How Much Does an ESA Letter Cost in Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo, and What Do Ohio Renters Pay Without One?

Since May 22, 2026, an ESA letter in Ohio no longer waives those fees automatically. HUD now finds cause on pet-fee complaints only when the animal is individually trained. The Fair Housing Act and Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4112 still require landlords to consider your written request. Our guide to Ohio ESA laws covers the statute.
This guide compares the letter's cost with a year of pet fees and explains how to request a waiver now. It then breaks down pet fees in Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo, where to complain, and local FAQs.

What does an ESA letter cost in Ohio compared with a year of pet fees?

In Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo, a letter usually costs less than a year of pet fees, if the waiver is granted.

The going rate for an online Ohio letter

The range above covers online providers; the price depends mainly on whether a live consultation is included. Seeing a local therapist over several sessions can run $150 to $300 or more.

How one year of pet fees adds up

A one-time pet charge plus 12 months of pet rent comes to roughly $450 to $770 across the three cities. Toledo sits at the low end and Columbus at the high end. Pet rent never comes back, and newer Ohio buildings usually make the one-time charge nonrefundable.

Can Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo renters still get pet fees waived for an ESA?

Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo renters can still request a pet-fee waiver, but it is no longer automatic. A RealESALetter.com letter documents the disability-related need that a request under ORC Chapter 4112 and the FHA must show. You still pay for any real damage the animal causes.
HUD withdrew its 2013 and 2020 assistance-animal guidance in September 2025. Its May 22, 2026 memo limits federal cause findings to individually trained animals. Ohio law and your right to sue were not changed.

What a landlord in these cities can charge

A Columbus, Cleveland or Toledo landlord can:

• Collect the normal security deposit every tenant pays
• Deduct from it for actual damage the ESA causes
• Ask for documentation from a clinician who evaluated you
• Weigh each fee-waiver request on its own facts

What they still cannot do

A Columbus, Cleveland or Toledo landlord cannot:

• Refuse to consider a written accommodation request
• Retaliate because you made one
• Charge you a higher security deposit than other tenants

Every RealESALetter.com letter lists the clinician's Ohio license number, which landlords weigh under 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B). For the full 2026 change, see whether a landlord can charge a pet deposit for an ESA.

Columbus: what do renters pay in pet fees, and what changes with an ESA?

Columbus leads Ohio's big metros on pet rent, with one-time pet fees near $300–$350; an ESA request can cover both.

Pet fees and pet rent in Columbus leases

Market analysts tie the higher pet rent to the city's young professionals and Ohio State students. Many newer Columbus buildings charge a nonrefundable pet fee rather than a deposit. Check which one your lease uses, because a nonrefundable fee never comes back at move-out.

Large managers and online pet screening

Many large Columbus property managers send every applicant through an online pet-screening portal. Pet owners usually pay about $25–$30 per pet profile. Assistance-animal requests on the same portals are typically free, so choose that path and upload your ESA letter in Columbus there.

Cleveland: what do renters pay in pet fees, and what changes with an ESA?

Pet fees and pet rent in Cleveland leases

Cleveland's fees are the most moderate of Ohio's three largest markets. Older buildings may still use a refundable pet deposit instead of a fee. Once you have an ESA letter in Cleveland, ask in writing for both charges to come off the lease.

CMHA units and assistance-animal requests

Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) residents ask the housing authority, not a building manager, for the accommodation. Put the request in writing and keep a copy of CMHA's reply.

Toledo: what do renters pay in pet fees, and what changes with an ESA?

Toledo listings show pet deposits of $150–$300 and pet rent of $25–$30 a month; an ESA request can cover both.

Pet deposits and pet rent in Toledo leases

Those figures come from listings in one Toledo ZIP code, so treat them as a guide. A typical year runs about $450 to $660 in deposit and pet rent. Send your ESA letter in Toledo before signing a lease or renewal, so the request is decided first.

Toledo dog ordinances and ESA owners

Toledo once limited households to one pit bull, a cap the Ohio Supreme Court upheld in 2007. That cap has since been repealed, and Ohio stopped labeling dogs vicious by breed in 2012. A landlord's own breed list is separate, and an ESA exception to it is now decided case by case.

Where do you complain in Columbus, Cleveland or Toledo if a landlord still charges pet fees?

Start with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission or your city's fair housing office; HUD now finds cause only for trained animals.

Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo offices

Each office below takes disability complaints, including a refused fee-waiver request.

State and federal options

You can also sue within 1 year under Ohio law or 2 years under the Fair Housing Act. Filing with an agency can affect a later lawsuit, so get free advice first. Try the Legal Aid Society of Southeast and Central Ohio, the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland or Legal Aid of Western Ohio in Toledo.

Conclusion

Pet fees vary across Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo, and since May 2026 a waiver depends on your written request. Ohio law and the Fair Housing Act still require landlords to consider it. Put the request in writing before you sign or renew. If an animal helps you manage a mental health condition, check whether you qualify for an ESA.