This form is used by a property manager or landlord as an addendum when negotiating a residential lease agreement which prohibits the possession of pets, to modify the terms of the lease agreement and provide the terms under which a specific pet may be kept on the premises in exchange for a pet security deposit.
Rental and lease agreements
Residential landlords and tenants typically enter into either a periodic rental agreement or a fixed-term lease agreement.
Residential periodic tenancies take the form of month-to-month rental agreements, which run for an indefinite period of time. It automatically renews monthly, and on the same terms, until modified or terminated by notice from either the landlord or tenant. [See RPI Form 551]
On the other hand, a lease agreement creates a tenancy that continues for a fixed period — a finite length of time. At the end of the fixed period under the lease agreement, the tenant’s right of possession expires. The terms in the lease agreement set the expiration date, and no further notice is required by either the landlord or tenant to terminate the tenancy. [See RPI Form 550]
Any provisions agreed to but not included in the boilerplate provisions of a pre-printed lease or rental agreement are included in an addendum to the rental or lease agreement. The additional or conflicting provisions are entered on the addendum. The addendum is then referenced in the body of the rental or lease agreement as attached.
Two such addendums are the pet addendum and the waterbed addendum. [See RPI Form 563 and Form 564]
Pets and waterbeds
Landlords and their property managers are frequently confronted with otherwise acceptable prospective tenants who own pets or liquid-filled furniture which might pose a greater risk to the property.
However, landlords may not automatically refuse to rent to a prospective tenant whose furnishings include liquid-filled furniture, such as a waterbed. Further, they may not deny an existing tenant the use of a waterbed on the premises.
On the other hand, landlords may, as a matter of general policy, refuse to accept any prospective tenant who wants to occupy a unit with their pet, unless the tenant is disabled and uses a specially trained guide dog on the premises. [Calif. Civil Code §54.1(b)(5)]
When a landlord allows pets, they will often:
- impose restrictions on the type or size of the pet; and
- require the landlord’s written consent to keep the pet on the premises. [See RPI Form 551 §6.9 and Form 550 §6.9]
The landlord and tenant may sign and attach a pet addendum that states:
- the type of pet and its name;
- the security deposit to be charged for the pet (but limited as part of the maximum security deposit allowed); and
- the tenant’s agreement to hold the landlord harmless for any damage caused by the pet. [See RPI Form 563]
A landlord who allows pets may not:
- favor declawed or devocalized animals in any advertisement;
- refuse to rent or negotiate for rent to a tenant because their pet has not been declawed or devocalized; or
- require tenants’ pets to be declawed or devocalized as a condition of renting the property. [CC §1942.7]
Lease agreements and month-to-month rental agreements also prohibit a tenant from keeping a waterbed or other liquid-filled furnishings on the premises without the landlord’s written consent. [See RPI Form 551 §6.9 and Form 550 §6.9]
When a tenant does have a waterbed, the landlord may require the tenant to sign a waterbed addendum. [See RPI Form 564]
The waterbed addendum indicates:
- the additional security deposit the tenant will be required to provide for keeping a waterbed on the premises (in addition to the maximum security deposit allowed); and
- the tenant’s agreement to maintain an insurance policy to cover potential property damage when the waterbed leaks or bursts.
Security deposits
A property manager allowing a tenant to occupy a unit with a pet may charge an additional security deposit for the pet to offset any expenses or losses caused by the tenant’s pet, unless:
- the rules for disabled persons and their trained dog apply; or
- the security deposit ceiling is exceeded.
Residential landlords are prohibited from demanding or receiving a security deposit greater than the amount of one month’s rent — regardless of whether the unit is furnished or unfurnished. [CC §1950.5(c)]
However, the landlord may collect a security deposit equal to two months’ rent when the landlord:
- is a natural person or a limited liability company consisting solely of natural persons; and
- owns no more than two residential rental properties consisting of no more than four rental units total. [CC §1950.5(c)(4)]
A standard deposit for a pet is one-third of the first month’s rent, with an extra $100 to $200 for each additional pet, limited to the ceiling amount for residential security deposits.
Also, when a pet’s behavior does not conform to the terms of the pet addendum, the tenant is in breach of the rental or lease agreement. In this instance, the landlord or property manager may serve a three-day notice to the tenant to correct the activity or vacate the premises, called a three-day notice to perform or quit. [See RPI Form 576]
When a tenant qualifies to maintain a waterbed on the premises, the landlord may increase the tenant’s security deposit up to an additional one-half month’s rent. The waterbed deposit is in addition to the maximum security deposit otherwise allowed.
The landlord may also charge a reasonable administrative fee to cover the time, effort and money expenditures necessary to process the waterbed paperwork, such as $50 or $100. [CC §1940.5(g)]
The amounts of both the additional security deposit and administrative charges are set forth in the waterbed addendum. [See RPI Form 564 §§3 and 4]
Pet addendum with rental application
Residential landlords and property managers who allow household pets often put restrictions on a tenant’s pets to limit damage and risk to the property, including restrictions on the species, breed, size, age and number of pets.
In the recent past, tenants with household pets were unaware of a landlord’s pet policy until after they apply to rent a unit, and only then do they learn the full details of the landlord’s pet policy through an addendum to the rental or lease agreement.
However, beginning April 1, 2027, a residential landlord discloses their pet policy upfront. Their pet addendum is provided through a hyperlink or other means for prospective tenants to independently access the pet addendum:
- on the property’s website;
- in any digital advertisement under the landlord’s control and in any digital advertisement on a third-party website, as long as the third party allows a hyperlink or other electronic access; and
- on residential rental search engines the landlord supplies with information, as long as the search engine allows a hyperlink or other electronic access. [CC §1942.7.5(b)(1); See RPI Form 563]
Critically, the landlord always provides their pet addendum as part of any rental application they provide to prospective tenants. On the landlord’s electronic delivery of the rental application, the landlord will include the pet addendum. [CC §1942.7.5(b)(2)]
The residential rental application form includes a space for the prospective tenant to acknowledge receipt of the attached pet addendum. The Realty Publications, Inc. (RPI) Application to Rent contains this provision. [See RPI Form 553]
Pet addendum requirements
A written pet addendum or pet policy states in plain language the rights and obligations of tenant pet owners, along with any other landlord rules for keeping a pet on the property. [CC §1942.7.5(d)]
RPI publishes a pet addendum that meets these criteria. [See RPI Form 563]
The Pet Addendum published by RPI contains the following provisions:
- pets are prohibited without the landlord’s prior written consent;
- the pet will not damage the premises or annoy, endanger or inconvenience other tenants;
- the tenant will hold the landlord harmless for any damages caused by the pet;
- the tenant will comply with all laws pertaining to the keeping and leashing of the pet; and
- the pet is not known to be dangerous or to have injured individuals. [See RPI Form 563]
The RPI Pet Addendum also contains a blank space for the landlord to list any other rules and policies regarding the keeping of pets on the premises. [See RPI Form 563 §5]
Analyzing the pet addendum
A landlord or property manager uses the Pet Addendum published by RPI as an addendum when negotiating a residential lease agreement which prohibits the possession of pets. The form allows the landlord or property manager to modify the terms of the lease agreement and provide the terms under which a specific pet may be kept on the premises in exchange for a pet security deposit. [See RPI Form 563]
The Pet Addendum contains:
- Facts, including:
- whether the form is an addendum to a:
- residential lease agreement [See RPI Form 550]; or
- residential rental agreement [See RPI Form 551];
- the date of the lease or rental agreement;
- the landlord and tenant’s identities;
- the address; and
- a statement that the agreement prohibits pets without the landlord’s prior written consent [See RPI Form 563 §§1 and 2];
- whether the form is an addendum to a:
- Landlord and tenant agreements, including:
- the identity of the pet the landlord agrees the tenant may keep [See RPI Form 563 §3];
- the amount of the security deposit [See RPI Form 563 §4];
- the tenant’s agreements, including:
- the pet will not damage the premises or annoy, endanger or inconvenience other tenants;
- the tenant will hold the landlord harmless for any damages caused by the pet;
- the tenant will comply with all laws pertaining to the keeping and leashing of the pet;
- the pet is not known to be dangerous or to have injured individuals; and
- a blank space for the landlord to list any other provisions for the tenant to agree to [See RPI Form 563 §5]; and
- Signatures of the landlord or property manager and the tenant.
Form navigation page published 10-2022. Updated 11-2026.
Form updated 2016.
Form-of-the-Week: Application to Rent and Pet Addendum — Forms 553 and 563
Form-of-the-Week: Pet and Waterbed Addendum — Forms 563 and 564
Form-of-the-Week: The pet and non-smoking addendums — Forms 563 and 563-1
Article: Pet addendum needs to be disclosed with the rental application
Article: Permitting pets and waterbeds
Article: How California landlords may deal with unauthorized pets
Article: Landlords may not favor surgically altered pets
Letter to the Editor: What are the rights of a tenant with a service or support animal?
Letter to the Editor: When can a residential landlord keep the tenant’s security deposit?
As a pet owner navigating rental agreements, I appreciate how crucial addendums are for clarity. They can prevent misunderstandings—just like in games where every choice counts, like in fnaf 3. It’s all about managing risks!