one rate or that every city clinic uses another.

A transparent examination example

GOT schedule number 16 sets the 1x base fee for a general examination with consultation for a dog, cat, or ferret at €23.62 net.

This arithmetic covers that examination service only. It is not a typical or guaranteed total, and it is not a quote for your animal. Other services and items can change the invoice substantially.

Qualifying emergency service: two to four times the rate

During qualifying emergency service, veterinary services generally use two to four times the GOT rate and add a €50 net emergency-service fee. VAT is added to the fee. The fee can be charged only once for the same matter, even when several animals belonging to one keeper need treatment, and the regulation permits it to be waived in a justified individual case.

The statutory time windows cover nights from 18:00 to 08:00, weekends from Friday 18:00 to Monday 08:00, and public holidays. However, timing alone does not make every appointment an emergency. A regular scheduled consultation during a practice's regular opening hours is not automatically emergency service.

How to read a German veterinary invoice

Under section 7, the invoice must show the treatment date, species, diagnosis or reason for consultation, billed service, GOT service number, invoice amount, and VAT. You can request an itemised invoice if you need more detail.

Medicine, consumable materials, laboratory work and travel can be billed separately when permitted by the regulation. A low-looking examination line therefore does not establish that the total invoice is wrong.

Estimates, rate agreements and payment

Ask for an estimate before planned diagnostics or treatment. An estimate is useful but not binding because findings, complications, and the medically necessary plan can change. Ask the clinic to explain assumptions and agree when it should contact you before proceeding with additional non-urgent work.

The ordinary GOT framework is not an absolute ban on every price discussion. In a justified individual case, a rate below the 1x rate or above the 3x rate can be agreed in text before treatment under section 5. The regulation also contains narrow exceptions, including specified work involving free-roaming cats. This is different from demanding an informal cash discount after treatment.

Payment terms are separate from the fee calculation. Ask before treatment which methods are accepted and whether instalments or external financing are available. Do not assume that a clinic must provide credit.

Six practical ways to control uncertainty

There is no universal average vet bill, but you can make the scope and payment process clearer before planned care.

For a worked example of how examination, anaesthesia, radiography, scaling, and extraction fees can combine, use our Dental cost and GOT fee guide.

If you are comparing health cover with self-funding, use our Pet insurance comparison guide. Check the policy's GOT reimbursement ceiling, deductible, annual limit, waiting periods, and exclusions rather than assuming every veterinary invoice will be paid.

Official sources

• Official German veterinary fee regulation
• Official GOT section 2 on ordinary fees
• Official GOT section 4 on emergency fees
• Official GOT section 7 on invoices
• Bundestierärztekammer GOT guide for pet owners

Frequently asked questions