Maryland Revises Service-Animal Lease Fee Terms
Renters with service animals may no longer be charged automatic cleaning and pest-treatment fees under the association's updated model lease.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Apartments
Live Poll
Should landlords be barred from charging tenants extra fees for service animals?
The Maryland Attorney General's Civil Rights Division reached a settlement with the Maryland Association of Realtors over lease fees charged to tenants with service animals. The association will revise its model residential lease and pay $50,000 in total, including a $20,000 civil penalty.
Why it matters
The association's General Model Residential Dwelling Lease required tenants with service animals to pay de-ticking, de-fleaing, and carpet cleaning charges, regardless of whether the work was needed. Because the settlement targets a model document, it can affect the lease language that many Maryland landlords and tenants rely on, even though it does not establish that every property used those provisions.
The settlement sets a $20,000 civil penalty and directs $30,000 toward disability-related housing services and tenant education, with $20,000 going to Maryland's Centers for Independent Living and $10,000 to Economic Action Maryland. The settlement covers the association's model lease, which the announcement describes as the document at issue.
The players
Maryland Attorney General's Civil Rights Division
The state office that investigates housing discrimination complaints and enforces fair housing protections for Maryland renters.
Maryland Association of Realtors
The state trade group whose General Model Residential Dwelling Lease is widely used as a template by Maryland property managers and landlords.
Economic Action Maryland
A statewide anti-poverty and community organization that will receive $10,000 under the settlement to educate tenants with disabilities.
The details
The Civil Rights Division investigated the association's lease provisions after the association was notified of potentially discriminatory terms. The association took corrective action, and under the settlement it will revise the lease language so tenants with service animals are no longer charged for cleaning and pest-treatment work that may not be needed. The $30,000 in funding is directed to housing services and education for tenants with disabilities.
Timeline
Oct. 29, 2026: Attorney General announced the settlement agreement with the Maryland Association of Realtors.
The Home Front
Model leases from trade associations often serve as the baseline for rental agreements across a region, so changes to a single template can shift terms for many renters at once. This settlement follows the pattern of state enforcement actions that target standardized lease language rather than only individual landlords.
If you rent in Maryland and have a service animal, check your lease for any de-ticking, de-fleaing, or carpet cleaning charges and ask your landlord whether the lease has been revised. Contact a local Center for Independent Living if you need help understanding housing rights for tenants with disabilities.
The takeaway
Standard lease templates can carry fees that apply even when no cleaning or pest treatment is needed, so renters with service animals should read these charges closely before signing. Keep a copy of your signed lease on file in case you need to raise a question about fees later.
Further reading
For more on how lease terms shape rental costs, browse our Apartments coverage.
Live Poll
Should landlords be barred from charging tenants extra fees for service animals?
