Assistance Dogs In Public
N.J.S.A. 10:5-29 — full and equal enjoyment of public facilities, and no pet rule in housing
In New Jersey, a person with a disability accompanied by a service or guide dog trained by a recognized training agency or school is entitled, with the dog, to the full and equal enjoyment, advantages, facilities and privileges of all public facilities.
- The person keeps the dog in immediate custody at all times.
- No extra fee or payment may be charged for admission to or use of a public facility.
- The person is liable for any damage the dog does to the premises.
Housing, and the no-pets clause. A person with a disability who has a service or guide dog, or keeps a retired one as a pet, is entitled to full and equal access to all housing accommodations, may not be charged extra for the dog, and is liable for damage it does. A lease provision prohibiting pets does not apply to a working or retired service or guide dog owned by a tenant with a disability.
Trainers. A service or guide dog trainer, while actually training, has the same rights of access to public facilities, and the same responsibilities, as a person with a disability.
Interference and pretending. A person who intentionally interferes with the rights of a person with a disability accompanied by a guide or service dog, or with the dog's ability to function, or who puts a guide dog harness on an untrained dog to pass it off as a guide dog, is fined not less than $100 and not more than $500.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionA landlord's no-pets lease keeps out a service dog | What the law actually doesA no-pets provision does not apply to a working or retired service or guide dog of a tenant with a disability |
| The assumptionA store may charge a cleaning fee for a service dog | What the law actually doesNo extra fee for admission or use, though the owner is liable for damage the dog does |
Emotional support animals, employment, federal disability law and the questions a business may ask are not all on this page. What a particular situation carries is a question for a licensed New Jersey attorney.
Sources for this section (4)
- N.J.S.A. 10:5-29 — Person with a disability; accompaniment by service or guide dog; use of public facilities; liabilities
- N.J.S.A. 10:5-29.2 — Housing accommodations
- N.J.S.A. 10:5-29.3 — Service, guide dog trainer; access to public facilities; responsibilities
- N.J.S.A. 10:5-29.5 — Violations, misrepresentation, interference with disabled persons, guide or service dogs; fine
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New Jersey attorney.