Pet Addendum in Maine

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 Maine law says

Pet deposits and fees	A pet deposit counts toward the 2-month cap: a 'security deposit' is any advance or deposit, however labeled, whose primary function is to secure performance of the lease, and a security deposit may not exceed 2 months' rent. At move-in a landlord may not require more than the first full month's rent, the security deposit (within the cap) and any properly disclosed mandatory recurring fee. An optional recurring fee is allowed only with prior written notice that the tenant may opt in and stop paying at any time without penalty. No statute caps pet rent. Whether a particular monthly pet charge is a 'mandatory recurring fee' (which must be disclosed in the total price disclosure) or an 'optional recurring fee' depends on the lease terms. Source: 14 M.R.S. §§ 6031(2), 6032, 6022-A, 6030-I
Service & support animals (state law)	Under the Maine Human Rights Act, refusing to allow an assistance animal for a person with a physical or mental disability is unlawful housing discrimination. The only exceptions are if the animal poses a direct threat, would cause substantial property damage, or would substantially interfere with others' enjoyment. The landlord cannot charge a fee or deposit for an assistance animal, but the tenant is liable for damage it causes. Knowingly misrepresenting an animal as a service or assistance animal, including creating or supplying false documents, is a civil violation with a fine of up to $1,000 per occurrence. Landlords are generally not civilly liable for injuries or damage involving a tenant's assistance animal, except for gross negligence, recklessness or intentional misconduct. § 1314-A: https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17/title17sec1314-A.html. § 6030-G: https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec6030-G.html. No state statute sets specific documentation rules; federal Fair Housing Act guidance on reliable disability documentation also applies. Source: 5 M.R.S. § 4582-A(3); 17 M.R.S. § 1314-A; 17 M.R.S. § 1312(5); 14 M.R.S. § 6030-G

Pet deposits and fees

A pet deposit counts toward the 2-month cap: a 'security deposit' is any advance or deposit, however labeled, whose primary function is to secure performance of the lease, and a security deposit may not exceed 2 months' rent. At move-in a landlord may not require more than the first full month's rent, the security deposit (within the cap) and any properly disclosed mandatory recurring fee. An optional recurring fee is allowed only with prior written notice that the tenant may opt in and stop paying at any time without penalty. No statute caps pet rent.

Whether a particular monthly pet charge is a 'mandatory recurring fee' (which must be disclosed in the total price disclosure) or an 'optional recurring fee' depends on the lease terms.

Source: 14 M.R.S. §§ 6031(2), 6032, 6022-A, 6030-I

Service & support animals (state law)

Under the Maine Human Rights Act, refusing to allow an assistance animal for a person with a physical or mental disability is unlawful housing discrimination. The only exceptions are if the animal poses a direct threat, would cause substantial property damage, or would substantially interfere with others' enjoyment. The landlord cannot charge a fee or deposit for an assistance animal, but the tenant is liable for damage it causes. Knowingly misrepresenting an animal as a service or assistance animal, including creating or supplying false documents, is a civil violation with a fine of up to $1,000 per occurrence. Landlords are generally not civilly liable for injuries or damage involving a tenant's assistance animal, except for gross negligence, recklessness or intentional misconduct.

§ 1314-A: https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17/title17sec1314-A.html. § 6030-G: https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec6030-G.html. No state statute sets specific documentation rules; federal Fair Housing Act guidance on reliable disability documentation also applies.

Source: 5 M.R.S. § 4582-A(3); 17 M.R.S. § 1314-A; 17 M.R.S. § 1312(5); 14 M.R.S. § 6030-G

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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 · Maine 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.