How to Verify Any ESA Letter
Five checks that separate a valid ESA letter from a worthless one, and the red flags that tell you a service skipped the clinical evaluation entirely.
5 Ways to Verify Any ESA Letter
Use this on us, and use it on anyone else you are considering. A letter that will hold up with a landlord passes all five.
A real licensed clinician evaluated you
A named mental health professional reviewed your situation and reached a clinical judgement they are personally accountable for.
ESA Letter US: every letter follows an evaluation by a licensed clinician, and the clinician can decline.
Red flag: "instant approval", a quiz that approves everyone, or no human review at all.
The clinician is licensed in your state
Licensure is state by state. A letter signed by someone licensed elsewhere is the easiest one for a landlord to set aside.
ESA Letter US: we match by state first and print the state of licensure on the letter.
Red flag: a site that never asks where you live, or lists one clinician for the whole country.
Official letterhead with verifiable contact details
Practice name, address, phone, email, license type and license number, which is enough for a housing provider to confirm the professional exists.
ESA Letter US: full letterhead and license number on every letter, always verifiable.
Red flag: a certificate with a registration number, a seal and no way to reach anyone.
A licensed clinician actually reviewed your case
A clinician licensed in your state should have reviewed your situation and made the decision, and you should be able to see who they are.
ESA Letter US: a clinician licensed in your state reviews your assessment, and the decision is documented in their own records.
Red flag: a PDF that arrives minutes after checkout with nobody's name attached to the decision.
A full refund if you are not approved
A provider that lets clinicians make honest decisions refunds you when the evaluation does not support a letter, instead of charging you either way.
ESA Letter US: full refund if you are not approved, and we help answer landlord questions about your letter.
Red flag: "all sales final", or approval promised before anyone has evaluated you.
Sources
- Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604 (Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School)
- HUD and U.S. Department of Justice, Joint Statement on Reasonable Accommodations Under the Fair Housing Act, May 17, 2004
- California Health and Safety Code § 122318 (AB 468, ESA documentation rules)
Laws and agency positions change. We last checked this page against these sources on October 24, 2026. It is general information, not legal advice.