ESA Letter for Housing From a Licensed Therapist in Your State
An ESA letter for housing supports your request to keep your emotional support animal in a no-pets home and to have pet fees, deposits and breed limits waived. Complete a real evaluation with a licensed mental health professional in your state and, if you qualify, get your signed letter within 24 to 48 hours of your evaluation.*
Licensed in all 50 states + DC- Full refund if not approved
- PDF within 24 to 48 hours of evaluation*
- Clinician's license details on every letter
How to Get Your ESA Housing Letter
Three steps, one flat price, and a full refund if a licensed clinician doesn't approve you.
Tell us about your situation
Answer a few questions about your state, your living situation and your animal. It takes about five minutes.
Complete your evaluation
A mental health professional licensed in your state reviews your assessment and decides whether an ESA is right for you.
Download your ESA letter
If you're approved, your signed PDF letter typically arrives within 24 to 48 hours of the evaluation.* Send it to your landlord and keep a copy.
What Your ESA Letter Includes
Every ESA letter we issue includes what a housing provider expects to see:
- Clinician letterhead and license details a landlord can verify.
- A statement of disability-related need, never your diagnosis.
- Your animal's details, including every animal the letter covers.
- The Fair Housing Act citation for a reasonable accommodation request.
- Signature, date and state of licensure.
What an ESA Letter Does for Renters
Under the Fair Housing Act, a landlord must consider your accommodation request. In practice, that means:
Ask for pet rent and deposits to be waived
Your request can ask for pet deposits, pet rent and pet fees to be waived. Whether a landlord must agree now depends on your state and the landlord. You're still responsible for actual damage.
Ask for breed and weight rules to be set aside
Landlords decide case by case, and state law may protect you further than federal enforcement now does.
Apartments, condos, co-ops, HOAs and campus housing
Most rentals, condos, co-ops, HOAs and university housing are covered.
Protection before you sign a lease
You can ask before a lease starts or at any point during a tenancy.
Who Qualifies for an ESA Letter?
You may qualify if a mental or emotional health condition limits your daily life and an animal helps. Clinicians commonly consider:
- Anxiety disorders, including generalised and social anxiety
- Depression and persistent low mood
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Panic disorder and phobias
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Chronic stress, grief and adjustment difficulties that affect daily life
The licensed clinician decides. We never promise approval. Any domesticated animal can be an ESA, and no training is required.
What an ESA Letter Does Not Do
An ESA letter covers your home, and nowhere else:
- No airline cabin access. Airlines haven't been required to accept ESAs in the cabin since January 2021.
- No public access. Stores, restaurants and offices don't have to admit an ESA.
- No hotels or short-term rentals. They aren't covered by the Fair Housing Act.
Need a dog that can fly and enter public places? See the PSD letter ($139) or the ESA + PSD combo ($199).
ESA Letter Cost
$99, one time. No subscription. Additional animals are $25 each and renewals are $79. See all prices.
Frequently Asked Questions About ESA Housing Letters
What is an ESA letter for housing?
A signed letter from a licensed mental health professional confirming your disability-related need for an emotional support animal. It is the documentation a landlord may ask for under the Fair Housing Act.
How quickly can I get my ESA housing letter?
Typically within 24 to 48 hours of your evaluation. Arkansas, California, Iowa, Louisiana and Montana require a 30-day client–provider relationship, so letters there issue after day 30. See ESA letter rules by state.
Can a landlord deny my ESA letter for an apartment?
Only in narrow cases, such as a specific animal posing a direct threat or causing substantial damage. A landlord may verify your clinician's license but may not demand your diagnosis. Read what to do if your ESA letter is rejected.
Do I need to register or certify my emotional support animal?
No. There is no official ESA registry in the United States, and certificates, ID cards and vests carry no legal standing. Only a letter from a licensed professional counts.
Get Your ESA Letter for Housing Today
Start the assessment now. A licensed clinician in your state evaluates you, and your ESA letter is $99.
*Arkansas, California, Iowa, Louisiana and Montana require a 30-day client–provider relationship (two consultations) before an ESA letter can be issued. Your evaluation starts right away; the letter issues after day 30. Questions? Email support@esaletterus.org.