Pet Policies for Florida Rentals: What Landlords Need to Know

You're reviewing an application from a great tenant — solid income, good references — and they've got a dog. Do you allow it? Charge a deposit? And what about that emotional support animal letter they mentioned? Pet policies in Florida rentals aren't as simple as "pets allowed" or "no pets." Here's what Orlando landlords need to know to stay legal, protect the property, and reach a market where most renters now own a pet.

Allowing pets is a business decision with legal guardrails. Get the addendum, the screening, and the assistance-animal rules right, and pets become a retention and revenue advantage instead of a liability. Let's walk through it.

Should I allow pets in my Florida rental?

For most Florida landlords, yes — allowing pets with clear rules beats turning away a large share of applicants. Pet owners are a majority of the renter pool, they tend to stay longer, and pet-friendly units in the Orlando area can command meaningfully higher rent. The tradeoff is that you need a written addendum, screening, and upfront fees.

A no-pet policy cuts you off from a big slice of the applicant pool — pet owners frequently report trouble finding pet-friendly housing. Pet-friendly rentals also tend to lease faster and hold tenants longer, which cuts vacancy and turnover cost. Renters will generally pay more for a unit that takes their pet.

Orlando's market leans pet-friendly. A fully fenced yard ranks at the top of pet owners' priorities, and submarkets like Winter Garden, Lake Nona, and Oviedo see strong demand for single-family rentals with outdoor space. If you're on the fence, the math usually favors allowing pets with clear rules over closing the door on a large part of your applicant pool.

How much can I charge for pet deposits, fees, and rent in Florida?

Florida doesn't cap pet deposits, pet fees, or pet rent — you set your own amounts within reason. The key is the lease: it must state clearly whether a pet deposit is refundable, and if you charge a non-refundable fee, you must disclose the amount, when it's due, and that it doesn't change other lease obligations.

Typical Florida ranges:

• Pet deposit (refundable): $200–$500 for dogs, $150–$300 for cats
• Pet fee (non-refundable): $100–$500 one-time
• Pet rent: $20–$50 per pet per month, with Orlando trending toward the higher end

What's good or bad? Charging $25 a month in pet rent on an $1,800 unit adds about $300 a year. A $300 non-refundable fee covers screening and administrative cost. A $500 refundable deposit gives you a cushion against damage — but remember that under Florida Statute 83.49 you must return a refundable deposit within 15 days if you're making no deductions, or send an itemized claim by certified mail within 30 days if you are. Pet damage — stains, chewed baseboards, scratched floors — is deductible. Normal wear like minor scratches or shedding is not. Document the condition at move-in and move-out with photos. See our Florida security deposit guide for the full timeline.

One bookkeeping point: a non-refundable pet fee is income, not a deposit, so it doesn't trigger the same holding and return rules. A refundable pet deposit can be combined with the security deposit or held separately — just be clear in the lease about which you're doing.

Can I charge pet fees for a service animal or emotional support animal?

No. Service animals and emotional support animals are not pets. Under the federal Fair Housing Act and Florida Statute 760.27, you cannot charge a pet fee, pet deposit, or pet rent for an assistance animal, and you cannot deny one based on breed or weight. You must allow it as a reasonable accommodation — even under a no-pet policy.

Service animals are trained to perform specific tasks — guiding, alerting, pulling a wheelchair. If the need isn't obvious, you may ask only two questions: is the animal required because of a disability, and what task has it been trained to perform?

Emotional support animals provide comfort without task-specific training. If the disability-related need isn't readily apparent, Florida Statute 760.27 lets you request reliable supporting information from a health care practitioner or telehealth provider who has personal knowledge of the tenant's need. You cannot demand a specific form or a notarized statement, but you can require proof of the animal's state and local licensing and vaccination. The statute is built to weed out fraud: knowingly providing false ESA documentation, or misrepresenting a disability-related need, is a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida.

You may deny an accommodation only if the specific animal poses a direct threat to health or safety that can't be reduced — and that's a high bar based on the individual animal, not its breed. HUD's guidance on assistance animals spells out when a denial is allowed. Treat assistance-animal requests the way you treat any fair housing question: verify what the law lets you verify, and don't discriminate.

How do I screen a tenant's pet?

Pet screening is a background check for the animal — you verify its type, size, behavior, health, and rental history. Set your pet policy first (breed, size, weight, number of pets), then have applicants complete a pet application. Screening services like PetScreening handle this and verify assistance animals to fair housing standards.

A solid pet application covers:

• Pet type, breed, size, weight, and age
• Vaccination records
• Behavioral history and housetraining status
• References from previous landlords or a veterinarian
• How long the applicant has owned the pet

An in-person meeting helps you read temperament — how the animal behaves around people and whether the owner handles it responsibly. On weight limits: there's no legal requirement, it's your call. Many landlords cap dogs at 20–60 pounds; multifamily or smaller units often use a 25–40 pound limit, while single-family homes frequently allow 50–60 pounds or no cap. Plenty of large dogs are well-behaved, so screen the individual animal rather than relying on weight alone. If waste becomes a recurring problem — more common in large communities than single-family rentals — pet DNA registration services can match uncollected waste to a registered dog.

Can I set breed restrictions, and how does insurance factor in?

You can set breed restrictions for ordinary pets under your general pet policy — but never for a service animal or ESA, where breed-based denial is prohibited. Breed restrictions usually exist because the landlord's insurance requires them: many insurers exclude certain breeds from liability coverage.

Insurers commonly exclude breeds such as pit bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, German shepherds, and wolf hybrids. If a tenant has an excluded breed and a bite claim arises, the insurer may deny coverage — which is why a breed restriction in your pet policy can be a genuine financial protection, not just a preference.

On liability: Florida Statute 767.04 makes a dog's owner strictly liable for bites to a person lawfully on public or private property, regardless of the dog's prior history. A landlord is generally not liable simply for allowing a tenant to keep a dog — but a landlord can be held liable if they knew the specific dog was dangerous and had the ability to control or remove it. Dog-bite claims are expensive, so review your landlord insurance policy for breed exclusions before you set your pet rules, and remember your Florida landlord responsibilities include keeping the premises reasonably safe.

What should a Florida pet addendum include?

A pet addendum is a legal supplement to the lease that grants permission for the pet and sets the rules. It should identify the animal, define the permission scope, list the tenant's obligations, state the financial terms, assign liability to the tenant, and reserve your right to revoke permission for cause.

Cover these six areas:

• Pet identification: species, breed, name, markings, age, weight, sex, and microchip or license number
• Permission scope: indoor only or outdoor access, leash requirements in common areas
• Tenant obligations: immediate waste cleanup, no excessive noise, current vaccinations, compliance with local animal laws
• Financial terms: pet deposit (refundable or not), one-time pet fee, and monthly pet rent — each stated plainly
• Liability: the tenant indemnifies you for pet-related claims and is responsible for all pet damage
• Removal rights: you may revoke permission and require removal for nuisance, aggression, damage, or rule violations

Include a line noting that service animals and documented ESAs are exempt from pet fees and deposits — that keeps the addendum fair-housing compliant. If a pet causes repeated damage, excessive noise, or aggression, give the tenant written notice and a reasonable cure period (often 7 to 14 days) unless the threat is immediate. If they refuse to comply, you may have grounds for lease termination. Document everything — complaints, photos, vet records, and correspondence.

What pet policy mistakes do Florida landlords make?

The costly mistakes are charging fees for assistance animals, accepting fraudulent ESA documentation, and writing vague lease language. Each one either triggers a fair housing violation or creates a dispute at move-out.

Charging fees for assistance animals. You cannot charge a pet deposit, pet fee, or pet rent for a service animal or ESA — that's a fair housing violation. You can still charge for actual damage the animal causes, but the accommodation itself is free.

Accepting fraudulent ESA documentation. Florida Statute 760.27 lets you request reliable supporting information from a practitioner with personal knowledge of the tenant's need. A generic certificate bought from a website doesn't meet that standard — request proper documentation instead.

Vague lease language. "Pet deposit" without specifying refundable or non-refundable creates confusion at move-out. Spell out the amount, when it's due, and whether it's returned — and do the same for pet rent.

Pet policies in Orlando rentals are a business decision with legal guardrails. Allow pets and you widen your applicant pool and can charge more — but you need a clear addendum, real screening, and upfront fees. Decline them and you'll still field service-animal and ESA requests you're legally required to accommodate. Either way: know the difference between a pet and an assistance animal, put every term in writing, and follow Florida's deposit rules when you deduct for pet damage.

If you own one rental and the pet screening, the addendum, and the fair housing rules feel like one more thing you didn't sign up for, that's exactly the kind of thing we handle — for single-property owners, not just large portfolios. Get a free rental analysis →