Pet Addendum in Massachusetts

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 Massachusetts law says

Pet deposits and fees	At or before the start of a tenancy a landlord (or the landlord's agent) may not require any payment beyond first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit equal to one month's rent, and the purchase and installation cost of a key and lock — so a separate upfront pet deposit or pet fee cannot be required, and any deposit for a pet must fit within the one-month security-deposit limit. After the tenancy starts, a landlord may not demand a security deposit above that limit. The statute does not expressly address monthly pet rent. Source: G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b), (1)(d)
Service & support animals (state law)	State fair housing law bans discrimination against tenants because of a disability or because they have a trained dog guide due to blindness or hearing impairment. Landlords must make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies and services when needed for a person with a disability to use and enjoy housing, which covers exceptions to no-pet rules for assistance animals. No state statute sets documentation rules, pet-fee limits, or penalties for misrepresenting an animal in housing. Federal Fair Housing Act rules (no pet deposits or fees for assistance animals; reliable documentation for non-obvious disabilities) also apply. Some state-law exemptions (e.g., certain owner-occupied two-family homes) may not exempt a landlord from federal law. Source: M.G.L. c. 151B, § 4(6), (7), (7A)

Pet deposits and fees

At or before the start of a tenancy a landlord (or the landlord's agent) may not require any payment beyond first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit equal to one month's rent, and the purchase and installation cost of a key and lock — so a separate upfront pet deposit or pet fee cannot be required, and any deposit for a pet must fit within the one-month security-deposit limit. After the tenancy starts, a landlord may not demand a security deposit above that limit. The statute does not expressly address monthly pet rent.

Source: G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b), (1)(d)

Service & support animals (state law)

State fair housing law bans discrimination against tenants because of a disability or because they have a trained dog guide due to blindness or hearing impairment. Landlords must make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies and services when needed for a person with a disability to use and enjoy housing, which covers exceptions to no-pet rules for assistance animals. No state statute sets documentation rules, pet-fee limits, or penalties for misrepresenting an animal in housing.

Federal Fair Housing Act rules (no pet deposits or fees for assistance animals; reliable documentation for non-obvious disabilities) also apply. Some state-law exemptions (e.g., certain owner-occupied two-family homes) may not exempt a landlord from federal law.

Source: M.G.L. c. 151B, § 4(6), (7), (7A)

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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 · Massachusetts 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.