How long does a Queensland landlord have to respond to a tenant's pet request?

14 days from receiving the request. The RTA says the property owner or manager must respond in writing within 14 days of receiving the request. If there is no response in that time, or the response does not meet the requirements, the pet request is automatically approved.

Can a Queensland landlord refuse a pet?

Only on the grounds listed in the law, for example that the property is unsuitable because it lacks appropriate fencing or open space, that the pet would exceed a reasonable number of animals, that it is likely to cause damage that could not practically be repaired for less than the bond, that it would pose an unacceptable risk to health and safety, or that it would contravene a law or a body corporate by-law. The refusal must be in writing and state the ground and the reasons. Simply saying no pets are allowed is not a compliant response and the pet is taken to be approved.

Can a Queensland landlord charge extra rent or a pet bond for approving a pet?

No. The RTA says a condition that requires the tenant to pay more rent or an increased bond is null and void. Reasonable conditions are allowed, such as keeping an outdoor-type pet outside, professional carpet cleaning or professional fumigation at the end of the tenancy. Damage caused by a pet is the tenant's responsibility and is not fair wear and tear.

Does pet approval end when the lease is renewed?

No. The RTA says approval continues for the life of the approved pet, even if the tenancy agreement is renewed or extended, or if the property manager or owner changes. The tenant does not have to apply again for the same pet.

Pet request rules in QLD: the 14-day deadline, the only grounds for refusing, and what approval means

Written for Queensland owners who manage their own rental. Checked against the Residential Tenancies Authority's renting with pets page, its renting with pets fact sheet, its Form 21 page and its pet request response template page on 31 October 2026. Links to the official source are under each section.

The short version. A tenant in an existing tenancy asks to keep a pet on a Request for approval to keep a pet (Form 21). You must respond in writing within 14 days of receiving it, saying whether the request is approved or refused, any conditions of approval, and if you refuse, which of the listed grounds applies and why. You can only refuse on the grounds the law lists. You can attach reasonable conditions, but not extra rent, a bigger bond or penalties. If you do not respond in time, or your response does not meet those requirements, the pet is automatically approved. Approval lasts for the life of the pet and survives a renewal or a change of owner.

What the tenant has to do first

Ask on a Form 21. The RTA says tenants must use the Request for approval to keep a pet in a rental property (Form 21, version v4 dated 1 May 2025) to ask for approval. 1 form per pet. The form is not sent to the RTA; it comes to you.
The form carries a response-by date. Item 6 of the Form 21 is where the tenant writes the date you need to respond by. The RTA tells tenants posting the form to allow time for the mail when they work that date out. Your response is due on or before the item 6 date, and in any case within 14 days of receiving the request.
These rules apply to existing tenancies. The RTA says the framework applies to existing tenancies after 1 October 2022, and that it does not govern the pet process during a rental application. A prospective tenant can still negotiate about a pet before signing.
Working dogs need no approval. A tenant may keep a working dog, which includes guide, hearing and assistance dogs, without your approval. More on that below.

Source: RTA, Form 21 and RTA, Renting with pets fact sheet

Work out your last day to respond

Enter the day the request reached you. If the tenant wrote a response-by date in item 6 of the form, enter that too and the tool uses whichever is earlier.

Day you received the tenant's Form 21 Response-by date written in item 6 of the form (optional)

A date helper, not legal advice. The RTA states the period as 14 days from receiving the request. It does not say whether the day of receipt counts or whether a deadline on a weekend moves, so this tool counts 14 days after the day you received it and does not move a weekend date. Respond earlier if you can; nothing is gained by waiting.

What your written response has to say

In writing, within 14 days. The RTA says you "must respond in writing within 14 days of receiving the request". Email is fine if that is how you and the tenant communicate; keep a copy and note the date you sent it.
Approved or refused. The response must state whether the request is approved or refused.
Conditions, if any. If you approve with conditions, state them. The RTA's template page says a response that does not state adequate reasons, including for its conditions, is treated as approval.
The ground and the reasons, if you refuse. The RTA says you must state the grounds for refusal and the reasons why you believe those grounds apply to this request. The fact sheet puts it this way: "Simply stating that 'no pets are allowed' or their preference of not having a pet at the rental property is not sufficient and will not be a compliant response."
Use the RTA's template. The RTA publishes a Pet request response template for lessors (version v2 dated December 2022). It walks through approved, approved with conditions and refused, with space for the reasons.
Silence is approval. The RTA's wording: if you do not respond within 14 days, or the response does not satisfy these requirements, "the pet request will be automatically approved".

Source: RTA, Renting with pets and RTA, Pet request response template for lessors

The only grounds for refusing a pet

The RTA says a property manager or owner "can only refuse a request to keep a pet for the below reasons". This is the RTA's list, in its words.

"Keeping the pet would exceed a reasonable number of animals being kept at the property."
"The property is unsuitable for keeping the pet because of a lack of appropriate fencing, open space or another item necessary to humanely keep the pet."
"Keeping the pet is likely to cause damage to the property that could not practically be repaired for a cost less than the rental bond for the property."
"Keeping the pet would pose an unacceptable risk to the health and safety of a person, e.g. because the pet is venomous."
"Keeping the pet would contravene a law."
"Keeping the pet would contravene a body corporate by-law, house rule or park rule applying to the property."
"The tenant/resident has not agreed to the reasonable conditions proposed by the property manager/owner to keep the pet."
"The animal stated in the request is not a pet."
"If the property is a moveable dwelling, and keeping the pet would contravene a condition of a licence applying to the property."
"Other grounds prescribed by regulation."

2 things to notice. Ground 3 is measured against the bond: a cat in a carpeted unit is unlikely to meet it, because cleaning or patching a damaged section of carpet usually costs less than 4 weeks rent. And ground 7 means a tenant who will not accept your reasonable conditions can be refused on that basis, so put the conditions in the response rather than refusing outright.

Source: RTA, Renting with pets

Conditions you can attach, and conditions that are void

Conditions must be reasonable and about the pet. The RTA's examples: the pet is kept outside because it is not a type of pet ordinarily kept inside; the carpets are professionally cleaned at the end of the tenancy; the property is professionally fumigated at the end of the tenancy if the pet could carry parasites.
Extra rent or a bigger bond is void. The fact sheet says conditions that contravene other rights and responsibilities or constitute an offence under the Act "will be null and void", and gives the examples of requiring the tenant to pay more rent or an increased bond as security, to buy goods or services from a specific party, or to pay penalties or liquidated damages. The 4-week bond cap applies to all bonds, including anything called a pet bond, which the bond rules page covers.
The tenant has to agree to the conditions. If they do not, ground 7 above applies. Put the conditions in writing in the response and ask for written agreement.
Pet damage is the tenant's. The RTA says any nuisance or damage caused by an approved pet is the tenant's responsibility, and "Pet damage is not considered fair wear and tear at the end of the tenancy." Your entry condition report and dated photos are what make that claim stick.

Source: RTA, Renting with pets fact sheet and RTA, Renting with pets

What approval means afterwards

It lasts for the life of the pet. The RTA says approval "continues for the life of the approved pet, even if the tenancy agreement is renewed or extended, or if the property manager/owner changes." The tenant does not have to seek approval for the same pet again.
A new pet is a new request. The approval is for the animal on the form. A second dog needs a second Form 21 and its own 14 days.
If you buy a property with an approved pet, the approval comes with it. Ask the seller or their agent for the pet request and response along with the tenancy file.
A pet without approval is a breach. The RTA says keeping an animal, other than a working dog, without approval is a significant breach by the tenant. That is a Notice to remedy breach (Form 11) matter, not a reason to refuse a later proper request.

Source: RTA, Renting with pets and RTA, Pet request response template for lessors

Working dogs and body corporate by-laws

Working dogs need no approval. The RTA says different rules apply for working dogs, which includes assistance dogs, guide dogs and hearing dogs, and that a tenant may keep a working dog at the property without the owner's approval. The fact sheet also lists corrective services and police dogs.
Body corporate approval is separate. In a unit or townhouse the tenant may also need approval from the body corporate committee, and the RTA notes that can take longer than your 14 days. The RTA's page says that if your 14 days are ending and the body corporate has not responded, you can refuse the request, and the tenant can reapply with evidence once the body corporate approves. Say that in your response rather than letting the 14 days lapse.
Local laws count too. Council limits on the number or type of animals fall under "would contravene a law".

Source: RTA, Renting with pets and RTA, Renting with pets fact sheet

If the tenant disagrees with your refusal or conditions

RTA dispute resolution first. The RTA's pet flow chart says that if the parties cannot resolve it, the tenant can apply to the RTA's free dispute resolution service. If that settles it, a conciliation agreement is signed. If not, the RTA issues a Notice of unresolved dispute and the tenant can apply to QCAT.
Your written response is your evidence. A refusal that names the ground and explains how it applies to this pet and this property is defensible. A refusal that says "no pets" is not a refusal at all under the rules, so the pet is already approved.
Penalties. The RTA's pages do not state a penalty for an owner who refuses on grounds not in the list. The practical consequence they do state is deemed approval.

Source: RTA, Applying for a pet in a rental property (flow chart) and RTA, Renting with pets fact sheet

The mistakes self-managing landlords make with pet requests

Replying "no pets, sorry" by text. It is not a compliant response, so the pet is approved and you have no conditions attached.
Letting the 14 days slip while you think about it. Same result. If you need time, respond inside the period; approval with conditions can be a better outcome than default approval with none.
Asking for a pet bond or $20 a week extra. Both are void conditions, and the extra bond would also break the 4-week cap.
Relying on a "no pets" clause in the agreement. The RTA says a general no-pets statement or your preference is not a valid refusal reason. The clause does not do the work people think it does.
Refusing because of the body corporate without saying so. Name the by-law ground in writing and tell the tenant they can reapply with body corporate approval.
Asking the tenant to re-apply at renewal. Approval already continues for the life of the pet.
No entry condition report or dated photos. Pet damage is not fair wear and tear, but you can only claim it if you can show the before and after.

The pet response deadline is 1 of about 30 dates you are meant to track

Pet requests, bond lodgement, rent increase dates, inspection windows, smoke alarm tests, notice periods, fixed-term end dates. The free Landlord Minder checklist puts every Queensland date and obligation on 1 page with a link to the official source for each.

Read the free checklist Get reminded before each date

Frequently asked

Is it 14 business days or 14 calendar days?
The RTA states it as 14 days with no business-day wording. Count calendar days, and if day 14 lands on a weekend, respond before it.

The tenant asked by text message, not on a Form 21. Does the 14 days start?
The RTA says tenants must use the Form 21, and its template refers to receiving the request "in the approved form". The safe course is to reply straight away, in writing, asking for the Form 21, and then treat the day the form arrives as day 0. Do not ignore the text.

Can I say yes to a cat but no to a dog?
Each request is for 1 animal and is judged on the listed grounds. If the property has no fenced yard, ground 2 may apply to a large dog and not to an indoor cat. Give the reasons for each.

Can I ask for professional carpet cleaning at the end?
Yes. That is 1 of the RTA's own examples of a reasonable condition, along with fumigation and keeping an outdoor-type pet outside.

The tenant already has the dog and never asked. What now?
Keeping an animal without approval is a breach. You can issue a Notice to remedy breach (Form 11) under the breach notice process. If the tenant then lodges a Form 21, answer it on the listed grounds within 14 days like any other request.

Does the tenant pay for pet damage?
Yes. The RTA says damage caused by a pet is the tenant's responsibility and is not fair wear and tear. You claim it against the bond with your entry report and evidence, within the 14-day evidence rule on the bond rules page.

This page is general information, not legal advice. It summarises public information from the Residential Tenancies Authority and the Queensland Government. Check the linked official source or get professional advice before you act. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Sign up and reply to the welcome email, and it will be fixed.