Key Takeaways
- 49% of US leases explicitly allow pets.
- 17% of pet-friendly leases charge a pet deposit.
- The national median pet deposit is $250 (typically $100–$300).
- West Coast Warning: California, Oregon, and Washington have the largest price swings, often reaching $500.
Pet-friendly rentals can come with more costs than renters expect. A lease may allow animals, but the fine print can add upfront charges, monthly costs, and damage rules that raise the real cost before a renter moves in.
To understand those costs, renters need to look at both the law and the lease. State laws show what landlords are allowed to charge, while lease data shows what renters are more likely to face in practice.
This report looks at both. Using aggregated, anonymized data from more than 363,000 lease agreements created in 2025, it shows where rentals allow pets, how often pet-friendly leases include pet deposits, and how pet costs vary by state. Together, the findings help renters understand what pet costs look like in 2026 before they sign.
What Is a Pet Policy for Renters?
A pet policy sets the rules for pets in a rental. It tells renters whether pets are allowed, which pets are allowed, and what costs or responsibilities come with approval. A rental pet policy may appear in the lease agreement or another written contract. It can cover:
- Which animals are allowed
- Breed, size, or weight limits
- Pet deposits, fees, or monthly pet rent
- Cleaning duties
- Guests’ pets
- Who pays for pet damage
A rental can be pet-friendly and still come with limits. These terms can raise the cost of moving in, add monthly expenses, or narrow the rentals available to pet owners.
Can a Landlord Change a Pet Policy?
Usually, a landlord can’t change a pet policy mid-lease unless the tenant agrees or the lease allows it. If pet rules change, get the update in writing. Landlords and tenants can use a pet addendum to a rental agreement to document the new terms.
Pet Fee vs. Pet Deposit vs. Pet Rent
Pet-related charges can look similar, but they don’t affect renters the same way. A $250 pet deposit for a rental and a $250 pet fee may cost the same upfront, but one may be refundable while the other usually isn’t.
Pet rent works differently. It’s a recurring monthly charge that renters pay on top of regular rent. The table below breaks down how each charge works, when renters usually pay it, and whether it’s typically refundable.
| Charge | When Renters Pay It | What It Usually Covers | Refundable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet deposit | Upfront | Pet-related damage | Usually yes, minus allowed deductions |
| Pet fee | Upfront | One-time charge for keeping a pet | Usually no |
| Pet rent | Monthly | Ongoing pet-related charge | No |
Are Pet Deposits Refundable?
Usually, yes, but the refund depends on the lease, state law, and the unit’s condition at move-out. A landlord may be able to deduct for pet-related damage, cleaning, or repairs, but generally cannot deduct for normal wear and tear.
How State Laws Affect Pet Deposits
State laws affect pet deposits in different ways. Only a handful of states set direct pet-deposit limits, including Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Kansas, Nebraska, and North Dakota. In many other states, pet deposits fall under broader security deposit rules, disclosure rules, or lease terms.
Because pet costs are not always governed by a single rule, states may regulate them in different ways. Some states limit the amount a landlord can collect, some control whether the money must be refundable, and others focus on how the charge must be disclosed in the lease. The table below shows how each state may regulate pet deposits, pet fees, and related rental costs.
| State | Rules for Pet Costs | Statute/Source |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Landlords may charge an additional pet deposit. Alabama’s one-month security deposit cap doesn't apply to deposits for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risks. | AL Code § 35-9A-201 |
| Alaska | Landlords may charge an additional pet deposit for a pet that isn’t a service animal. The pet deposit cannot exceed one month’s rent, must be accounted for separately, and may only be used for pet-related damage. | AK Stat § 34.03.070 |
| Arizona | State law doesn't set a separate pet-deposit cap, but total security, including refundable pet deposits, generally cannot exceed 1.5 months’ rent. Any nonrefundable pet fee or deposit should be identified in writing. | AZ Rev Stat § 33-1321 |
| Arkansas | State law doesn't set a separate pet-deposit cap, but security deposits, however named, generally cannot exceed two months’ rent. | AR Code § 18-16-304 |
| California | Refundable pet deposits generally count toward California’s total security-deposit cap. As of July 1, 2024, that cap is generally one month’s rent, with a limited small-landlord exception. | CA Civ Code § 1950.5 |
*Texas lawmakers introduced a bill in 2025 that would limit landlords to either a one-time refundable pet deposit or a monthly pet fee of up to $20, but the bill has not become law.
Pet-related deductions can quickly lead to disputes when the refund amount is unclear. If a landlord withholds money from a refundable pet deposit or security deposit, they should put the refund, deductions, and reasons in writing. A security deposit return letter can help create that record.
Is It Legal to Charge Pet Rent and a Pet Deposit?
Often, yes. A landlord may be able to charge both monthly pet rent and an upfront pet deposit, but the rules depend on state law and the lease terms. Renters should check how each pet charge is listed in the lease. A pet deposit, pet fee, and pet rent can have different rules, especially when one charge is refundable, and another isn’t.
Monthly pet rent is separate from an upfront deposit, so renters should calculate the full cost before signing. A lease with a modest pet deposit may still cost more over time if it also includes monthly pet rent.
Can Apartments Deny Emotional Support Animals?
Emotional support animals and service animals are not pets under fair housing rules (42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B)). If the animal is needed for a person with a disability, a landlord may need to adjust a no-pet policy or waive pet charges.
What the National 2025 Lease Pet Policy Data Shows
Pet-friendly rentals are common, but renters still face a split market. About half of the lease agreements created in 2025 allowed pets. Among pet-friendly lease agreements, only 17% included a pet deposit. The table below shows the national lease data behind those findings.
| National Metric | 2025 Lease Data |
|---|---|
| Total lease agreements analyzed | 363,574 |
| Share of lease agreements where pets were allowed | 49% |
| Share of pet-friendly lease agreements with a pet deposit | 17% |
| National median pet deposit | $250 |
| Typical pet deposit range | $100–$300 |
The national picture shows a clear gap between pet access and pet deposits. Pets were allowed in nearly half of lease agreements, but pet deposits appeared in a much smaller share of pet-friendly leases. That makes the $250 national median useful, but only for leases that actually charge a pet deposit. The next step is to look at how those patterns change by state.
How We Read the State-Level Data
State-level findings in this report only include the 35 states with at least 150 lease agreements in the dataset. States and jurisdictions below that cutoff appear as N/A.
We used that cutoff because smaller datasets can be less reliable. In a state with fewer lease agreements, one unusually high or low pet deposit can shift the results too much. The states and jurisdictions excluded from state-level statistical claims are grouped below by region.
| Region | Excluded States |
|---|---|
| West & Pacific | Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming |
| Midwest & Plains | Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota |
| East Coast & Appalachia | Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia |
For each included state, the “typical range“, also known as the IQR, refers to the middle 50% of pet deposit amounts. This range shows what renters are more likely to see in a typical lease, without giving too much weight to the outliers.
What Does IQR Mean?
IQR means interquartile range. In this report, it shows the typical pet deposit range for each included state. A narrower IQR means pet deposits are more predictable. A wider IQR means renters may see bigger differences from one lease to another.
Pet-Friendly Rental Access by State
Pet-friendly access looks different across states. The table below shows the number of lease agreements per state, the share that allowed pets, and the share of pet-friendly leases that included a pet deposit.
| State | Total Leases | Percent of Lease Agreements That Allow Pets | Percent of Pet-Friendly Lease Agreements That Charge a Pet Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 628 | 60% | 8% |
| Alaska | 67 | N/A | N/A |
| Arizona | 559 | 68% | 11% |
| Arkansas | 255 | 64% | 10% |
| California | 2,655 | 54% | 9% |
Typical Pet Deposit Cost by State
Pet deposit amounts also vary by state. The table below compares each state’s median pet deposit with its typical range, based on the 25th and 75th percentile pet deposit amounts.
| State | Total Leases | Median Pet Deposit | Middle 50% Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 628 | $250 | $125–$300 |
| Alaska | 67 | N/A | N/A |
| Arizona | 559 | $250 | $150–$300 |
| Arkansas | 255 | $250 | $100–$300 |
| California | 2,655 | $250 | $150–$500 |
State-Level Pet Deposit Trends Renters Should Know
State-level data helps renters see how pet-friendly access, pet deposit frequency, and pet deposit cost can vary from one market to another:
- Pet access shows how often leases allow animals.
- Pet deposit frequency shows how often pet-friendly leases include a deposit.
- Pet deposit cost shows how much renters typically pay when a deposit is required.
These three patterns don’t always move together. A state may have more leases that allow pets, but that doesn’t mean pet deposits appear more often. Another state may have fewer pet-friendly leases, but lower deposits when those deposits appear.
That’s why renters should avoid judging a market by one number. The sections below break down these patterns across the included state data.
1. The Southwest Leads for Pet-Friendly Access
Nationally, finding a place that welcomes pets is a coin toss: only 49% of leases allow them. However, pet-friendly access changes sharply by state. In the included data, lease agreements allowed pets most frequently in the Southwest, soaring well past the national average:
- New Mexico: 69% (+20% vs. national average)
- Arizona: 68% (+19% vs. national average)
Pet owners had a harder time in the Northeast and some mountain markets. New Jersey, New York, and Utah were the only states included where fewer than a minority of landlords allowed pets:
- New Jersey: 46%
- New York: 49%
- Utah: 49%
In high-access states like New Mexico or Arizona, renters have the luxury of comparing multiple pet-friendly listings. In lower-access states, the hurdle for renters is simply finding a landlord who will accept a pet.
2. Pet Deposits Are Uncommon in Pet-Friendly Leases
Not every pet-friendly lease includes a pet deposit. Pet deposit frequency measures how often pet-friendly lease agreements include a deposit. Across the entire United States, only 17% of pet-friendly leases require one.
Even in the states where pet deposits appeared most frequently, they still represent a minority of leases, meaning landlords rarely mandate them:
- Oregon: 15%
- Nevada: 14%
- Minnesota: 14%
- Kansas: 13%
- Utah: 13%
- Texas: 12%
Even in Oregon, the highest frequency state in the nation, only 15% of pet-friendly leases included a pet deposit. That means pet deposits were not the default in pet-friendly leases, even in the highest-frequency states.
The state-by-state results show that allowing pets does not always mean charging a pet deposit. For example, Utah and New York both had lower pet-friendly access, but they looked very different once pets were allowed. Utah had a higher pet deposit frequency at 13%, while New York had the lowest at 4%.
Once a lease allows pets, renters should still check whether a pet deposit applies and whether the lease includes other pet-related costs.
3. Consistent Markets: Predictable Pet Deposit Ranges
Narrower ranges give renters a better read on what’s typical. When a landlord did require a deposit, the national typical range was $100 to $300. However, in many included states, the middle 50% of pet deposits varied by only $150. That makes it easier to compare a quoted pet deposit against what’s typical in that state.
Several Midwest, Plains, and Southwest states cluster tightly around the lower half of the national spectrum, offering renters a predictable $100–$250 range:
- Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Wisconsin
Several South and Sun Belt states track slightly higher, aligning with the upper half of the national $150–$300 baseline:
- Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
In both of these regional groups, the middle of the market spans only $150. These ranges point to two different cost levels, but the same level of predictability. A renter in Kentucky or Michigan may see a lower typical range than a renter in Florida or Texas.
That makes the range useful for more than cost comparison. It helps renters compare a quoted pet deposit against the state’s typical middle range and flag unusually high charges.
4. Volatile Markets: Bigger Pet Deposit Swings
In contrast, certain states experienced high pricing volatility, tearing right through the national $100–$300 standard. In these markets, renters may see bigger differences from one lease to another.
California and Oregon had the widest cost spreads in the country, topping out at nearly double the national median ($250):
- California: $150–$500
- Oregon: $150–$500
Other coastal markets showed similar volatility, with upper limits stretching far past national norms:
- Washington: $200–$500
- Massachusetts: $50–$350
These wider ranges show why renters need more than one listing to judge the market. California, Oregon, and Washington all matched the national median of $250, but their upper typical ranges reached $500. Massachusetts had a lower median of $150, yet its typical range still reached $350.
A $300 pet deposit could sit above the typical range in some tighter-range states, but still fall inside the middle 50% where deposits vary more. Renters should compare similar listings before calling any single quote standard.
The True Cost of a Pet-Friendly Lease
This data shows why renters shouldn’t judge a pet-friendly lease by the deposit alone. A low pet deposit can hide higher costs elsewhere in the lease, while a higher deposit may still fall within the typical range for that state.
Before signing, renters should use the lease to answer three questions: Can I have a pet here? What will I pay upfront and each month? What could I owe after move-out? The checklist below helps renters connect those questions to the specific lease terms that shape the real cost.
The goal is to understand the full pet-cost picture before committing. State ranges help renters put a quoted pet deposit in context. The lease then shows whether that deposit is the main pet cost or only the first charge they’ll face.
For example, a $300 pet deposit may look high in a state where the typical range is $100–$250. But it may fall within the middle of the market in a state where the typical range reaches $500. Once renters know where the deposit stands, they can check the lease for costs that don’t appear in that amount.
That’s the value of using data and the lease together. The first shows what’s typical, and the latter shows what the renter actually agrees to pay.
Good records can help renters challenge unfair pet-related deductions. Take move-in and move-out photos, keep written records of pet-related charges, and save written approval for any pet, guest pet, or policy exception. A rental inspection checklist can also help document the unit’s condition before and after the lease.
