Short answer: Moving to Miami with a pet means the lease’s pet policy matters as much as the rent number. Florida law puts no cap on pet deposits, pet fees, or pet rent — landlords can charge all three, and in Miami listings that typically looks like $25–$85/month per pet in pet rent, a $100–$500 one-time pet fee (usually nonrefundable), and a $200–$500 refundable pet deposit. Private landlords and condo associations can legally ban breeds (pit bull types, Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd and more are the usual list) and set weight caps of 25–50 lbs, even though Miami-Dade’s county-level pit bull ordinance was repealed in 2023 — that repeal only tied the government’s hands, not private ones. And within 30 days of arriving, your dog must be licensed with Miami-Dade Animal Services with a rabies vaccination on record.
Updated: October 4, 2026.
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Moving to Miami with a pet: the three charges landlords stack
Florida has no statute capping pet charges — the amounts are whatever your lease says. Landlords commonly combine up to three charges, all legal if disclosed in writing. Confirm which are refundable before you sign.
| Charge | Typical Miami range (observed in listings) | Refundable? |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly pet rent | $25–$85/mo per pet (e.g. Solitair Brickell $25, Camden Brickell $35, Yacht Club at Brickell $60) | No — it’s rent |
| One-time pet fee | $100–$500 per pet (often nonrefundable; Camden Brickell $500, Infinity at Brickell $100) | Usually not — check the pet addendum |
| Pet deposit | $200–$500 per pet | Yes — and governed like a security deposit under F.S. §83.49 (returned within 15 days if full refund; 30 days if any withholding; kept in a separate account) |
These are market ranges observed in Miami listings, not legal limits — Florida sets none. Over a 12-month lease, pet rent alone can add $300–$1,020/year per pet to your cost of living in Miami. That is the number to put in your budget, not an afterthought.
Breed and size restrictions: the filter nobody warns you about
- Private landlords and condo associations can legally restrict breeds and set weight limits. Florida law does not prohibit it — only approved assistance animals are exempt.
- The breeds most commonly banned in Miami leases and condo declarations: pit bull types, Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, Akita, Chow Chow, German Shepherd, Alaskan Malamute, Presa Canario, Siberian Husky, and wolf hybrids — driven largely by the building’s insurance carrier.
- Weight caps of 25–50 lbs are the norm in apartments (Camden Brickell: 35 lbs; one observed Florida condo: 25 lbs; the generous end, Solitair Brickell: 70 lbs).
- The 2023 change everyone misreads: Florida law (HB 941/SB 942, effective October 1, 2023) repealed Miami-Dade’s decades-old pit bull ordinance — but it only stopped local governments and public housing authorities from regulating dogs by breed, size, or weight. Private landlords, condos, and HOAs can still ban breeds in leases and declarations. Owning a pit bull type and moving to Miami? You need a pet-friendly building list before you apartment-hunt.
- Renting inside a condo unit? You follow two rulebooks. The condo association’s declaration can cap dogs at 25 lbs, ban specific breeds, limit you to 1–2 pets, and require pet registration with a photo, vet records, and vaccination proof — in addition to whatever your lease says.
Florida’s ESA law: the line you cannot cross
Florida has specific, strict rules on emotional support animals in housing — worth knowing exactly, because this is where newcomers get eviction letters or criminal exposure:
- Under F.S. §760.27, a person with a disability may not be charged extra (no pet deposit, pet rent, or pet fee) for an ESA kept as a reasonable accommodation. The housing provider can only deny if the animal poses a direct threat to health, safety, or property that can’t be mitigated.
- If the disability is not readily apparent, the provider can request reliable supporting information — but only from a practitioner with personal knowledge of the person’s disability, acting within their scope. An out-of-state provider counts only if they gave in-person care at least once. Providers may not demand diagnosis details, medical records, a specific form, or a notarized statement.
- Under F.S. §817.265, falsifying ESA documentation is a second-degree misdemeanor — up to $500 in fines, up to 60 days in jail, plus 30 hours of community service. Practitioners who sign without personal knowledge face professional discipline.
- Federal protections still stand: under the Fair Housing Act, approved assistance animals (service animals and documented ESAs) are not “pets” — no pet deposits, pet rent, fees, breed/weight restrictions, or no-pet policies may be applied to them. That federal floor overrides any lease or condo rule.
The two government steps newcomers miss: Miami-Dade license and the CDC rule
Within 30 days of entering Miami-Dade County, every dog over 4 months must be registered with Miami-Dade Animal Services and wear a license tag, renewed annually. Rabies vaccination by a licensed veterinarian is a prerequisite — and it’s state law: F.S. §828.30 requires rabies vaccination for all dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months and older, with a booster 12 months after the first shot.
Bringing a dog from abroad? The CDC’s dog import rule (in force since August 1, 2024) is strict:
- Every dog entering the US must be at least 6 months old, have an ISO-compatible microchip implanted before the rabies vaccination, and the importer must file the CDC Dog Import Form online and present the receipt on arrival.
- Colombia is on the CDC’s high-rabies-risk country list. Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries additionally need a Certification of Foreign-Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the exporting country, must arrive only through an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility (reservation required), and may need a valid rabies serology titer or face quarantine (28 days). Unvaccinated dogs from high-risk countries will not be allowed entry. Start this paperwork months before you fly — not after you land.
The SETTLE take: screen the pet policy before you fall in love with the building
- Ask for the pet addendum before the application. The rent number means nothing if your 60-lb German Shepherd disqualifies the building. Ask: which charges, which are refundable, breed list, weight cap, number of pets allowed.
- Condos are double gatekeeping. If the unit is inside a condo, ask for the association’s pet rules too — the stricter document wins.
- Budget pet rent as part of your cost of living in Miami. A $50/month pet rent plus a $500 nonrefundable fee is $1,100 in year one — budget it like rent.
- Don’t rely on the ESA shortcut. If you genuinely qualify, document properly under F.S. §760.27. If not, falsifying it is a misdemeanor — and landlords in Miami are well trained to spot the online-certificate trick.
- Bringing a dog from a high-risk country? The CDC rule is the long pole in the tent: microchip before vaccination, 6-month minimum age, endorsed foreign-vaccination form. This is the item most international moves start too late.
What most people don’t know
- Miami-Dade’s pit bull ban is dead — but your lease can still ban pit bulls. The 2023 state law only bound government, not private landlords or HOAs. Most renters hear “the ban ended” and learn the hard truth at the application desk.
- A refundable pet deposit is legally a security deposit. Under F.S. §83.49 your landlord must hold it separately and return it within 15 days (full refund) or 30 days (partial) after move-out — the same rules as your main deposit.
- One nonrefundable fee can equal two months of pet rent. At the top of the observed range ($500 fee), you’re paying the equivalent of ~10 months of $50 pet rent up front, and it never comes back. Always compare the total first-year pet cost across buildings, not the monthly number.
- The 2023 “fee in lieu of deposit” law is about the security deposit, not pets. F.S. §83.491 lets landlords offer a nonrefundable fee or surety bond instead of the standard security deposit — don’t confuse it with pet charges.
- Service-animal protections override everything. No deposit, no pet rent, no breed or weight restriction, no no-pet policy may be applied to an approved assistance animal — lease and condo rules included.
Frequently asked questions
Can my landlord in Miami ban my dog’s breed?
Yes. Private landlords and condo/HOA associations may legally restrict or ban breeds in leases and declarations — Florida law only ended government breed-specific rules in 2023. The usual banned list includes pit bull types, Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd, Akita, and Chow Chow. Only approved assistance animals are exempt.
Can I be charged a pet deposit for an emotional support animal in Florida?
No. Under F.S. §760.27, no extra compensation — no pet deposit, pet rent, or fees — may be charged for an ESA kept as a reasonable accommodation. The housing provider may request reliable documentation from a practitioner with personal knowledge of your disability, but may not demand diagnosis details or a specific form.
Is the pet fee I paid refundable when I move out?
Usually not. One-time pet fees in Miami ($100–$500) are almost always nonrefundable — check the pet addendum for the exact wording. A pet deposit ($200–$500) is refundable and treated like a security deposit under F.S. §83.49.
What’s the real process for bringing my dog from Colombia to Miami?
The CDC rule applies: your dog must be at least 6 months old, microchipped (ISO chip before the rabies shot), and you’ll file the CDC Dog Import Form. Because Colombia is high-rabies-risk, you additionally need a Certification of Foreign-Rabies Vaccination and Microchip endorsed by an official government veterinarian, must arrive through a CDC-registered animal care facility airport, and may need a rabies serology titer or face quarantine. Start months early.
Yara Coker — SETTLE, relocation services in Miami.
