Identify the pet. Set fair rules.
Protect the tenancy.
Approve a specific household pet in writing, define lawful charges and care rules, allocate damage responsibility and keep assistance-animal accommodations outside ordinary pet restrictions.
- Named approved animal
- Charges and house rules
- Assistance-animal carve-out
How it works
From the existing lease and pet details to a signed set of enforceable expectations
- 01
Review the lease and request
Confirm the current pet policy and determine whether the animal is an ordinary pet or part of a reasonable-accommodation request.
- 02
Set lawful pet terms
Identify the approved animal, permitted charges, care, noise, waste, supervision and damage obligations.
- 03
Sign and attach it
Have every required party sign, give complete copies and keep the addendum with the original lease.
Last updated August 20, 2026
Written by LawLease EditorialReviewed by LawLease Legal Team
By lease change
Which pet or lease document you need
A pet addendum grants animal-specific permission. A lease amendment handles unrelated term changes, while a violation notice addresses noncompliance after the rules are in place.
- RL
Residential lease agreement
Set the tenancy's core terms and general pet or no-pet policy.
Learn more - LA
Lease amendment
Record other mutually agreed changes to an existing lease.
Learn more - LV
Lease violation notice
Document a breach of signed pet rules and request a correction.
Learn more - TW
Tenant welcome letter
Share practical waste, outdoor-area and property contact instructions.
Learn more - MI
Move-in / move-out inspection checklist
Record baseline condition before attributing later damage to an animal.
Learn more
What is a pet addendum?
A pet addendum is a signed agreement attached to an existing lease that permits one or more identified household pets subject to stated terms. It records the animal's description, any lawful deposit, fee or pet rent, and rules for care, waste, noise, supervision, common areas and property damage.
The addendum changes only the pet-related terms it identifies; the rest of the lease continues. It should distinguish ordinary pets from assistance animals requested as a reasonable accommodation because pet charges and restrictions may not lawfully apply in the same way. It is also called:
- Pet agreement
- Animal addendum
- Pet lease addendum
- Pet permission agreement
If the parties need to change terms beyond pet permission, prepare a broader lease amendment instead of overloading this addendum.
Pet charges, fair housing and enforcement rules
State and local law may cap the total security deposit, require it to be refundable, restrict separate pet fees or pet rent, or regulate how deposits are held and returned. Check those rules and the lease before collecting or increasing any charge.
An assistance animal is not an ordinary pet for fair-housing purposes. A resident may request an exception to a pet policy as a reasonable accommodation, and a housing provider generally may not impose pet fees, deposits or pet-only restrictions on an approved assistance animal. Use an individualized accommodation process rather than this ordinary pet addendum alone.
Named animal
identified specifically so permission is not open-ended
Lawful charges
checked against deposit caps, fee rules and the existing lease
Separate process
for disability-related assistance-animal accommodation requests
- Describe the approved pet
- Use name, species, breed or type, color, approximate age, weight and identifying or licensing information where appropriate. Avoid vague permission for any future animal.
- Do not charge first and check later
- Confirm whether a deposit, nonrefundable fee or monthly pet rent is permitted and whether it counts toward a statutory deposit cap.
- Handle assistance animals separately
- Do not automatically apply pet fees, breed or weight rules to an assistance animal. Follow fair-housing guidance on requests, permissible information and individualized direct-threat analysis.
- Use conduct-based rules
- Set reasonable expectations for control, sanitation, noise, vaccination, licensing and common areas. Apply health and safety rules consistently rather than relying on stereotypes.
- Charge actual damage lawfully
- Tenants may remain responsible for damage caused by an animal under generally applicable lease and deposit rules, but ordinary wear and unsupported replacement charges should not be treated as pet damage.
How to write a pet addendum
Five checks create specific permission without confusing ordinary pet rules with accommodation law.
Start with the executed lease and applicable property rules.
- Correct parties and rental address
- Existing pet or no-pet clause
- HOA, insurance and local restrictions
Free sample pet addendum
This sample shows the structure before you start. Your answers supply the actual lease, approved pet, lawful charges and property rules.
Pet Addendum
LEASE AND PARTIES. This addendum modifies the lease dated between and for .
APPROVED PET. Permission is limited to this animal: name , species / type , description .
LAWFUL PET CHARGES. Refundable deposit: Fee, if permitted: Monthly pet rent, if permitted: .
CARE AND CONDUCT. Tenant will comply with lawful sanitation, control, noise, licensing and common-area rules and is responsible for animal-caused damage as applicable.
ASSISTANCE ANIMALS. This ordinary pet addendum does not limit rights or impose pet charges on an assistance animal approved or required as a reasonable accommodation under applicable law.
Adding an animal to the tenancy?
Real humans read every message — whether it's about deposit limits, pet rules or separating a pet request from an assistance-animal accommodation. For a disputed accommodation or local restriction, get a fair-housing professional or local lawyer on it.