Total up pet rent, pet fees, and pet deposits over your lease
| Charge | Typical Range | National Average (2025) | Refundable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet rent (monthly, per pet) | $10 – $60 | $35.65 | No |
| Pet fee (one-time, per pet) | $150 – $500 | ~$315 | No |
| Pet deposit (one-time, per pet) | $200 – $500 | ~$250 | Yes, less damages |
| Pet screening/registration | $0 – $50 | ~$20-25 typical | No |
Averages from RentCafe's 2025 pet-friendly housing survey and property-management industry data. Large dogs, restricted breeds, and premium buildings push toward the top of each range; some landlords cap total pet charges per unit instead of doubling for a second pet.
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Federal Fair Housing Act | Service animals and emotional support animals with valid documentation are not pets: no pet rent, no pet fee, no pet deposit. Actual damage caused can still be billed. |
| California AB 12 (since July 2024) | Pet deposits count inside the security-deposit cap (one month's rent for most rentals). Monthly pet rent remains legal — which is why many CA landlords moved to pet rent. |
| Most other states | No cap on pet rent or one-time pet fees; pet deposits usually follow the same return rules as security deposits (itemized deductions, state deadlines). |
| Application stage | Pet charges are negotiable before you sign. A landlord who waives a $315 fee but raises pet rent $10/mo wins after 32 months — run both scenarios here. |
Pet charges come in three flavors that are easy to confuse at a leasing office: monthly rent that never comes back, a one-time fee that never comes back, and a one-time deposit that does (if your pet doesn't chew the baseboards). Adding them up over a full lease — not just hearing them one at a time — is what tells you what an apartment really costs with a pet.
Upfront = (fee + deposit) × pets. Monthly = rent × pets. Total = upfront + monthly × months. Net = total − deposit × pets (the part you get back). Effective monthly cost = net ÷ months. That last number is the honest one: it converts one-time fees into the monthly drain they really are.
Pull the three numbers from the lease or the listing's pet policy — they're usually quoted per pet, and most properties charge per animal. Enter your lease length (12 months is typical; use 24 if you expect to renew, since one-time fees don't repeat but monthly rent does). Leave the deposit at zero if your building only charges a fee.
One dog, $35 a month pet rent, a $300 fee, and a $400 deposit on a 12-month lease. Upfront at signing: $700. Monthly: $35. Total across the year: $1,120. If the deposit comes back, the net cost is $720, which works out to $60 a month — the pet quietly costs as much as a nice pet insurance premium or a decent phone bill.
Two cats stack differently: $25/month each plus a $250 fee each with no deposit. Upfront $500, monthly $50, total $1,100, nothing refundable. Same order of magnitude, and every renewal year adds another $600. Over a three-year stay, that first apartment's $1,960 in gross pet charges ($1,560 net if the deposit refunds) keeps compounding quietly — worth knowing before you fall in love with the unit.
About $35.65 a month nationally in 2025, with a typical range of $10 to $60. Large-city buildings average slightly more than small-city ones ($37 vs $35), and some premium buildings charge $50 to $100 for large dogs. Pet rent is per pet at most properties, so two pets usually double it.
Pet rent is monthly and never comes back. A pet fee is one-time and non-refundable. A pet deposit is one-time and refundable if your pet doesn't damage the unit, subject to the same itemized-deduction rules as your security deposit. Over a two-year lease, monthly pet rent almost always costs more than either one-time charge.
The average one-time pet fee runs about $315 nationally, with a typical range of $150 to $500 per pet. Refundable pet deposits cluster around $250, usually $200 to $500. Larger dogs and aggressive breeds often trigger the top of the range, and some buildings cap total charges per apartment rather than per pet.
Monthly pet rent is legal in nearly every state and is not capped in most of them, including California. What states regulate is deposits: in California, for example, pet deposits now count inside the one-month security deposit cap that took effect in 2024, which is why many landlords there shifted to pet rent instead.
No. Under the federal Fair Housing Act, assistance animals — including emotional support animals with valid documentation — are not pets. Landlords cannot charge pet rent, pet fees, or pet deposits for them, though they can still bill you for actual damage the animal causes and can require reliable documentation of the disability-related need.
Usually yes — pet rent, fees, and deposits are quoted per pet at most properties, so two pets typically means double the monthly charge and double the one-time charges. A few buildings charge a reduced rate for the second animal or cap total pet charges, and some weight or breed limits restrict which pets count at all. It's a fair question to ask before applying.