A:Answer Are you allowed to install a sattelite dish at an apartment? The short answer is: yes. You are legally allowed to install a satellite dish on a rental unit so long as you don’t damage the rental property or violate any local laws while doing so.
Your right to install a satellite dish is specifically protected by FCC order 98-273, which states that “renters will be able … to install Section 207 reception devices wherever they rent space outside of a building, such as balconies, balcony railings, patios, yards, gardens or any other similar areas.” [1]
The long answer is: maybe. If your landlord is difficult, it might not be quite so simple to install a satellite dish on the premises — especially if doing so could cause any structural damage to the property. The landlord’s rights are also protected by the FCC, which specifies that landlords can place restrictions on the installation of satellite dishes or antennas “as long as the restrictions are reasonable.” [2]