5 Pet-Friendly Apartments Near UT Dallas: Pet Rent and Deposits in Richardson

Bringing a dog or cat to an apartment near UT Dallas usually costs $300 to $400 up front plus $0 to $15 a month in pet rent, based on the three buildings below that publish their pet fees right now. Marquis at Waterview is the standout: a one-time $400 fee, no monthly pet rent and no pet deposit. Here are five pet-friendly apartments near UT Dallas, what each one charges, and who each fits.

 

Key Takeaways

• Marquis at Waterview charges no monthly pet rent at all (one-time $400, then $600 for a second pet). Its dog breed list is long, though.
• MAA's two buildings near campus run $300 to $400 at move-in plus $15 a month, and MAA says it has no breed or weight limits.
• Our "first-year pet cost" math: about $400 at Marquis, $480 at MAA Market Center, $580 at MAA Highlands North, for one pet.
• Richardson dropped annual city pet registration. You just need a microchip (the city shelter does it for $15) and a current rabies shot.
• Service animals and emotional support animals are a different category, and they generally can't be charged pet fees under fair housing rules.

 

How We Picked These

Every building here shows up as pet-friendly on FMP's UT Dallas off-campus housing page, which lists 58 pet-friendly places right now. We kept the ones within about a 40-minute walk of campus and then checked each building's published pet terms in November 2026. Every pick also scores 4.2 or higher on FMP, because a cheap pet fee doesn't fix a bad landlord. Where a building doesn't publish pet fees, we say so instead of guessing.

One quick reality check: almost nothing near UTD is a short walk. The closest rated place, Parkside Towns, is 24 minutes on foot. (If commuting is your bigger worry, read our UT Dallas DART commute guide first.)

 

1. Marquis at Waterview: No Monthly Pet Rent

Best for: cat owners and anyone with a dog not on the breed list. Marquis at Waterview sits at 800 W Renner Rd, a 30-minute walk or 6-minute drive from UTD, with units listing from $1,199 and a 4.2 FMP score.

The pet terms are the best we found. A $400 non-refundable fee covers one pet, a second pet adds $600, and the property's listing says flat out that there's no pet deposit and no monthly pet rent. There's no weight limit either.

The catch is breeds. Marquis lists American Bulldogs, Staffordshire Terriers, Chow Chows, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, Presa Canarios and Rottweilers (and mixes) as restricted. Got a German Shepherd? Skip to number two.

 

2. MAA Highlands North: Big Dogs Welcome

Best for: owners of larger or "restricted" breeds. MAA Highlands North on Lauder Lane lists from $814 on FMP, scores a perfect 5.0, and sits about a 35-minute walk from campus.

MAA's published schedule here: $400 at move-in for one pet ($800 for two), plus $15 a month ($30 for two). The community advertises a dog park with no size or breed restrictions, and MAA's company-wide policy caps you at two pets.

First-year cost with one dog comes to about $580. Not the cheapest. But if your dog is a 90-pound shepherd mix, this is one of the few places that won't make you argue about it.

 

3. MAA Market Center: Cheapest MAA Option

Best for: dog owners who want the lowest move-in pet fee. MAA Market Center is at 3825 Mapleshade Ln, north of campus in Plano, with a 4.4 FMP score, a 35-minute walk, and units from $1,198.

Pet fee: $300 for one, $600 for two. Pet rent is $15 a month per the leasing table ($30 for two). It has two bark parks, and the property says all sizes and breeds are welcome.

That works out to roughly $480 for your first year with one pet. Honestly the best all-around pet deal on this list if you don't qualify for Marquis.

 

4. Parkside Towns: The Shortest Walk

Best for: three or four roommates sharing one very lucky dog. Parkside Towns, tucked onto Hibiscus Avenue, is the closest rated place to UTD on FMP. Twenty-four minutes on foot. Five by car. Perfect 5.0.

Here's the gap: FMP shows it as pet-friendly, yet nobody has posted the pet fees, and the townhomes start at $2,475 (group rent, basically). Before touring, phone the office. Ask for the move-in pet fee, the monthly pet rent, and whether your breed is OK.

 

5. The James at Canyon Creek: Top-Rated, Ask About Fees

Best for: people who'd happily pay $15 more a month for a landlord who answers the phone. The James at Canyon Creek (Greenside Drive, 33 minutes on foot) carries a 5.0 on FMP and lists from $1,362.

FMP marks it pet-friendly, but there's no published pet fee schedule we could verify. Get the numbers in writing before you apply. A building that won't put pet rent on paper is a building that might change it at renewal.

 

What Richardson Requires From Pet Owners

Less than it used to. The City of Richardson Animal Services page says annual city registration is no longer required. What you do need: a microchip, once. Texas law separately makes rabies shots mandatory for every dog and cat past 4 months.

Cheapest microchip in town? The city shelter on Columbia Drive, $15, appointment only. And grab your vet records early, since nearly every leasing office we've seen asks for them at move-in.

 

Pet Rent vs Pet Deposit vs Pet Fee

People mix these up all the time. Don't. The fee is paid once and gone (all three buildings with posted terms use one). Pet rent never stops: $15 a month is $180 a year, $360 over a two-year stay. A deposit is the only one you might get back, and none of those three charges it.

Got a documented service or emotional support animal? Different rules. Under fair housing law a landlord generally can't hit you with pet fees, pet rent or a pet deposit for it (Marquis even carves support animals out of its breed list). Real damage is still on you.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Pets Near UT Dallas

How much is pet rent near UT Dallas?

$0 to $15 a month for one pet at the buildings we checked. Marquis at Waterview charges no monthly pet rent, while MAA Highlands North and MAA Market Center charge $15 for one pet and $30 for two.

Do Richardson apartments charge a pet deposit?

Not at the three buildings with posted terms. Marquis states plainly that it requires no pet deposit, and the MAA leasing tables only show a move-in fee plus pet rent. Fees do change, so read the pet addendum before you sign it.

Which apartments near UTD allow big dogs?

MAA Highlands North and MAA Market Center. Both advertise dog parks open to all sizes and breeds, and MAA's pet policy lists no breed or weight limits.

What is the cheapest pet-friendly apartment near UT Dallas?

MAA Highlands North, on base rent. It lists from $814 on FMP right now, the lowest starting price of the five buildings here. Add $400 at move-in and $15 a month for one pet, and it still comes in under the others for most budgets.