California's pet policy law requires every residential landlord to have a written pet policy, including landlords who do not allow pets. SB 1296 adds Section 1942.7.5 to the Civil Code, effective April 1, 2027. It requires landlords and their agents to put their pet rules in writing, give them to every applicant with the rental application, and refund application fees in certain cases when they do not. The law does not require anyone to allow pets. It requires them to say clearly what their rules are.
Who Needs a Written Pet Policy
Every landlord or agent. The law defines a pet policy to include any rules or conditions for keeping pets, and it expressly includes policies that prohibit pets completely. A landlord with no pet rules at all must still provide a written policy stating that there are no rules or conditions. Whether a property allows pets, allows some pets, or allows none, it needs a written policy.
The law uses an existing definition of pet: a domesticated animal, such as a dog or cat, commonly kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes. It does not change any rights or obligations involving service animals, support animals, or other assistance animals. A no-pets policy does not change how assistance animal requests are handled.
What the Policy Must Include
The policy must give a clear, plain-language description of the rights, responsibilities, and requirements for tenants with pets, along with any other material rules or restrictions. In practice, a strong policy answers the questions applicants actually ask: whether pets are allowed, which kinds, how many, any size limits, any pet deposit or monthly charge, and day-to-day rules such as cleanup and noise. For a no-pets property, a short statement that pets are not allowed, with a note that assistance animal requests are handled separately, is a clear starting point.
Landlords may change the policy, but changes apply to prospective tenants only, and each applicant must receive the version in effect when the application is provided. Dating each version and keeping prior versions on file makes it easy to show which policy an applicant received. A tenant's refusal to sign a pet addendum cannot be the sole basis for an eviction, though a landlord may require a signed addendum before approving a pet.
Where the Policy Has to Appear
A written copy must go out with every rental application, electronically if the application is electronic. The application must also include a space for the applicant to acknowledge receiving the policy. Landlords must link the policy on the property's website, if there is one, and in digital advertising they control. On third-party listing sites and rental search engines, a link is required only where the platform allows one.
The law does not require a landlord to create a website or advertise in any particular place, and a landlord is not liable when a third party scrapes or republishes a listing without written permission and leaves the policy off.
The Application Fee Refund Rule
This is where the law has financial teeth. If a landlord charges an application fee before disclosing the pet policy, and because of that failure the applicant can no longer rent the unit or decides not to proceed, the applicant may request a refund by written notice. The landlord must refund the fee within seven business days of receiving that notice. Once the refund is made on time, the landlord has no further obligation to that applicant under this section.
The law also includes a safe harbor. A landlord substantially complies if the applicant received the material terms of the policy, and a nonmaterial error or omission that is corrected upon notice is not a violation.
The simplest protection is a rule worth adopting today: policy first, fee second. Make the pet policy part of the application packet itself, in the same PDF, link, or page, so no fee can be collected before the policy is in the applicant's hands. Keep each signed acknowledgment in the applicant's file.
What a Missing Page Can Cost
Consider an illustrative example. A landlord charges a $50 screening fee, and three applicants back out over the pet rules after paying. That is $150 refunded, plus time spent screening applicants who were never a fit. On a Stockton rental at $2,000 per month, each additional week of vacancy is roughly $460 in uncollected rent. Actual fees, vacancy, and costs vary, but one attached page prevents all of it.
If you manage your own rentals, the free Self-Managing Cost Calculator shows what doing it yourself is really costing you: https://www.google.com/url?q=h
This article is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your specific situation, consult a qualified California attorney.
California Pet Policy Law: Why Every Landlord Needs a Written Pet Policy, Even With No Pets
By Wellspring Property Management Friday, November 13, 2026
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