Pet Addendum in New Jersey

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 New Jersey law says

Pet deposits and fees	A pet security deposit counts toward the security deposit cap: combined with the regular deposit it may not exceed one and one-half times one month's rent. Landlords may generally ban pets in the lease, but in a senior citizen housing project (a building with three or more rental units), a senior citizen may keep a pet after giving the landlord written notice, subject to the landlord's reasonable rules and the law's limits on nuisance or dangerous pets. A person with a disability who uses a service or guide dog may not be charged extra for the dog, and a no-pets lease clause does not apply to it; the tenant is liable for damage the dog causes. The security deposit law does not apply to owner-occupied premises with two or three units unless the tenant sends the landlord a written request; it then applies 30 days later. The senior pet law does not apply to owner-occupied premises with no more than three rental units or to health care facilities. Source: N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2; N.J.S.A. 2A:42-103 et seq. (Pets in Housing Projects); N.J.S.A. 10:5-29.2; NJ DCA Truth in Renting guide (Pets; Security Deposits)
Service & support animals (state law)	Under the Law Against Discrimination, a person with a disability, or who is blind or deaf, who has or obtains a service or guide dog is entitled to full and equal access to all housing and may not be charged extra for the dog; a no-pets lease clause does not apply to it, and the tenant is liable for damage the dog causes. Seniors in covered senior citizen housing projects (3+ units) may keep pets after written notice to the landlord. No state statute sets emotional support animal documentation rules or penalizes misrepresentation in housing. Emotional support animals are handled as reasonable-accommodation requests under the federal Fair Housing Act and the Law Against Discrimination. LAD violations can carry penalties of up to $10,000 for a first offense. Source: N.J.S.A. 10:5-29.2; N.J.S.A. 2A:42-103 et seq. (Pets in Housing Projects)

Pet deposits and fees

A pet security deposit counts toward the security deposit cap: combined with the regular deposit it may not exceed one and one-half times one month's rent. Landlords may generally ban pets in the lease, but in a senior citizen housing project (a building with three or more rental units), a senior citizen may keep a pet after giving the landlord written notice, subject to the landlord's reasonable rules and the law's limits on nuisance or dangerous pets. A person with a disability who uses a service or guide dog may not be charged extra for the dog, and a no-pets lease clause does not apply to it; the tenant is liable for damage the dog causes.

The security deposit law does not apply to owner-occupied premises with two or three units unless the tenant sends the landlord a written request; it then applies 30 days later. The senior pet law does not apply to owner-occupied premises with no more than three rental units or to health care facilities.

Source: N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2; N.J.S.A. 2A:42-103 et seq. (Pets in Housing Projects); N.J.S.A. 10:5-29.2; NJ DCA Truth in Renting guide (Pets; Security Deposits)

Service & support animals (state law)

Under the Law Against Discrimination, a person with a disability, or who is blind or deaf, who has or obtains a service or guide dog is entitled to full and equal access to all housing and may not be charged extra for the dog; a no-pets lease clause does not apply to it, and the tenant is liable for damage the dog causes. Seniors in covered senior citizen housing projects (3+ units) may keep pets after written notice to the landlord. No state statute sets emotional support animal documentation rules or penalizes misrepresentation in housing.

Emotional support animals are handled as reasonable-accommodation requests under the federal Fair Housing Act and the Law Against Discrimination. LAD violations can carry penalties of up to $10,000 for a first offense.

Source: N.J.S.A. 10:5-29.2; N.J.S.A. 2A:42-103 et seq. (Pets in Housing Projects)

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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 · New Jersey 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.