Cal. Civ. Code § 22-9-7-14
Enforcement of compliance with rental agreement, payment for cost of repairs caused by emotional support animal, or responsibilities of the owner of emotional support animal not prohibited
Operative Text
Sec. 14. This chapter does not prohibit a person who offers to rent or otherwise make available a dwelling from requiring an individual with a disability who uses an emotional support animal to: (1) comply with the terms of the rental agreement and other rules or regulations applicable to the dwelling on the same terms as other residents; (2) pay for the cost of repairs that result from any damages to the dwelling that are caused by an emotional support animal in the same manner as a resident who maintains an animal that is not an emotional support animal in the dwelling; or (3) sign an addendum or other agreement that sets forth the responsibilities of the owner of the emotional support animal.
Indiana Code § 22-9-7-14 clarifies that the state's emotional support animal (ESA) protections do not create a special exemption from standard rental obligations. A housing provider may still require a tenant with a disability who uses an ESA to follow the same lease terms and property rules that apply to all residents, pay for any damages the ESA causes just as any other pet owner would, and sign an addendum outlining the ESA owner's responsibilities. In short, disability-related accommodation rights do not override a tenant's general duties under a rental agreement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ind. Code § 22-9-7-14, housing operators who accommodate emotional support animals may still apply their standard lease terms and community rules to ESA users on the same basis as all other residents. Compliant operators typically document ESA-related damage costs and charge them back to the tenant in the same way they would for any other animal, and they may use a written addendum to clearly spell out the ESA owner's responsibilities. Maintaining consistent, evenly applied policies across all residents helps demonstrate that any ESA-related requirements are not discriminatory in nature.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ind. Code § 22-9-7-14 makes clear that while tenants with disabilities have the right to request an emotional support animal accommodation, that right does not eliminate standard lease obligations. A tenant with an ESA can still be held to the same property rules as other residents and may be charged for documented damages the animal causes, just as any resident with a non-ESA animal would be. Tenants who believe a landlord is applying ESA-related requirements in a discriminatory or unequal way may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization, the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to explore available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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