New XL Bully Law Changes in 2026: Insurance Removed and New Child-Supervision Rules Explained
- Jul 24
- 9 min read
Advanced Animal Care | UK
Last legally reviewed: 24 July 2026
Disclaimer:
I am not a solicitor. This article provides general information for UK dog owners and is not legal advice. XL Bully rules are administered separately in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Always check the current official guidance for the part of the UK where your dog is registered.
Two important changes affect owners of exempted XL Bully dogs and other prohibited dog types during 2026.
Third-party public liability insurance stopped being a condition of exemption on 1 July 2026. A separate child-safety condition starts on 1 November 2026, when children under 12 must not be left in close contact with a prohibited dog in a private place without the supervision required by the relevant national rules.
The XL Bully restrictions have not ended. Lead, muzzle, neutering, microchipping, secure-keeping and other exemption conditions remain in force.
What are the two XL Bully law changes in 2026?
The two confirmed changes are:
1 July 2026
Third-party public liability insurance is no longer required as a condition of exemption for XL Bullies and other prohibited dog types.
1 November 2026
A new child-supervision condition takes effect. The precise wording and available details differ slightly across England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Further guidance explaining the November condition is expected before it comes into force.
Has the XL Bully insurance requirement ended?
Yes.
Since 1 July 2026, owners no longer need third-party public liability insurance to maintain the exemption of an XL Bully or another prohibited dog type.
Insurance was still required up to and including 30 June 2026. The requirement was then removed because the only available provider withdrew from the market and no suitable replacement product was available.
Does an owner need to obtain or renew insurance now?
No. An owner does not need to obtain or renew third-party liability insurance solely to satisfy the conditions of the dog’s exemption.
The current England and Wales guidance simply states that third-party public liability insurance is no longer needed.
Scottish guidance says that insurance already in place should continue until it expires. Northern Ireland guidance says that an existing policy will remain valid until it ends.
Does removing insurance cancel the Certificate of Exemption?
No.
The removal of the insurance condition does not cancel an existing Certificate of Exemption. A certificate can remain valid provided the owner continues to meet every other applicable condition.
The change means only that third-party liability insurance is no longer one of those conditions.
Does the insurance change remove an owner’s responsibility?
No.
Removing compulsory insurance does not remove the owner’s legal responsibility for keeping the dog under control or for harm caused by the dog.
GOV.UK specifically states that owners remain fully responsible for any harm caused by their dogs.
Which XL Bully rules have not changed?
The main exemption requirements remain in place.
Depending on where the dog is registered, these include requirements to:
hold a valid Certificate of Exemption
keep the dog muzzled in public
keep the dog on a lead in public
ensure the lead is securely held by a person who meets the minimum age requirement
keep the dog securely so it cannot escape
keep the dog microchipped
keep the registered keeper and address information up to date
report the dog’s death or permanent export
comply with the applicable neutering requirements
provide access to the dog for its microchip to be checked when lawfully requested
produce the Certificate of Exemption within the required period when requested
The exact administration and contact arrangements differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Must an XL Bully still wear a muzzle and lead in public?
Yes.
The insurance change has not altered the public lead and muzzle conditions.
An exempted XL Bully must continue to be:
muzzled in public
kept on a lead in public
securely handled by someone who meets the age requirement
In England and Wales, the lead must be securely held by someone aged at least 16. Scottish guidance says someone over 16 must securely hold it. Northern Ireland guidance says the handler must be over 16.
What changes on 1 November 2026?
From 1 November 2026, a new condition concerning children under 12 comes into force.
England and Wales
A child under 12 must not be left in close contact with an XL Bully dog in a private place, such as a home or garden, without adult supervision.
This will become a condition of the Certificate of Exemption.
Scotland
Children under 12 must not be left alone with any prohibited-type dog in a home or private place.
Scottish guidance states that a person aged 16 or over must be present whenever a child under 12 is with an XL Bully. That person may be the exemption holder or another person aged 16 or over.
Northern Ireland
From 1 November 2026, a child under 12 must not be left in close contact with an XL Bully in a private place, such as a home or garden, without adult supervision.
Northern Ireland has said that further updated guidance will be published before the requirement comes into effect.
Does the November rule apply only to XL Bullies?
No.
The new child-supervision requirement applies more broadly to prohibited or banned dog types covered by the relevant legislation.
The official terminology differs slightly between the nations:
England and Wales refer to banned breed-type dogs.
Scotland says the change applies to all prohibited dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Northern Ireland refers to prohibited breed-type dogs.
XL Bullies are included, but they are not the only prohibited type affected by the change.
What does “close contact” mean?
The government has not yet published complete guidance defining every situation that will count as close contact.
England and Wales guidance currently uses the wording:
a child under 12 in close contact with an XL Bully dog in a private place
Northern Ireland uses substantially similar wording. Scotland currently states that a child under 12 must not be left alone with a prohibited-type dog in a home or private place.
Further guidance is expected before 1 November 2026. Owners should not rely on unofficial social-media interpretations as though they were the final legal definition.
What counts as a private place?
The current England and Wales and Northern Ireland guidance gives a home or garden as examples of a private place.
Scotland refers to a home or private place.
The official guidance available on 24 July 2026 does not provide a complete list of every private setting covered. Further instructions are expected before the condition takes effect.
Who must supervise the child?
The current wording differs between the nations.
England and Wales
The published guidance says adult supervision. It does not yet provide further detail on the same guidance page about who will legally qualify as the supervising adult.
Scotland
A person aged 16 or over must be present whenever a child under 12 is with an XL Bully or another prohibited-type dog.
Northern Ireland
The published wording currently says adult supervision. Further guidance is expected before 1 November 2026.
Owners should follow the detailed guidance for their own nation when it is published rather than assuming that every UK jurisdiction will use exactly the same definition.
Does the November change require an XL Bully to be muzzled inside the home?
The currently published change creates a child-supervision condition. It does not announce a new general requirement for every exempted XL Bully to be muzzled routinely inside a private home.
The existing general muzzle requirement continues to apply in public places.
An individual dog could still be subject to additional restrictions arising from a court order or another legal decision. Owners who are uncertain about an individual case should obtain legal advice.
Will a baby gate or closed door meet the new condition?
The official guidance available on 24 July 2026 does not confirm whether a particular baby gate, closed door, crate, room or other barrier will satisfy the legal condition.
Further guidance is expected before the rule starts.
Owners should therefore avoid advertising any particular household arrangement as legally approved until the government publishes more detail.
From a practical safety perspective, any barrier used around a powerful dog should be secure, suitable for the dog’s size and strength and capable of preventing unintended access. This is practical advice, not a statement of the final legal test.
Does someone need to remain in the same room?
The current England and Wales and Northern Ireland guidance does not yet explain whether the supervising adult must remain in the same room in every circumstance.
Scotland states that a person aged 16 or over must be present whenever a child under 12 is with the prohibited-type dog, but further Scottish guidance is also expected before November.
Until detailed guidance is published, it would be inaccurate to claim that a particular position inside the property is always legally sufficient.
What happens if the November condition is broken?
The new requirement will become a condition of the Certificate of Exemption.
For England and Wales, the government states that failure to comply may lead to enforcement action, including seizure of the dog and potential prosecution under existing Dangerous Dogs Act powers.
Owners in Scotland and Northern Ireland must comply with the rules applying in their own jurisdiction. Detailed enforcement guidance may be expanded before the condition starts.
What should owners do before 1 November 2026?
Owners do not need to guess at legal definitions, but they can make sensible preparations now.
Check the official guidance regularly
Use the government page for the nation in which the dog is registered:
GOV.UK for England and Wales
the Scottish Government website for Scotland
NI Direct and DAERA for Northern Ireland
Detailed guidance is expected before 1 November.
Review when children visit
Consider when children under 12:
live in the home
visit with relatives
stay overnight
enter the garden
attend family celebrations
visit during school holidays
This is household planning advice rather than a complete statement of the legal definition of close contact.
Prepare a secure resting area
A secure area can help prevent unwanted interaction and give the dog somewhere quiet to rest.
The arrangement must be appropriate for the individual dog. Do not assume that a particular barrier has received legal approval unless official guidance confirms it.
Supervise children around every dog
The new legal condition specifically concerns prohibited dog types, but government guidance also advises that young children should be supervised around dogs of every breed.
Do not disturb a dog while it rests or eats
Children should be taught not to climb on, pull, tease or disturb a dog. They should not enter the dog’s bed or enclosed resting area or take away its food or toys.
These are general safety recommendations and do not replace the legal supervision requirement.
Does the child-supervision rule apply before 1 November?
The new exemption condition takes effect on 1 November 2026.
Before that date, it is still sensible to supervise young children around every dog. However, the specific new exemption condition described in this article does not begin until 1 November.
Frequently asked questions
Has the XL Bully ban been lifted?
No.
Removing the insurance requirement did not lift or weaken the wider ban. It changed only one condition of exemption.
Do owners still need a Certificate of Exemption?
Yes. It remains illegal to keep an XL Bully without a valid Certificate of Exemption, except where a court-authorised process applies.
Do owners still need to muzzle an XL Bully in public?
Yes. The public muzzle requirement remains in force.
Do owners still need to use a lead in public?
Yes. An exempted XL Bully must remain on a lead in public, securely held by a person who meets the applicable age requirement.
Is third-party liability insurance still compulsory?
No. It has not been an exemption condition since 1 July 2026.
Does the November condition apply in a garden?
A home or garden is specifically given as an example of a private place in the England and Wales and Northern Ireland guidance.
Can a child under 16 walk an exempted XL Bully?
No. The public lead must be held by a person who meets the relevant minimum age requirement. The official guidance requires a handler aged at least or over 16, depending on the wording used in the jurisdiction.
Is the detailed November guidance available yet?
Not in full as of 24 July 2026. The UK, Scottish and Northern Ireland authorities have stated that further guidance will be published before the new condition starts.
The key message for XL Bully owners
One of the 2026 changes has already happened:
Third-party public liability insurance stopped being an exemption condition on 1 July 2026.
The second change begins later this year:
From 1 November 2026, new rules will prevent children under 12 from being left with prohibited-type dogs in specified private circumstances without the required supervision.
Owners must continue to follow all other exemption conditions, including the public lead and muzzle rules.
Because further child-supervision guidance is still expected, this article should be checked and updated again before 1 November 2026. Until then, owners should rely on the exact official wording and avoid treating unofficial interpretations as confirmed law.
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