Pet Addendum in Georgia

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 Georgia law says

Pet deposits and fees	A refundable pet deposit is a 'security deposit' and is subject to Georgia's deposit rules. Non-refundable pet fees are not security deposits. For leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the total security deposit (including any pet deposit) may not exceed two months' rent. A landlord may deduct unpaid pet fees from the deposit. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code current as of March 28, 2024). Two-month cap: enrolled HB 404 (2024), https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2024-signed-legislation/hb-404/download. Some deposit procedures (ss. 44-7-31, -32, -33, -35) do not apply to a natural person who, with spouse and minor children, owns 10 or fewer rental units and does not use a paid third-party manager (s. 44-7-36). Source: O.C.G.A. ss. 44-7-30(1), (3); 44-7-30.1 (added by 2024 HB 404); 44-7-34(a)
Service & support animals (state law)	Georgia has no state statute specific to emotional support animals in housing (no state ESA documentation rule or ESA misrepresentation penalty identified). By statute, blind, visually or physically disabled, and deaf persons with a trained guide or service dog are entitled to full and equal access to housing and may not be charged extra for the dog, but are liable for damage it causes. Requests for ESAs and other assistance animals are handled under federal and state fair-housing reasonable-accommodation rules. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). The state handbook gives waiving a no-pet policy for a tenant who needs an assistive animal as an example of a reasonable accommodation. Source: O.C.G.A. § 30-4-3; Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), p. 4

Pet deposits and fees

A refundable pet deposit is a 'security deposit' and is subject to Georgia's deposit rules. Non-refundable pet fees are not security deposits. For leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the total security deposit (including any pet deposit) may not exceed two months' rent. A landlord may deduct unpaid pet fees from the deposit.

Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code current as of March 28, 2024). Two-month cap: enrolled HB 404 (2024), https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2024-signed-legislation/hb-404/download. Some deposit procedures (ss. 44-7-31, -32, -33, -35) do not apply to a natural person who, with spouse and minor children, owns 10 or fewer rental units and does not use a paid third-party manager (s. 44-7-36).

Source: O.C.G.A. ss. 44-7-30(1), (3); 44-7-30.1 (added by 2024 HB 404); 44-7-34(a)

Service & support animals (state law)

Georgia has no state statute specific to emotional support animals in housing (no state ESA documentation rule or ESA misrepresentation penalty identified). By statute, blind, visually or physically disabled, and deaf persons with a trained guide or service dog are entitled to full and equal access to housing and may not be charged extra for the dog, but are liable for damage it causes. Requests for ESAs and other assistance animals are handled under federal and state fair-housing reasonable-accommodation rules.

Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). The state handbook gives waiving a no-pet policy for a tenant who needs an assistive animal as an example of a reasonable accommodation.

Source: O.C.G.A. § 30-4-3; Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), p. 4

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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 · Georgia 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.