ESA Letter by State: Laws, Timelines and Licensed Clinicians
Every ESA letter we issue is signed by a mental health professional licensed in your state. Choose your state to see how the Fair Housing Act and any state-specific rules apply to you, how long your letter takes, and what renters there pay.
Licensed in all 50 states + DC
30-day states: Arkansas, California, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana require a 30-day client–provider relationship (two consultations) before an ESA letter can be issued. Evaluation begins the day you start; the letter issues after day 30. Every other state and DC: letter typically within 24 to 48 hours of your evaluation.
Southeast 12
West 11
Southwest 4
Northeast & Mid-Atlantic 12
ESA laws by state (2026)
The federal Fair Housing Act applies everywhere. This table shows where states add their own rules, as covered on our state pages. Last reviewed October 24, 2026.
| State | State ESA law | 30-day rule | Where to file a complaint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Ala. Code Title 24, Ch. 8A, Assistance and Service Animal Integrity in Housing Act (2019) | No | HUD (no state agency listed) |
| Alaska | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Alaska State Commission for Human Rights |
| Arizona | A.R.S. § 41-1491.38 (2025) | No | Arizona Attorney General's Office, Civil Rights Division |
| Arkansas | Ark. Code § 20-14-1001 et seq. (Act 268 of 2023) | Yes | Arkansas Fair Housing Commission |
| California | Health & Safety Code § 122318 (AB 468, 2022) | Yes | California Civil Rights Department |
| Colorado | C.R.S. § 12-245-229; misrepresentation, C.R.S. § 18-13-107.3 | No | Colorado Civil Rights Division |
| Connecticut | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities |
| Delaware | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Delaware Division of Human and Civil Rights |
| District of Columbia | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | DC Office of Human Rights |
| Florida | Fla. Stat. § 760.27; misrepresentation, § 817.265 | No | Florida Commission on Human Relations |
| Georgia | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity |
| Hawaii | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Hawaii Civil Rights Commission |
| Idaho | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Idaho Human Rights Commission |
| Illinois | Assistance Animal Integrity Act, 310 ILCS 120 (2020) | No | Illinois Department of Human Rights |
| Indiana | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Indiana Civil Rights Commission |
| Iowa | Iowa Code §§ 216.8B, 216.8C (SF 2268, 2024) | Yes | Iowa Office of Civil Rights (Iowa Civil Rights Commission) |
| Kansas | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Kansas Human Rights Commission |
| Kentucky | KRS 383.085 | No | Kentucky Commission on Human Rights |
| Louisiana | La. R.S. 46:1971 to 46:1979 (Act 558 of 2024) | Yes | Louisiana Department of Justice (Attorney General), Fair Housing Section |
| Maine | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Maine Human Rights Commission |
| Maryland | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Maryland Commission on Civil Rights |
| Massachusetts | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination |
| Michigan | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Michigan Department of Civil Rights |
| Minnesota | Minn. Stat. § 504B.113 | No | Minnesota Department of Human Rights |
| Mississippi | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | HUD (no state agency listed) |
| Missouri | Misrepresentation, RSMo § 209.204 (2020) | No | Missouri Commission on Human Rights |
| Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 70-24-114 (HB 703, 2023) | Yes | Montana Human Rights Bureau |
| Nebraska | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission |
| Nevada | NRS 118.105 | No | Nevada Equal Rights Commission |
| New Hampshire | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights |
| New Jersey | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | New Jersey Division on Civil Rights |
| New Mexico | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | New Mexico Human Rights Bureau (Department of Workforce Solutions) |
| New York | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | New York State Division of Human Rights |
| North Carolina | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | North Carolina Human Relations Commission |
| North Dakota | N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.5 | No | North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights |
| Ohio | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Ohio Civil Rights Commission |
| Oklahoma | 41 O.S. § 113.2 (2018) | No | Oklahoma Attorney General's Office of Civil Rights Enforcement |
| Oregon | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Civil Rights Division |
| Pennsylvania | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission |
| Rhode Island | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights |
| South Carolina | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | South Carolina Human Affairs Commission |
| South Dakota | SDCL §§ 43-32-34 to 43-32-36 (2018) | No | South Dakota Division of Human Rights |
| Tennessee | Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-7-111 | No | Tennessee Human Rights Commission |
| Texas | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division |
| Utah | Misrepresentation, Utah Code § 26B-6-805 | No | Utah Antidiscrimination and Labor Division (Utah Labor Commission) |
| Vermont | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Vermont Human Rights Commission |
| Virginia | Va. Code § 36-96.3:1 | No | Virginia Fair Housing Office (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation) |
| Washington | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | Washington State Human Rights Commission |
| West Virginia | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | West Virginia Human Rights Commission |
| Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § 106.50(2r)(br) | No | Wisconsin Equal Rights Division (Department of Workforce Development) |
| Wyoming | No state ESA statute listed; Fair Housing Act applies | No | HUD (no state agency listed) |
Since May 2026, HUD presumes an animal request is reasonable only when the animal is trained to do disability-related tasks, so state law now does more of the work for emotional support animals. Read what changed at HUD. State laws change, so check the statute or your state agency before relying on this table. General information, not legal advice.
What stays the same in every state
- The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3604) requires housing providers to consider a reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal.
- You can ask for pet deposits, pet rent, pet fees and breed or weight limits to be waived; since May 2026, HUD presumes this only for trained animals.
- A landlord may ask for reliable documentation from a licensed professional, but never your diagnosis.
- ESAs have no public-access or airline rights, those belong to task-trained service dogs.
- Registries, certificates and ID cards have no legal standing anywhere.
Where states add their own rules
- Timelines: five states require a 30-day clinician relationship before a letter issues.
- Clinician licensure: your clinician must be licensed in the state where you live, we match you automatically.
- Verification rights: some states spell out what a housing provider may request and penalize false documentation.
- Enforcement agency: each state page lists where to file a housing-discrimination complaint alongside HUD.