Pet Addendum in District of Columbia

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 District of Columbia law says

Pet deposits and fees	No D.C. Code provision addresses pet deposits, pet fees or pet rent; the Rental Housing Act (D.C. Code ch. 35) is silent. The security deposit may not exceed the initial month's rent (14 DCMR §§ 308-311). Whether a separate pet deposit counts toward the one-month deposit limit depends on the security-deposit regulations (14 DCMR § 308 et seq.). Requests to keep an assistance animal are reasonable-accommodation requests under the D.C. Human Rights Act and the federal Fair Housing Act. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code ch. 35; 14 DCMR §§ 308-311
Service & support animals (state law)	No D.C. statute specifically on service or emotional support animal documentation, misrepresentation penalties or pet-fee limits in housing. Requests to keep an assistance animal are reasonable-accommodation requests under the D.C. Human Rights Act's ban on disability discrimination in housing and the federal Fair Housing Act. § 2-1402.21 does not mention animals; the accommodation duty comes from its disability-discrimination provisions and federal law. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 2-1402.21

Pet deposits and fees

No D.C. Code provision addresses pet deposits, pet fees or pet rent; the Rental Housing Act (D.C. Code ch. 35) is silent. The security deposit may not exceed the initial month's rent (14 DCMR §§ 308-311).

Whether a separate pet deposit counts toward the one-month deposit limit depends on the security-deposit regulations (14 DCMR § 308 et seq.). Requests to keep an assistance animal are reasonable-accommodation requests under the D.C. Human Rights Act and the federal Fair Housing Act. Re-verified 2026-10-27.

Source: D.C. Code ch. 35; 14 DCMR §§ 308-311

Service & support animals (state law)

No D.C. statute specifically on service or emotional support animal documentation, misrepresentation penalties or pet-fee limits in housing. Requests to keep an assistance animal are reasonable-accommodation requests under the D.C. Human Rights Act's ban on disability discrimination in housing and the federal Fair Housing Act.

§ 2-1402.21 does not mention animals; the accommodation duty comes from its disability-discrimination provisions and federal law. Re-verified 2026-10-27.

Source: D.C. Code § 2-1402.21

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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 · District of Columbia 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.