Pet Addendum in Maryland

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 Maryland law says

Service & support animals (state law)	A person with a disability (or a parent of a minor child with a disability) who has or wants a service animal is entitled to full and equal access to housing, and cannot be charged extra for the service animal. The tenant may be liable for damage the animal causes. State law defines 'service animal' as an animal individually trained to do work or tasks for a person with a disability. State fair housing law also bans disability discrimination in rentals. No state statute sets documentation rules for emotional support animals or penalizes misrepresenting an animal. § 7-701: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ghu&section=7-701&enactments=false. The § 7-704(c) housing access rule doesn't apply where occupants rent out no more than one room in a single-family home. Emotional support animals are covered through federal Fair Housing Act reasonable-accommodation rules. Source: Md. Code, Human Servs. §§ 7-701(g), 7-704(c); State Gov't § 20-705

Service & support animals (state law)

A person with a disability (or a parent of a minor child with a disability) who has or wants a service animal is entitled to full and equal access to housing, and cannot be charged extra for the service animal. The tenant may be liable for damage the animal causes. State law defines 'service animal' as an animal individually trained to do work or tasks for a person with a disability. State fair housing law also bans disability discrimination in rentals. No state statute sets documentation rules for emotional support animals or penalizes misrepresenting an animal.

§ 7-701: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ghu&section=7-701&enactments=false. The § 7-704(c) housing access rule doesn't apply where occupants rent out no more than one room in a single-family home. Emotional support animals are covered through federal Fair Housing Act reasonable-accommodation rules.

Source: Md. Code, Human Servs. §§ 7-701(g), 7-704(c); State Gov't § 20-705

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 · Maryland 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.