Pet Addendum in Colorado

Adds pet terms to a lease. Assistance animals for people with disabilities are not pets: no pet fee or pet rent may be charged for them under federal fair housing rules.

What Colorado law says

Pet deposits and fees	A landlord may not demand or receive an additional security deposit of more than $300 as a condition of letting a tenant keep a pet animal, and the pet deposit must be refundable. Monthly pet rent may not exceed the greater of $35 or 1.5% of the monthly rent. The general security deposit cap is two months' rent. Pet limits took effect January 1, 2024 (HB 23-1068). "Pet animal" has the meaning in C.R.S. § 35-80-102(10). The statute calls the pet deposit "additional" but does not say expressly how it relates to the two-month cap. Fair housing law separately governs assistance animals. Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-106; § 38-12-102.5
Service & support animals (state law)	Intentionally misrepresenting entitlement to an assistance animal to obtain a housing accommodation, after a prior written or verbal warning and knowing the animal is not an assistance animal or the person has no disability, is a civil infraction: $25 for a first offense, $50-$200 for a second, and $100-$500 for later offenses. If a landlord asks for documentation about a tenant's assistance animal, it must give the tenant the state Civil Rights Division form if the division has posted one, though the tenant need not use it. Pet deposits are capped at $300 (refundable) and pet rent at the greater of $35 or 1.5% of monthly rent. Since August 12, 2026, Colorado fair housing law defines an assistance animal to include both emotional support animals and service animals. Allowing an assistance animal is presumed to be a reasonable accommodation once the housing provider has had a chance to go through an interactive process with the person asking, and a complete ban on assistance animals is presumed discriminatory. The mere presence of an assistance animal is not a direct threat to health or safety and is not presumed to cause substantial property damage, but the provider may consider documented, specific conduct of the animal that is a direct threat or causes substantial damage. The provider may ask for reasonable documentation of the disability or disability-related need unless it is obvious. Assistance animal means an animal that qualifies as a reasonable accommodation under the federal Fair Housing Act or Section 504. Pet deposit and rent caps added by HB 23-1068, effective January 1, 2024; they apply to 'pet animals' as defined in § 35-80-102(10). Assistance-animal presumptions: HB 26-1045 (2026 Sess. Laws ch. 202, signed May 28, 2026, effective August 12, 2026), https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116513/download (bill page https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb26-1045). Source: C.R.S. § 18-13-107.3; § 24-34-309(2); § 38-12-106; §§ 24-34-301(2.5), (8.5), 24-34-502(1)(a)(III), 24-34-502.2(2)(b) (added by HB 26-1045)

Pet deposits and fees

A landlord may not demand or receive an additional security deposit of more than $300 as a condition of letting a tenant keep a pet animal, and the pet deposit must be refundable. Monthly pet rent may not exceed the greater of $35 or 1.5% of the monthly rent. The general security deposit cap is two months' rent.

Pet limits took effect January 1, 2024 (HB 23-1068). "Pet animal" has the meaning in C.R.S. § 35-80-102(10). The statute calls the pet deposit "additional" but does not say expressly how it relates to the two-month cap. Fair housing law separately governs assistance animals.

Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-106; § 38-12-102.5

Service & support animals (state law)

Intentionally misrepresenting entitlement to an assistance animal to obtain a housing accommodation, after a prior written or verbal warning and knowing the animal is not an assistance animal or the person has no disability, is a civil infraction: $25 for a first offense, $50-$200 for a second, and $100-$500 for later offenses. If a landlord asks for documentation about a tenant's assistance animal, it must give the tenant the state Civil Rights Division form if the division has posted one, though the tenant need not use it. Pet deposits are capped at $300 (refundable) and pet rent at the greater of $35 or 1.5% of monthly rent. Since August 12, 2026, Colorado fair housing law defines an assistance animal to include both emotional support animals and service animals. Allowing an assistance animal is presumed to be a reasonable accommodation once the housing provider has had a chance to go through an interactive process with the person asking, and a complete ban on assistance animals is presumed discriminatory. The mere presence of an assistance animal is not a direct threat to health or safety and is not presumed to cause substantial property damage, but the provider may consider documented, specific conduct of the animal that is a direct threat or causes substantial damage. The provider may ask for reasonable documentation of the disability or disability-related need unless it is obvious.

Assistance animal means an animal that qualifies as a reasonable accommodation under the federal Fair Housing Act or Section 504. Pet deposit and rent caps added by HB 23-1068, effective January 1, 2024; they apply to 'pet animals' as defined in § 35-80-102(10). Assistance-animal presumptions: HB 26-1045 (2026 Sess. Laws ch. 202, signed May 28, 2026, effective August 12, 2026), https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116513/download (bill page https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb26-1045).

Source: C.R.S. § 18-13-107.3; § 24-34-309(2); § 38-12-106; §§ 24-34-301(2.5), (8.5), 24-34-502(1)(a)(III), 24-34-502.2(2)(b) (added by HB 26-1045)

Fill it in

Nothing you type leaves your browser. Replace anything still highlighted, and keep a signed copy.

PET ADDENDUM to the lease for [rental address] dated [lease date]

Tenant: [tenant name] Pet(s): [type, breed, name, weight]

Pet deposit: $[pet deposit] (counts toward any state deposit limit where the law says so). Monthly pet rent: $[pet rent]

The tenant keeps the pet under control, cleans up after it, and pays for damage it causes beyond normal wear and tear.

Signatures and dates: [signatures]

Pet Addendum for other states · Colorado tenant rights

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.