Starting April 1, 2027, rental housing providers in California must share their pet policies in writing and provide them to prospective renters with their rental applications. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 1296, the Pet Policy Transparency Act, into law at the end of September.
The new law, which was authored by Sen. María Elena Durazo and co-authored by Assemblymembers Isaac G. Bryan and Matt Haney, is designed to prevent a costly problem: renters wasting time and money applying for a home that doesn’t work for them and their pets and housing providers spending resources on applicants who don’t meet their policies. The law, however, doesn’t dictate pet policies or require housing providers to accept pets.
“Too many renters have paid application fees only to learn later that a pet policy ruled them out. SB 1296 fixes that, plain and simple, said Durazo. “I want to thank Gov. Newsom for signing this bill into law, and the renters, housing providers, and advocates who helped shape it into something that actually works.”
According to Jennifer Naitaki, senior adviser to the Michelson Center for Public Policy, this is a major win for renters, housing providers, and basic transparency in the rental market. A recent study from Michelson Found Animals’ Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative showed how often renters enter the application process without full information about a property’s pet rules. Based on a survey of more than 1,100 California renters i and an analysis of rental listings in five markets, the study found that 51% of renters had paid an application fee before fully understanding a property’s pet policy. In addition, 72% reported negative consequences from unclear information, including additional search time and delayed housing.
Under the new law, which passed the state Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, rental housing providers must maintain a written pet policy or pet addendum that details rules, conditions, and restrictions. In addition to providing the policy with rental applications, they need to make it accessible, where applicable, through property websites, digital rental advertisements, and information given to rental search platforms.
If the information is not provided to a prospective resident before providing the application fee and they learn later that the policy makes them ineligible or decide not to continue because of the undisclosed policy, the renter may request a refund of the application fee. That refund must be issued within seven business days of receiving written notice.
“People should not have to pay to apply for a home before learning whether its pet rules work for their household,” added Naitaki. “SB 1296 creates a clear, practical standard that gives renters important information earlier while leaving housing providers in control of their own policies.”