Pet Deposit in Washington: Can You Charge One?

Yes. A Washington landlord can charge a pet deposit in addition to a regular security deposit. Washington has no statutory cap on the deposit amount, so the two together are not limited by a state ceiling — but every refundable dollar you hold is still deposit money, which means it has to be written into the lease, backed by a written move-in checklist, and accounted for within 30 days after the lease ends and the tenant vacates (Wash. Rev. Code §§ 59.18.260, 59.18.280). You may not charge a pet deposit, pet fee, or pet rent for an assistance animal.

What "no cap" actually means in Washington

No statutory cap is not the same as no limits. The market, your insurance carrier, and the deposit-handling rules in the statute all constrain what you can realistically collect.

• Confirm the amount against the statute yourself — read Wash. Rev. Code §§ 59.18.260, 59.18.280 and our Washington security deposit laws guide before you set a number.
• Treat the pet deposit as part of your total deposit when you decide what is reasonable, even though no ceiling forces you to.
• Price it against realistic pet-related risk — carpet, flooring, odor treatment, yard damage — not against a vague worry.
• Compare your total ask to what competing listings in your submarket charge; a deposit no tenant will pay is not a protection.
• If you also own property elsewhere, run the numbers through our security deposit limit checker, because most states are not as permissive as Washington.

Pet deposit vs. pet fee vs. pet rent

These three are not interchangeable, and mislabeling them is where disputes start. The distinction is refundability.

Charge	How it works	Refundable?
Pet deposit	Held as security against pet-caused damage, accounted for at move-out	Yes
Pet fee	One-time charge for the privilege of keeping a pet	No
Pet rent	Recurring monthly amount added to rent	No

• Label each charge in the lease by exactly what it is — "refundable pet deposit," "non-refundable pet fee," or "monthly pet rent." Never write "non-refundable deposit."
• Check Wash. Rev. Code §§ 59.18.260, 59.18.280 for how non-refundable charges must be disclosed in writing before you rely on a pet fee; the statute controls.
• Pick one or two of the three. Stacking a deposit, a fee, and pet rent on the same animal reads as a money grab and makes the total harder to defend.
• Keep pet rent separate from base rent on the ledger so a partial payment is applied the way you intend.
• Decide in advance which charge covers what: a deposit covers damage, pet rent covers ongoing wear and added turnover cost.

Document it so the deposit survives move-out

In Washington, a written move-in checklist is required to collect a deposit at all. If you skip it, your pet deposit is the first thing a tenant will challenge.

• Complete a written move-in checklist describing the condition of the unit, signed by you and the tenant, before you take any deposit money.
• Photograph flooring, carpet edges, baseboards, door frames, screens, and the yard at move-in — the surfaces pets actually damage.
• Name the specific animal in the lease or pet addendum: species, breed, weight, age, and the tenant's agreement not to substitute another animal.
• State in writing where the deposit is held, as required by the statute, and give the tenant a receipt.
• Repeat the same checklist and photos at move-out so you are comparing like to like. Rentmark's move-in and move-out inspection checklists with photos keep both sets attached to the same lease.
• Use a Washington lease agreement that includes a pet addendum rather than bolting pet terms on by text message.

Returning the pet deposit on time

The pet deposit runs on the same clock as the rest of the deposit: 30 days after the lease ends and the tenant vacates, with a full statement and documentation of any deductions.

• Mark the deadline the day the tenant vacates. Hypothetically, if the lease ends and keys come back on June 3, your statement and any refund are due by July 3.
• Send one combined statement covering the security deposit and the pet deposit — splitting them into two mailings invites confusion about which clock applies.
• Attach documentation for every deduction: invoices, estimates, and the before-and-after photos.
• Deduct for pet damage, not for the fact that a pet lived there. Ordinary wear is not a pet charge.
• Get a forwarding address in writing at move-out and keep proof of mailing.
• For penalties, what counts as a valid deduction, and exactly when the clock starts, the statute controls — read Wash. Rev. Code §§ 59.18.260, 59.18.280.

Assistance animals: no deposit, no fee, no pet rent

Under federal fair housing law, a service animal or an approved emotional support animal is not a pet. The charges above do not apply to it.

• Do not charge a pet deposit, pet fee, or pet rent for an assistance animal — ever, in any state.
• Do not apply breed, size, or weight restrictions to an assistance animal.
• Handle requests through a consistent written process; our notes on service animal and ESA requests walk through what you can and cannot ask.
• You can still bill the tenant for actual damage the animal causes, the same as damage caused by any occupant.
• Keep the request, your response, and any supporting documentation in the tenant file.

Before you publish the listing

Decide your pet policy once and apply it to every applicant the same way. Inconsistency is a fair housing problem waiting to happen.

• Write down which animals you accept, the deposit or fee amount, and any limit on the number of animals.
• Put the same terms in the listing, the application, and the lease.
• Confirm your landlord insurance does not exclude the breed you are about to approve.
• Think through the economics first — our piece on allowing pets in a rental covers the trade-offs on vacancy and turnover cost.
• If you own units in other states, check each one separately; rules differ sharply, as our write-ups on Florida and Pennsylvania show.

This is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, read the statute or talk to a Washington attorney.