Pet Charges and Assistance Animals in South Carolina Rentals
Leases are full of pet charges: a refundable deposit, a one-time fee, monthly pet rent. Once your landlord approves an assistance animal, most of these should come off. Damage is the exception. This page sorts out which is which.
PET ADDENDUM
Four Pet Charges, Four Answers
Here is how the charges on a typical pet addendum are usually treated once your request is approved.
Pet deposit
Disability Rights South Carolina advises that housing providers may not collect one for an assistance animal.
One-time pet fee
A non-refundable fee is still a pet charge. Fair housing guidance has treated it the same way as a deposit.
Monthly pet rent
Recurring pet rent should come off your ledger once the accommodation is granted.
Actual damage
Chewed trim, stained carpet and similar harm can be deducted from your ordinary security deposit.
Add Up the Pet Charges on Your Ledger
Enter what you have been charged since you asked for the accommodation. The total is the amount you may want to raise with your landlord.
The total updates as you type. Nothing is stored or sent.
- Pet rent$140
- Pet fee$250
- Pet deposit$300
A landlord may keep genuine damage costs. This tool only totals pet charges.
When the Charges Should Stop
Timing matters. Pet charges you paid before you asked for an accommodation are harder to recover than charges added afterward.
- Before you sign: ask for the pet addendum to be left out, and attach your request.
- While the request is under review: keep paying rent, and note any pet charges that continue.
- After approval: ask in writing for pet charges to stop, and for a refund or credit of any charged after your request.
A Short Note You Can Adapt
Dear [property manager],
On [date] you approved my request to live with my assistance animal at [address]. My ledger still shows [pet rent / pet fee / pet deposit] of [amount].
Because the animal is a disability accommodation and not a pet, I am asking you to remove these charges going forward and to refund or credit any pet charges added after [request date]. I understand I remain responsible for any damage the animal causes.
Thank you,
[your name]
What You Still Owe
Approval changes what your landlord can charge up front. It doesn't change your responsibility for what the animal does.
- Damage beyond normal wear
- Repairs can be taken from your regular security deposit.
- An itemized return
- Under S.C. Code 27-40-410, the deposit and a written list of deductions are due within 30 days of the later of the end of the tenancy and your written demand.
- Cleaning and upkeep
- Waste removal, odor and yard care are your job, as they are for any tenant.
Screening Portals and Application Fees
Many South Carolina complexes send applicants to an online animal screening service before move-in.
Choose the right profile
Portals usually have separate paths for pets and for assistance animals. Pick the assistance animal path.
Ask before paying
Some services do not charge for assistance animal profiles. Confirm whether a fee applies to you.
Upload only what is asked
A letter that answers the two state questions is enough. Medical records are not required.
Charges Every Tenant Pays
An accommodation removes pet charges. It doesn't remove charges that apply to every resident whether or not they have an animal.
What gets questioned is a new cost that shows up only because of the assistance animal, such as extra insurance or a separate animal deposit.
Evaluation Prices, With No Hidden Pet Charges
What an evaluation costs, pulled live from our pricing page.
Pet Charge Questions in South Carolina
Do emotional support animals have to pay a pet deposit in South Carolina?
According to Disability Rights South Carolina, a housing provider may not require a pet deposit for an approved assistance animal. You remain responsible for any damage the animal causes.
Can a South Carolina landlord charge pet rent for an ESA?
Monthly pet rent is a pet charge, and fair housing guidance has treated pet rent, pet fees and pet deposits alike for approved assistance animals. Ask in writing for pet rent to be removed once your request is approved.
Can I get my pet deposit back after my ESA is approved?
You can ask for it. Many landlords refund or credit a pet deposit once they approve the accommodation. If a landlord refuses, you can raise it with the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission within 180 days.
Can my landlord charge me for damage my ESA causes?
Yes. Damage beyond normal wear can come out of your regular security deposit. South Carolina law requires the landlord to return the deposit with a written, itemized list of deductions within 30 days of the later of the end of the tenancy and your written demand.
Do I have to pay a pet screening fee for an assistance animal?
Some screening services do not charge for assistance animal profiles. Ask the landlord or the service whether a fee applies before you pay, and keep the receipt.
Can a landlord require extra insurance because of my ESA?
Rules that apply to every tenant, such as general renters insurance, usually still apply. An insurance requirement added only because of the assistance animal is the kind of term fair housing agencies may question.
Guides That Pair With This One
General information, current as of September 2026, and not legal advice. Advice from Disability Rights South Carolina and past fair housing guidance describe how charges are usually treated, and results depend on the facts. The calculator only adds up numbers you enter. A clinical evaluation does not guarantee documentation or approval.
Stop Paying Pet Rent for an Assistance Animal
It starts with documentation that answers the landlord's questions.
