Kansas Pet Deposits and Fees: The Half-Month Add-On

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Kansas allows a landlord to add a pet deposit of up to half of one month’s rent when the rental agreement permits pets. Here is how it fits the cap, how it comes back and what to ask for in writing.

How does Kansas treat a pet deposit?

If the rental agreement permits the tenant to keep or maintain pets in the dwelling unit, the landlord may demand and receive an additional security deposit not to exceed one-half of one month’s rent (K.S.A. 58-2550(a)). It is part of the security deposit, so it is returned under the same rules: an itemized notice and the balance within 14 days of working out deductions, never over 30 days after the tenant demands it. The Kansas security deposit limit calculator adds it to the cap.

Is the pet deposit separate from the main deposit?

It is an addition to the cap, not a second cap that sits outside it. A unit that allows pets can be charged up to the base cap plus half a month, and a landlord that asks for more than that in total has gone past the statute. Add every payment held as security before you compare.

What about pet fees and pet rent?

The section does not mention nonrefundable pet fees or monthly pet rent. A payment held against the tenant’s performance is a security deposit and is limited by the cap; money that is truly spent on a specific cost is not. Ask the landlord to say in writing which each pet payment is, and what happens to any unspent part.

Can the landlord keep the pet deposit for damage?

For damages caused by the tenant’s noncompliance, with a written itemized notice (58-2550(b)). See Kansas security deposit deductions.

What about assistance animals?

Assistance animals raise federal and Kansas fair housing questions that this page does not analyze. If you rely on one, talk to the Kansas Human Rights Commission, a fair housing organization or a licensed Kansas attorney before you sign or pay.

A checklist before you sign

Ask for every pet charge in writing and what it is for; ask whether the pet deposit counts toward the cap; keep the pet addendum and receipts; and photograph the unit and the areas the pet will use at move-in.

How the refund rules apply to a pet payment

Whatever it is called, money held as security follows the same rules: it counts toward the cap, it is applied only to accrued rent and damages from the tenant’s noncompliance, and the landlord must send a written itemized notice and the balance within the statutory time. Pet damage is a proper reason to keep part of it if the lease and the facts support it, but the landlord must itemize it, and a landlord that keeps pet money without the notice risks the 1½-times penalty.

Questions to ask before you sign

Is the pet payment a deposit, a fee or monthly rent? Is any part refundable? Does it count toward the cap? What can it be used for under the lease? Is the animal an assistance animal? Get the answers in writing.

Keep the proof

Photograph the unit, the areas the pet will use and any existing damage on move-in day, and keep the dated pictures with your lease. If the landlord later claims part of a pet payment, those pictures and your written objection are your main evidence.

Where to get help

Legal aid and the district court clerk can explain how to raise a dispute. Bring the lease, every receipt and the landlord’s written request.

Why the half month is a ceiling

The statute says the additional deposit may not exceed one-half of one month’s rent, so a flat $500 pet charge on a $700 rental is over the ceiling even though $500 is a round number.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• K.S.A. 58-2550: security deposits

This is general information, not legal advice. It is based on the cited Kansas statutes, rules and court opinions, and every case turns on its own facts. Confirm how the law applies to your situation with a licensed Kansas attorney.