Pet Policy for Long Beach Rental Properties: A Landlord’s 2026 Guide
Updated for AB 12 (effective July 1, 2024) & Long Beach Just Cause Ordinance (2024)
Under California AB 12, pet deposits are no longer a separate charge — your total security deposit (including any pet portion) cannot exceed one month’s rent for standard rentals. Instead, most Long Beach landlords now charge pet rent ($50–$150/month) rather than a pet deposit. Emotional support animals cannot be charged any pet fee or deposit. Service animals have zero restrictions. A well-drafted pet addendum and a screening service like PetScreening.com are your best tools for protecting your property while capturing Long Beach’s large pool of pet-owning tenants.
- California Pet Deposit Law in 2026 (AB 12 Impact)
- ESA vs. Pets: The Legal Difference
- What Your Pet Policy Addendum Must Include
- Pet Rent vs. Pet Security Deposit
- How RPM Southland Screens Pets and Tenants
- Common Pet Damage and How to Protect Against It
- Should You Allow Pets? The Numbers Make a Case
- Frequently Asked Questions
We manage over 730 properties in Long Beach. The pet question comes up on almost every single vacancy. Should you allow pets? What can you charge? What happens if a tenant sneaks in an emotional support animal at move-in? Since July 2024, California law has fundamentally changed the math — and most Long Beach landlords don’t know it yet.
This guide breaks down exactly what changed with AB 12, how Long Beach’s Just Cause Ordinance affects existing tenants with unauthorized pets, what a legally sound pet addendum looks like, and how we screen animals at RPM Southland. No fluff — just what you need to make the right call on your rental.
California Pet Deposit Law in 2026 (AB 12 Impact)
Assembly Bill 12, which took effect July 1, 2024, is the most significant change to California security deposit law in decades. Before AB 12, landlords could charge up to two months’ rent for an unfurnished unit (three for furnished) as a combined security deposit. Pet deposits lived on top of that. After AB 12, the cap dropped to one month’s rent total for most rentals — and that total includes whatever you call the deposit: security deposit, cleaning fee, pet deposit, key deposit. It’s all one bucket.
What this means practically: if your Long Beach single-family rental goes for $2,800/month, you can collect a maximum of $2,800 total in refundable deposits at move-in. You cannot stack a $2,800 security deposit and an additional $500 pet deposit on top. If you try, you’re in violation of Civil Code Section 1950.5. There is one exception — if you personally own no more than two residential rental properties with a combined total of four or fewer units, you can collect up to two months’ rent. But for most landlords with more than that, the one-month cap is the rule.
AB 12 Violation Risk
Collecting any deposit amount that exceeds the AB 12 limit exposes you to a tenant claim for return of the excess plus twice the amount in statutory damages. If your lease still has a separate “pet deposit” line that pushes total deposits over one month’s rent, update it now.
The good news: pet rent is not a deposit. Pet rent is a monthly add-on to the base rent — non-refundable, not subject to the AB 12 cap, and completely legal. That’s why most experienced Long Beach landlords have shifted from pet deposits to pet rent. More on that in the Pet Rent vs. Pet Security Deposit section below.
| Deposit Type | Before AB 12 (pre-July 2024) | Under AB 12 (July 2024+) |
|---|---|---|
| Security deposit (unfurnished) | Up to 2 months’ rent | Up to 1 month’s rent (most owners) |
| Pet deposit (stacked) | Allowed if within 2-month total | Allowed only within 1-month total cap |
| Pet rent (monthly add-on) | No limit | No limit — not affected by AB 12 |
| Small landlord exception (1–2 properties, max 4 units total) | N/A | Up to 2 months’ rent allowed |
Managing Long Beach rentals since 2014 — (562) 270-1777
Emotional Support Animals vs. Pets: The Legal Difference
This is, without question, the area where Long Beach landlords make the most costly mistakes. The word “pet” and the phrase “assistance animal” are not interchangeable under law, and the distinction matters enormously for what you can charge, restrict, and enforce.
Regular Household Pet
Covered by your lease pet policy. You can charge pet rent, set breed/weight restrictions, require pet insurance, and deny the pet entirely. AB 12 caps any refundable pet deposit within the one-month total.
Emotional Support Animal
Covered under the Fair Housing Act as an assistance animal. You CANNOT charge pet fees or pet deposits. You CANNOT apply breed/weight restrictions. You CAN require documentation from a licensed healthcare provider.
ADA Service Animal
Covered under both the ADA and FHA. Zero fees, zero deposits, zero restrictions. Permitted in all units regardless of your no-pets policy. Handlers may be asked only two questions: Is it a service animal? What task does it perform?
The Fair Housing Act requires landlords to make reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities. An ESA is not a pet — it is a disability accommodation. This means your no-pets policy does not apply, your pet addendum does not apply, and you cannot charge the tenant more because of the animal. The one thing you can do: if an ESA causes actual documented damage to the unit, you may charge for that damage out of the standard security deposit.
HUD guidance states that housing providers should respond to an ESA accommodation request within 10 business days. If you deny a valid ESA request or charge pet fees, you are exposed to a Fair Housing complaint, which can result in significant financial penalties. When a tenant presents an ESA letter, the right move is to verify it looks legitimate (signed by a licensed mental health professional, specific to the tenant, dated within the last year), then consult your attorney or property manager before taking any action.
Long Beach Just Cause Ordinance Alert
Under Long Beach’s Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance (effective 2024), landlords may not evict a tenant for unauthorized pets. If a tenant has lived in a 15-year-or-older unit for at least 12 months, discovering an unauthorized pet after the fact is not grounds for eviction. You can issue a notice to comply and document the issue, but eviction based solely on an undisclosed pet will not hold up. This makes your upfront pet screening even more important — because your remedies after the fact are limited.
What Your Pet Policy Addendum Must Include
A pet clause buried in your standard lease is not enough. You need a standalone pet addendum — a separate, signed document that travels with the lease and creates a clear, enforceable record of exactly which animals are approved, under what conditions, and what the consequences of a violation are. This is, as I always tell our clients, a crucial, crucial step of the management process and cannot be skipped.
- Approved animal(s) by name and description — Breed, color, weight, approximate age, and microchip or license number. Ambiguity here creates disputes at move-out.
- Breed restrictions — Specify any breeds excluded from your policy and state that approval is pet-specific (not a blanket approval for all pets of that type). If your unit is in a condo, reference the HOA CC&Rs directly.
- Weight limits — Many Long Beach HOAs cap dogs at 25–35 lbs. State the limit in the addendum. If the unit is HOA-governed, bind the tenant to current and future HOA rules.
- Pet rent amount and payment terms — Monthly amount, due date, and whether it is included in rent or billed separately. (Recommend: include in total rent for simplicity.)
- Number of pets permitted — Specify the maximum. One pet per unit is defensible; two is common. Long Beach allows up to three dogs and three cats per household under city code, but you can set stricter lease limits.
- Damage liability clause — Tenant is liable for all damage caused by pet, including damage that exceeds the security deposit. They authorize deduction from the deposit and agree to pay any excess balance within 30 days.
- Cleanup obligations — Yard waste, odor control, flea treatment at vacate, and professional carpet cleaning if applicable.
- Noise and nuisance clause — Persistent barking, aggression toward other tenants, or complaints from neighbors are lease violations subject to cure or quit notice.
- No additional pets clause — Adding an animal not listed on the addendum without written landlord approval is a material lease violation.
- Vaccination and licensing — Require proof of current Long Beach city dog license, rabies vaccination, and any other required shots. Maintain copies in the tenant file.
- Pet screening requirement — Reference that approval is contingent on passing a third-party pet screening (FIDO Score) prior to move-in.
- ESA/Service animal carve-out language — Include a statement that the policy does not apply to assistance animals for which a reasonable accommodation has been approved through the proper process.
One note on HOA-governed units in Long Beach: Long Beach has a significant number of condo complexes — particularly in downtown, Belmont Shore, and the East Village neighborhood — where the HOA maintains its own pet rules. The HOA’s CC&Rs take precedence. If the HOA bans pit bulls or caps pets at 25 lbs, your addendum must reflect that. And if the HOA changes its rules mid-tenancy, your lease should require the tenant to comply with updated HOA rules automatically. Get this language in writing from day one.
Want a review of your current pet addendum? We’ve been managing Long Beach rentals since 2014.
Pet Rent vs. Pet Security Deposit: Which to Use
Before AB 12, the standard approach in Long Beach was to collect a pet deposit — a lump sum held as additional security for damage. It was refundable, it made financial sense when you could stack it on top of a two-month security deposit, and it created a real financial cushion. That logic no longer works the way it used to. Here’s how to think about the choice now.
Pet Rent (Monthly Add-On)
- Not a deposit — not subject to AB 12 cap
- Non-refundable income to the owner each month
- Typically $50–$150/month in Long Beach
- Compounds over the tenancy — a 3-year tenant at $100/month generates $3,600
- No accounting headache at move-out
- Easy to adjust at lease renewal
Pet Security Deposit (Lump Sum)
- Refundable — must be returned minus documented damages
- Eats into your one-month AB 12 cap
- Example: $500 pet deposit on a $2,500/month rental leaves only $2,000 for general security deposit coverage
- Subject to itemized accounting within 21 days of vacate
- Disputes common at move-out over what constitutes “pet damage”
The math clearly favors pet rent for most Long Beach landlords. A $100/month pet rent on a standard 12-month lease generates $1,200 in additional income — money you keep regardless of whether the pet causes any damage. If there is damage, you still have your full one-month security deposit to draw from. Under the old model, a $500 pet deposit might cover a torn screen and some carpet staining. Under the new model, the pet rent more than covers that, and you collected it up front across the tenancy.
“Every property owner should look at their property as an asset and not just what’s the fee a property manager is going to cost me. So they should ask, how are you going to increase the value of my asset over the time that it’s under your management?”
— Miles Williams, Broker/Owner, RPM Southland
That mindset applies directly to pet policy. We’re playing the long game here. Maximizing pet rent is a legitimate and legal way to increase your monthly yield on a Long Beach rental — and it compounds over a tenancy the way a pet deposit never could. Capturing the 60% of renters who have a pet — at $75–$125/month in additional rent — often beats the alternative: refusing pets and sitting on a vacancy for an extra two to four weeks. At $2,800/month, two additional vacant weeks cost you $1,400. One year of $100 pet rent earns you $1,200. The vacancy cost exceeds the annual pet rent in less than 15 days.
| Strategy | Monthly Income | Move-Out Risk | AB 12 Compliant? | Recommended? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet rent only ($100/mo) | +$100/month | Full security deposit available for damages | Yes | Yes — primary strategy |
| Pet deposit only ($500) | None | Only $500 for pet damage; limits general deposit | Only if within 1-month cap | Low-value post-AB 12 |
| Pet rent + partial pet deposit | +$75/month | Moderate cushion; deposit partially consumed | Only if total deposits within cap | Case-by-case |
| No pets allowed | $0 | Lowest damage risk | N/A | Only if specific need (allergies, HOA ban, high-value flooring) |
How RPM Southland Screens Pets and Tenants
We use PetScreening.com for every pet application that comes through our Long Beach properties. PetScreening is the leading pet policy management platform in the property management industry — used by over 28,000 property management firms nationwide — and it provides a systematic, documented, third-party process for evaluating every animal. This matters for two reasons: it removes the subjective “gut feel” from the equation, and it creates a documented record of the screening decision that protects you if a dispute arises later.
Here’s how the process works in practice. When a tenant applies and indicates they have a pet, we send them a PetScreening link. They complete a pet profile using over 35 individual data points: species, breed, age, weight, vaccination records, neutered/spayed status, history of aggression, prior damage claims, and more. The system then generates a FIDO Score — a standardized pet risk rating similar to how a credit score works for a tenant. A FIDO Score of 3 or higher generally meets our approval threshold. We then use that score to set an appropriate pet rent tier.
Tenant Submits Pet Profile
Breed, age, weight, vaccination records, prior history. Completed directly in PetScreening.com by the applicant.
FIDO Score Generated
PetScreening assigns a 1–5 risk score based on 35+ data points. Score 3+ typically meets RPM Southland’s approval threshold.
ESA/Service Animal Routing
If tenant claims ESA or service animal, the request is routed through PetScreening’s compliance review. Documentation is evaluated and a reasonable accommodation file is created.
Pet Rent Tier Set
Based on FIDO Score and number of animals, we set the appropriate monthly pet rent. Low-risk animals = lower pet rent. High-risk or large breeds = higher monthly add-on.
Addendum Executed
Approved pets are recorded on the pet addendum with full descriptions. Signed before or concurrent with the lease.
Move-In Inspection Documents Baseline
Our standard move-in inspection photographs every room and records existing condition. This is the baseline used to assess any pet damage claims at move-out.
The ESA routing within PetScreening is particularly valuable for Long Beach landlords. When a tenant submits an ESA accommodation request, the system creates a documented compliance file — tracking receipt of the request, nature of the documentation, and the housing provider’s response. That documentation trail is critical protection if a Fair Housing complaint is ever filed. It shows you followed process, responded within the appropriate timeframe, and made a good-faith decision.
One more thing on screening: tenant screening and pet screening are connected. A tenant who misrepresents their pet situation on the application — concealing a breed, lying about the number of animals, or claiming ESA status without legitimate documentation — is telling you something important about how they’ll handle the lease in general. We treat a dishonest pet application as a red flag for the overall tenancy, not just the pet situation.
730+ Long Beach properties managed. We screen every pet before every lease.
Common Pet Damage and How to Protect Against It
Let’s talk about what actually happens to Long Beach rental properties when pets live in them. The range is wide: a well-cared-for older dog in a carpeted unit may leave zero evidence after a two-year tenancy. An anxious puppy in the same unit can cause $4,000 in damage in six months. Understanding the most common scenarios — and their real costs — helps you price pet rent correctly and set realistic move-out expectations.
Typical Pet Damage Cost Ranges (Long Beach, 2026)
$150–$300
$600–$1,200
$2,000–$4,500
$300–$800
$200–$600
$300–$1,500
$75–$200 per screen
$1,500–$5,000+
$8,000–$15,000
A few things to understand about charging for these damages under California law. Carpet has a useful life of 5–7 years under California guidelines. If the carpet was already 4 years old at move-in and a pet destroys it at year 5, you cannot charge the tenant for full replacement cost — only the prorated remaining value. This is why documenting the age and condition of every flooring surface at move-in matters so much. Without that documentation, you lose the argument at small claims.
The best protections are layered — no single tool covers everything:
- Move-in photos of every surface — room by room, including under sinks and in corners. Timestamp them. Store them in the tenant file.
- Mid-tenancy inspections — we conduct property evaluations every six to eight months. Catching a moisture problem under a carpet from a pet accident at six months is a $200 fix. Finding it at move-out three years later might be a $5,000 problem with subfloor damage.
- Require professional carpet cleaning at vacate — include the specific obligation in the pet addendum. Not just a “clean the unit” clause, but a “professional carpet cleaning with enzymatic treatment” clause.
- Pet rent as a buffer — two years of $100/month pet rent generates $2,400. In most cases, that covers the realistic damage scenario with room to spare.
- Renters insurance with pet liability — require it in the lease and ask for proof annually.
Should You Allow Pets? The Numbers Make a Case
I get this question from Long Beach landlords constantly, and my honest answer is: for most properties, refusing pets costs you more than allowing them. The math is not even close once you factor in vacancy costs.
Why Pet-Friendly Rentals Win in Long Beach
- Approximately 58–60% of Long Beach renters have a pet. A no-pets policy eliminates more than half your applicant pool.
- Pet-friendly listings on Zillow receive 9% more views and 12% more saves than no-pet listings.
- Pet-friendly rentals fill approximately 8 days faster than comparable no-pet rentals.
- At a $2,800 Long Beach rent, 8 fewer vacant days = $747 recovered before a single month of pet rent begins.
- Pet owners tend to stay longer — they have fewer move options and more hassle changing addresses for an animal.
The comparison that matters most: vacancy cost vs. pet damage risk. Refusing pets and sitting on a vacancy for an extra 2–3 weeks costs more than one year of pet rent. And if you’re doing pet screening correctly — with a FIDO Score threshold and a thorough addendum — your realistic damage exposure is much lower than the worst-case scenarios people imagine when they say “no pets.”
There are still legitimate reasons to maintain a no-pets policy: you have irreplaceable hardwood floors or specialty tile, your HOA prohibits animals, you live adjacent to the unit and have severe allergies, or a previous tenant caused catastrophic damage that hasn’t been recovered. In those cases, no-pets makes sense. For everyone else, the numbers favor opening your rental to screened, approved pets — with the right addendum and the right monthly premium.
Allow Pets (With Screening)
- Access to ~60% larger applicant pool
- $75–$150/month pet rent income
- 8 days faster average vacancy fill
- Longer average tenancy length
- FIDO Score filters high-risk animals
- Addendum creates clear damage accountability
No Pets Policy
- Eliminates ~60% of qualified applicants
- Longer vacancy periods, especially in Long Beach’s shifting rental market
- No pet rent revenue stream
- Does not prevent ESA requests under FHA
- No protection against undisclosed animals under Just Cause Ordinance
- Only justified for specific property types or HOA requirements
Protect Your Long Beach Investment — Let Us Handle It
We’ve managed over 730 Long Beach properties since 2014. We know what works, what doesn’t, and how to write a pet policy that holds up.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Not if it pushes your total deposit over one month’s rent. Under AB 12 (effective July 1, 2024), the total of all refundable deposits — security, pet, cleaning, whatever you call them — cannot exceed one month’s rent for most California landlords. A pet deposit is allowed, but it must fit within that one-month cap. If you own no more than two properties with four or fewer total units combined, you may collect up to two months. For everyone else: one month total. Pet rent (monthly, non-refundable) is not subject to this cap.
No. Under the Fair Housing Act, an emotional support animal is an assistance animal, not a pet. A no-pets policy does not apply. You are required to make a reasonable accommodation unless you can demonstrate undue hardship (which is an extremely high bar). You may request documentation from a licensed healthcare provider, but you cannot deny the accommodation, charge pet fees, or apply breed or weight restrictions to an ESA. Failure to accommodate a valid ESA request can result in a Fair Housing complaint and significant civil liability.
Under Long Beach’s Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance, eviction for an unauthorized pet is not an option for tenants who have lived in a qualifying unit (15 years old or older) for 12 or more months. You can issue a Notice to Perform or Quit, document the lease violation, and require the tenant to either remove the unauthorized animal or go through the pet addendum and screening process. If the tenancy is new, you have more options — but for long-term tenants, eviction based solely on a pet will not be upheld. This is why front-end pet screening is so important.
A FIDO Score is a standardized pet risk rating generated by PetScreening.com, the industry-leading pet policy management platform. It evaluates over 35 data points — breed, weight, age, vaccination status, prior damage history, aggression record, and more — and assigns a score from 1 (highest risk) to 5 (lowest risk). Property managers use FIDO Scores to set approval thresholds and tiered pet rent amounts. A FIDO Score of 3 or higher is a common approval baseline. The score creates a documented, defensible record of your pet approval decision.
Yes. If your Long Beach rental is in an HOA-governed community — common in Belmont Shore condos, downtown Long Beach high-rises, and newer planned developments in Bixby Knolls — the HOA CC&Rs on pets take precedence over both your lease and the tenant’s preferences. Many Long Beach HOAs ban specific breeds (commonly including pit bulls, rottweilers, and Dobermans) and cap weight at 25–35 lbs. Your pet addendum should explicitly bind the tenant to current and any future HOA pet rules. If you approve a pet that the HOA later flags, the tenant bears responsibility for compliance.
No. Pet rent is still a fee connected to the animal, and charging it for an ESA violates the Fair Housing Act just as a pet deposit would. The key principle is that you cannot charge a tenant more because they have an assistance animal. The tenant is still responsible for any actual damage the ESA causes — that can come out of the standard security deposit — but you cannot tack on a monthly fee or any upfront charge specifically related to the ESA’s presence.
21 calendar days from the date the tenant vacates and returns keys. Within that window, you must either return the full deposit or provide an itemized written statement of deductions with copies of invoices or receipts for any work charged. Pet damage deductions follow the same process: they must be documented, itemized, and submitted within 21 days. Late or missing itemization means you may forfeit your right to keep any portion of the deposit — and expose yourself to statutory damages of up to twice the deposit amount.
Security Deposit California 2026: Long Beach Landlord Guide
Tenant Screening Long Beach CA: Complete 2026 Guide
California Landlord Laws 2026: What Long Beach Owners Must Know
This content is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, tax, or investment advice. Readers should consult with licensed professionals regarding their specific circumstances.
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