Pet Deposit Rules by State: All 50 States + DC

Regional Patterns in Pet Deposit Laws

Northeast: Strongest Tenant Protections

The northeastern states generally provide the strongest protections for tenants with pets. New York's 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act eliminated separate pet deposits entirely and caps the total security deposit at one month's rent. Massachusetts goes even further, prohibiting not just pet deposits but also pet fees and pet rent — landlords can only collect first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit (one month), and a lock change fee. Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New Jersey all include pet deposits within their security deposit caps and require all deposits to be refundable.

South and Southwest: Fewest Restrictions

Southern and southwestern states tend to give landlords the most flexibility. Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Oklahoma have no statutory cap on either security deposits or pet deposits. Landlords in these states can charge any amount for pet deposits, non-refundable pet fees, and monthly pet rent. The market, rather than law, determines what tenants pay. Typical pet deposits in these states range from $200 to $500, with monthly pet rent of $25 to $75 per animal.

West Coast: Mixed Approaches

California stands out with some of the nation's strictest rules, prohibiting separate pet deposits and capping the total security deposit at one month's rent (effective July 2024 under AB 12). Oregon and Washington have no statutory deposit caps but impose detailed rules about deposit accounting and return timelines. Colorado recently banned breed-specific legislation statewide, joining a growing number of jurisdictions that prohibit landlords from discriminating against specific dog breeds.