Pet Addendum in South Carolina

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 South Carolina law says

Pet deposits and fees	No statute — South Carolina sets no maximum security deposit and has no statute on pet deposits, pet fees or pet rent. Any money held as security (including a pet deposit) must be returned, less itemized deductions for rent and tenant-caused damage, within 30 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered and the tenant makes demand, whichever is later. A landlord with more than four adjoining units who uses different deposit standards for different tenants must post or give tenants a statement of those standards. Source: S.C. Code § 27-40-410
Service & support animals (state law)	To decide whether an animal that is not a service animal (e.g., an emotional support animal) is a reasonable accommodation, a landlord may ask whether the person has a disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities and whether the person has a disability-related need for the animal, and may request documentation; documentation is sufficient if it shows a disability and that the animal provides disability-related assistance or emotional support. Persons with disabilities who have an assistance dog are entitled to full and equal access to rental housing and may not be charged extra for the dog, but are liable for damage it causes. Intentionally misrepresenting an animal as a service animal to obtain a right or privilege of a disabled person is a civil violation (fines up to $250 / $500 / $1,000). § 31-21-70(N) added by 2019 Act No. 44, effective May 16, 2019. Assistance-dog housing rule: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t43c033.php. Misrepresentation statute: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t47c003.php (not a criminal offense; no custodial arrest). Source: S.C. Code §§ 31-21-70(G)(2), (N); 43-33-70(d); 47-3-980

Pet deposits and fees

No statute — South Carolina sets no maximum security deposit and has no statute on pet deposits, pet fees or pet rent. Any money held as security (including a pet deposit) must be returned, less itemized deductions for rent and tenant-caused damage, within 30 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered and the tenant makes demand, whichever is later. A landlord with more than four adjoining units who uses different deposit standards for different tenants must post or give tenants a statement of those standards.

Source: S.C. Code § 27-40-410

Service & support animals (state law)

To decide whether an animal that is not a service animal (e.g., an emotional support animal) is a reasonable accommodation, a landlord may ask whether the person has a disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities and whether the person has a disability-related need for the animal, and may request documentation; documentation is sufficient if it shows a disability and that the animal provides disability-related assistance or emotional support. Persons with disabilities who have an assistance dog are entitled to full and equal access to rental housing and may not be charged extra for the dog, but are liable for damage it causes. Intentionally misrepresenting an animal as a service animal to obtain a right or privilege of a disabled person is a civil violation (fines up to $250 / $500 / $1,000).

§ 31-21-70(N) added by 2019 Act No. 44, effective May 16, 2019. Assistance-dog housing rule: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t43c033.php. Misrepresentation statute: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t47c003.php (not a criminal offense; no custodial arrest).

Source: S.C. Code §§ 31-21-70(G)(2), (N); 43-33-70(d); 47-3-980

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 · South Carolina 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.