Pet Rent Laws in Maine: What Landlords Can Charge and What Renters Owe

Pet rent laws in Maine are looser than most renters expect: the state sets no cap on monthly pet rent, yet it does cap what your landlord can hold as a refundable deposit. That gap is where tenants overpay, and where landlords sometimes break the rules without realizing it.

If you’re budgeting for a dog, cat, or something smaller, you need to know which charges are legal, which count toward the deposit limit, and which never apply to an assistance animal. This article breaks each charge down in dollars-and-cents terms, so you can read a lease and spot a problem before you sign.

One note on sources: several tenant-information websites disagree on whether Maine caps deposits at all. The statute itself sets a two-month limit, and that is the position used throughout this article.

Is Pet Rent Legal in Maine?

Yes. Maine law allows landlords to charge additional pet rent and related fees, unless your pet is an assistance animal, and there are no statewide prohibitions on pet rent, but general protections for renters still apply.

A landlord can also refuse pets altogether. Property owners from Portland to Bangor can legally post a “no pets” policy and enforce it without breaking state law. If your landlord does allow animals, the lease is what makes any pet charge enforceable. Landlords may charge them if the amounts are included in the lease agreement.

Key Insight: Legal does not mean unlimited in every direction. Pet rent has no state cap, but a refundable pet deposit is squeezed under the same two-month ceiling as every other deposit.

For a wider look at what Maine landlords can and cannot do about animals in rentals, see the pet custody laws in Maine overview, which covers how animals are treated when households split.

Pet Rent vs. Pet Fee vs. Pet Deposit in Maine

These three charges sound alike but work very differently in Maine. The deposit is the only one the statute directly limits, and it is the only one you get back.

Charge	How It Works	Refundable?	Counts Toward Deposit Cap?
Pet Rent	Recurring monthly charge added to rent	No	No
Pet Fee	One-time charge at move-in	No	No
Pet Deposit	Held to cover damage	Yes, minus damage	Yes

The deposit rule comes from how Maine defines the term. Because §6031(2) defines “security deposit” by function, a refundable pet deposit is a security deposit — it counts toward the 2-month cap and follows the same return and itemization rules. Maine has no separate pet-deposit statute.

Relabeling does not work either. A pet deposit, cleaning deposit, or key deposit counts toward the same two months because §6031 defines a security deposit by its function, not its label. A true non-refundable fee or monthly rent is treated differently because it is not held to secure anything.

Does Maine Cap Pet Rent?

No. Maine sets no statutory limit on pet rent after the 2025 pet-fee bill failed, according to Tenant Screening Background Check’s Q3 2026 guide. That bill, LD 824, would have limited pet fees, but it did not pass.

The two-month cap does not reach monthly pet rent. This does not apply to separate monthly pet rent charges, which are not considered a deposit. So a landlord could charge a modest deposit and a high monthly premium without breaking the deposit statute.

There is one newer rule worth knowing. According to Landlord Atlas, since January 1, 2025, §6022-A separately caps total move-in money at first month’s rent + the §6032 deposit + properly disclosed mandatory recurring fees. If a landlord tries to stack a large one-time pet fee on top of those items, that provision is worth raising. Check the Landlord Atlas Maine summary and confirm the details with a housing attorney.

Important Note: Some websites say Maine has no deposit limit at all. Maine’s statute, 14 M.R.S. §6032, sets a two-month cap, and most current sources agree. Treat any “no limit” claim as outdated.

How Much Is Pet Rent in Maine?

Because there is no cap, the amount is whatever the landlord puts in the lease. Pet Deposits by State reports that typical amounts range from $25 to $75 per pet, though it does not give a date for that range, so treat it as a rough benchmark rather than a Maine-specific market survey.

A quick budget example helps. At $35 per month for one dog, you pay $420 per year. At $50 per month for two cats, you pay $1,200 over a two-year lease before any one-time fee.

Rural landlords may charge little or nothing, while managed apartment buildings in Portland, Bangor, and Lewiston often use standard pet addenda with set monthly amounts. Ask for the figure in writing before you apply.

Is Pet Rent Charged Per Pet in Maine?

Usually, yes. Maine has no rule on how pet rent is calculated, so landlords may charge per animal, per household, or by weight tier. The lease decides.

Per-pet pricing is the most common structure, and it adds up quickly with multiple animals. Maine law lets landlords go further. Landlords can enforce pet restrictions such as size, breed, or number of pets allowed by writing them into the rental agreement.

• Ask whether the rate is per pet or per household.
• Ask whether the amount rises with weight or breed.
• Ask what happens to the charge if a pet dies or leaves.

Which Pets Can Landlords Charge Pet Rent For in Maine?

Landlords can charge for any animal the lease treats as a pet. That usually means dogs and cats, but the lease can also cover rabbits, birds, reptiles, or ferrets. Some animals face separate legal limits, so check the rules for ferrets in Maine or hedgehog ownership before assuming a pet is allowed at all.

Fish in a tank often go uncharged, but nothing in state law requires that. Dog breed rules are also a lease matter. If your dog is on a restricted list, review the guide to pit bull laws in Maine before you apply.

The main exception is animals that are not legally pets. A service animal or emotional support animal is not a pet under the federal Fair Housing Act or the Maine Human Rights Act, so pet charges do not apply.

Can a Landlord Add Pet Rent Mid-Lease in Maine?

Generally no, not during a fixed-term lease. Rent and fees are contract terms, and a landlord cannot rewrite them unilaterally while a written lease is in force. If pet rent was not in the lease, adding it requires your agreement.

Month-to-month tenants are in a different spot. A landlord can propose new terms with proper written notice, and you can choose to accept them or move out. I could not confirm a specific Maine notice period in this research, so check the Maine renters’ rights summary and the Attorney General’s tenant materials for current notice rules.

Pro Tip: If you adopt a pet during a fixed-term lease, ask for the pet terms in a signed addendum. Get the monthly amount, any deposit, and the end date in writing.

Pet Rent in Rent-Controlled and Local Rules in Maine

Maine has no statewide rent control, so there is no state formula that limits pet rent. Local rules are where the surprises come from. Local municipalities can impose their own additional restrictions on top of state law.

Portland is the main example. Voters there have adopted tenant protections, and one source reports that in Portland, the maximum security deposit is one month’s rent, which lowers the ceiling on any pet deposit bundled into that total. Confirm that figure with the city before relying on it.

Zoning limits are separate from landlord rules. Towns can cap the number of animals per property, so a lease that allows three dogs does not override a local ordinance. See the breakdown of kennel zoning laws in Maine if you keep multiple dogs.

Can Landlords Charge Pet Rent for ESAs and Service Animals in Maine?

No. This is the clearest rule in the whole topic. A landlord must grant a reasonable accommodation for a qualified assistance animal, cannot charge a pet fee or deposit for it, and cannot apply no-pet or breed rules to it.

Maine’s protection runs through the federal Fair Housing Act and the Maine Human Rights Act. Tenant Screening Background Check notes that the pet rules, fees, breed limits, and weight limits simply do not apply to these animals.

You can still be billed for real harm. A WGME report on Maine pet rent explains that your landlord is legally not allowed to charge you extra for a service animal, but you could still have to pay for damages. Read the full WGME I-Team explainer for the consumer angle. Note that this report is several years old, so confirm the details against current law.

For service animals, landlords may ask only two questions: whether the animal is required because of a disability, and what task it has been trained to perform.

Can Landlords Charge Pet Rent for Visiting or Pet-Sitting Pets in Maine?

Maine law does not address guest animals directly, so the lease controls. A landlord can write a guest-pet clause that limits stays or charges a daily or weekly fee. Without such a clause, charging you for a friend’s dog staying a weekend is hard to justify.

If you plan to pet-sit regularly, ask first. A long-term stay can look like an unauthorized pet in the landlord’s eyes, especially if the animal is there for weeks.

• Read the guest and occupancy language in your lease.
• Get written approval for any stay longer than a few days.
• Ask whether a temporary pet fee applies and how it is calculated.

What If You Have an Unauthorized Pet in Maine?

Keeping a pet your lease prohibits is a lease violation, and it can cost you. A landlord may demand removal of the animal, charge a violation fee if the lease allows it, or start the process to end your tenancy. Maine requires notice and court process for evictions, so a landlord cannot simply lock you out.

The better move is to come forward early. Many landlords will approve the pet and add monthly pet rent rather than start a dispute, which is usually cheaper than fighting a notice.

Check the lease for any penalty clause before you act. If the lease says nothing about pets, silence on pets tends to favor tenants, while an explicit ban favors landlords. If your animal is an assistance animal, a different process applies and pet charges are off the table.

Is Pet Rent Refundable in Maine?

No. Pet rent is a payment for the privilege of keeping an animal, like rent itself, so it is not returned when you move out. The same goes for a genuine one-time pet fee.

The refundable item is the pet deposit. A pet deposit is refundable minus damage and counts toward the cap. Maine’s return rules apply to it. According to Landlord Atlas, under a written rental agreement the deposit, or an itemized statement with the balance, is due within the time the lease states — 30 days is only the ceiling.

If a landlord wrongfully keeps your deposit, the penalties are real. LeaseLenses reports that a landlord may be liable for the full deposit, double the amount wrongfully withheld in cases of bad faith, and reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs.

Can You Negotiate Pet Rent in Maine?

Yes, and with no cap and no standard rate, you have more room than you might think. Landlords care about reliability and damage risk, so give them a reason to charge less.

1. Offer a pet résumé with vet records, vaccination proof, and spay or neuter confirmation.
2. Provide a reference from a previous landlord who hosted your animal.
3. Show proof of renters insurance with pet liability coverage.
4. Propose a higher refundable deposit (within the two-month cap) in exchange for lower monthly pet rent.
5. Ask for pet rent to be waived for the first few months or for a cat that stays indoors.

Pro Tip: Trading deposit for rent can save money over time. A $300 refundable deposit that you get back beats $25 a month that you never see again.

Smaller, independent landlords negotiate more readily than large property managers using fixed pet policies. If you are comparing buildings, factor pet costs into the true monthly price, not just the advertised rent.

Is Pet Rent Taxable Income for Landlords in Maine?

Yes, in general. Pet rent is money received for the use of the property, so landlords report it as rental income on their federal return, and Maine income tax generally follows federal income. Non-refundable pet fees are treated the same way.

Refundable pet deposits are different. A deposit you must return is generally not income when received. It becomes income only if the landlord keeps it, for example to cover damage or unpaid rent.

I did not find a Maine-specific tax authority page in this research, so landlords should confirm treatment with a tax professional or the Maine Revenue Services website. This is general information, not tax advice.

What a Maine Lease Must Say About Pet Rent

Maine does not prescribe exact pet-rent wording, but a charge is only safe to collect if it is spelled out. Landlords may charge them if the amounts are included in the lease agreement. A vague clause leaves room for disputes you may win.

A clear pet addendum should cover the following:

• The monthly pet rent amount and whether it is per pet.
• Any one-time pet fee and whether it is non-refundable.
• Any pet deposit, with a statement that it counts toward the security deposit cap.
• Size, breed, and number-of-pets limits.
• The consequences of an unauthorized animal.
• A carve-out stating that assistance animals are not charged.

Maine also has deposit handling rules that apply to any pet deposit. Rentable’s guide notes that the maximum is 2 months’ rent for most tenants, but only 1 month’s rent for tenants aged 62 or older. If you are a senior, that tighter limit applies to the combined total, pet deposit included. The Rentable Maine deposit guide walks through the return and itemization rules.

If you are bringing an animal into the state to move in, review the pet import laws in Maine so your paperwork is in order before move-in day.

Pet Rent Laws in Maine: FAQ

Is there a legal limit on pet rent in Maine?

No. Maine sets no statutory cap on monthly pet rent. The two-month limit applies to refundable deposits, and a pet deposit counts toward it.

Can my landlord charge a pet deposit on top of a full security deposit?

Not if the total goes over two months’ rent. You cannot stack a $2,400 security deposit and a $500 pet deposit on top if that total exceeds the statutory maximum.

Do I pay pet rent for an emotional support animal?

No. Assistance animals are not pets under fair housing law, so pet rent, fees, and deposits do not apply. You can still be charged for damage the animal causes.

Can pet rent be added to a month-to-month tenancy?

A landlord can propose it with proper written notice, and you can accept or move out. Ask for the notice in writing and compare the new total against nearby rentals.

Is a non-refundable pet fee legal in Maine?

Sources disagree. Several describe one-time pet fees as allowed with no cap, while Landlord Atlas says non-refundable fees are not allowed under its reading of the deposit statute. If a landlord wants one, ask what it covers and get it in writing. A disputed fee is worth raising with the Maine Attorney General’s tenant resources or a housing lawyer.

Where can I see Maine’s other animal laws?

If your pet causes problems outside the rental itself, see the guides on barking dog laws in Maine and outdoor cat laws in Maine. Both can come up in lease disputes.

This article is general information about Maine rental law, not legal advice. Statutes and local ordinances change, so confirm anything affecting your money with a Maine attorney or a tenant-rights organization.