Maryland Assistance-Animal Accommodation Request and Decision Packet
MARYLAND ASSISTANCE-ANIMAL ACCOMMODATION REQUEST AND DECISION PACKET
MARYLAND OVERLAY
Md. Code, State Gov't § 20-706(b)(4) prohibits refusing a reasonable accommodation in housing rules, policies, practices, or services when it may be necessary for equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling. The current section separately defines a service dog as a dog individually trained to do disability-related work or tasks and excludes a dog that provides only emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship.
Section 20-706(d)'s express lease no-dog exception and no-additional-rent-or-fee provisions apply to a service dog or retained former service dog described by the statute. Do not automatically extend those specific provisions to an untrained emotional-support animal, and do not automatically deny an ESA request: analyze the broader state and federal reasonable-accommodation provisions and any controlling program or local law.
REQUEST
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Tenant / applicant | [________________________________] |
| Housing provider / property | [________________________________] |
| Request date | [__/__/____] |
| Animal / species | [________________________________] |
| Requested policy, fee, or condition change | [________________________________] |
Animal classification:
☐ Dog individually trained to perform disability-related work or tasks
☐ Untrained emotional-support animal
☐ Classification requires further facts or counsel review
Disability-related limitation, without diagnosis: [________________________________]
Why the requested accommodation may be necessary: [________________________________]
Reliable supporting information attached, if reasonably needed: [________________________________]
Requester signature: ______________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
PROVIDER DECISION RECORD
☐ § 20-706 service-dog definition applied only to a qualifying trained dog
☐ Broader reasonable-accommodation route separately reviewed
☐ Fee or no-dog treatment tied to the correct statutory route
☐ Disability-related need and animal role evaluated from current facts
☐ Alternatives and any individualized limitation considered
Decision: ☐ Approve ☐ Alternative ☐ Request limited information ☐ Deny ☐ Counsel review
Reasons and authority: [____________________________________________________________]
SOURCES AND REFERENCES
About this template
- Last updated
- July 26, 2026
- Citations checked
- July 26, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Maryland
- Category
- Landlord & Tenant
Legal authority
- Md. Code, State Gov't § 20-706 (housing disability accommodations and service-dog provisions)
- 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B); 24 C.F.R. § 100.204
Landlord-tenant paperwork governs who can stay in a property, on what terms, and what happens when something goes wrong. Leases, notices to quit, security deposit demands, and habitability complaints all have state and often city-specific requirements for timing, content, and service. Getting the paperwork right is what makes an eviction actually succeed or a security deposit actually come back, because judges regularly dismiss cases over small procedural mistakes.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on July 26, 2026.
Draft your Maryland Assistance-Animal Accommodation Request and Decision Packet in the editor
Answer a few questions, let the AI editor draft each section from your answers, review it, and download Word and PDF. $99 one time, or $249 per month for every document and every Ezel app.