Operative Text
(1) "Housing accommodation" means any real property or portion of real property that is used or occupied or is intended, arranged, or designed to be used or occupied as the home, residence, or sleeping place of one or more human beings. The term does not include any single-family residence the occupants of which furnish for compensation not more than one room within the residence. (2) "Service animal" means a dog or miniature horse individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. The term does not include an emotional support animal.
Mont. Code Ann. § 49-4-203 establishes two key definitions that apply to Montana's housing discrimination framework. A 'housing accommodation' covers virtually any real property used or intended as a home or sleeping place, but carves out single-family residences where the occupants rent out no more than one room. A 'service animal' is defined narrowly as a dog or miniature horse individually trained to assist a person with a disability, explicitly excluding emotional support animals from this classification.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mont. Code Ann. § 49-4-203, property owners and managers should understand that the 'housing accommodation' definition is broad, covering most residential rental properties, though a single-family home where the resident rents out only one room to a paying guest falls outside its scope. The 'service animal' definition is limited to trained dogs and miniature horses that assist individuals with disabilities — emotional support animals do not qualify under this provision. Operators who apply these definitions consistently when evaluating accommodation requests and rental policies are generally acting in alignment with the statute's framework.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mont. Code Ann. § 49-4-203 defines the types of properties and animals that fall under Montana's housing protections, which directly affects tenants' rights in rental situations. If a tenant lives in a covered 'housing accommodation,' the broader anti-discrimination provisions tied to these definitions may apply to their tenancy. Tenants who believe their housing situation or service animal rights are being mischaracterized under these definitions may find it useful to consult a tenant-rights organization or review the full statutory framework to understand available enforcement paths.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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