How to Register an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)

Strictly speaking, you do not register a dog as an emotional support animal. There is no official, government or Fair Housing Act registry for ESAs. What actually gives your dog legal standing is an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional, which you then use to request a reasonable accommodation from your landlord. The letter itself usually takes a short online assessment plus a consultation, and many services say you can receive it within 24 to 48 hours of approval.

• A qualifying mental or emotional condition, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, phobias, personality disorders or schizophrenia.
• A consultation with a licensed mental health professional (therapist, psychiatrist, licensed counsellor or doctor) licensed in your state.
• An ESA letter on the provider's letterhead, signed and dated, showing their licence type, licence number, jurisdiction and date of issue.
• Your own name and date of birth on the letter, plus confirmation of your qualifying condition (your specific diagnosis does not have to be disclosed).
• Optional extras some companies sell: an ID card, certificate, vest or harness, and a listing in a private database. These do not create legal rights.
• Money, if you use a paid service. Some platforms charge around $65 to $150 for ID kits, and consultation fees vary.

1. Work out whether you qualify. ESAs are for people with a mental or emotional disability, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, phobias, sleep disorders and attention deficit disorder.
2. Decide what you actually need the letter for. If you only want your dog with you at home, you need a housing letter. If you want to fly, note that ESAs lost their protected status on domestic airlines in January 2021, so check the airline's own policy first.
3. If you already see a therapist or counsellor, ask them whether they will write the letter. It should be on their official letterhead, signed and dated, and include their licence number and the date and place their licence was first issued.
4. If you do not have a provider, book an ESA evaluation with a licensed mental health professional in your state. Services such as Pettable, US Service Animals and ESA Registration of America all offer this, and most consultations happen the same day or within 24 hours.
5. Complete the assessment. Pettable, for example, uses a three-minute assessment and then matches you to a professional in your state.
6. Receive your letter, usually within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Keep it somewhere you can find it, since you will need it when you ask your landlord for an accommodation.
7. Give the letter to your landlord or housing provider as part of your reasonable accommodation request under the Fair Housing Act.
8. If you want visible proof for everyday situations, you can optionally buy an ID card, certificate or vest from a registration company. Treat these as accessories, not as legal documents.
9. Renew as needed. ESA letters are generally good for one year and need to be renewed annually.

• There is no official US, Fair Housing Act or government ESA registry. Any company claiming to offer official registration is either operating in bad faith or running a scam. A private database listing has no legal standing.
• The Fair Housing Act is what protects your right to keep an ESA in housing, including pet-free buildings. It also exempts you from pet rent and pet deposits, and landlords must waive breed, size and weight restrictions.
• The letter must come from a licensed mental health practitioner. It needs your name, date of birth and confirmation of a qualifying condition, but it should not disclose your specific diagnosis.
• Some states require an established therapeutic relationship of at least 30 days with your provider before you can get an ESA letter. Rules vary by state.
• ESAs are not service animals. Under the ADA, a service animal is a dog trained to perform a specific task related to a disability. A dog whose mere presence provides comfort is not a service animal, and ESAs do not have public access rights in restaurants, shops or other public places.
• Air travel changed in January 2021. The US Department of Transportation removed ESAs as a protected class on domestic airlines, and carriers including American, Delta, JetBlue, Frontier, United and Alaska have banned them from flying free of charge. Each airline sets its own policy, so check before booking. To travel with an assistance animal, it generally needs to be a psychiatric service dog.
• There is no size limit for ESAs. Size discrimination is not allowed for service dogs or ESAs.
• If a company denies your letter or your landlord rejects it, some services offer a full refund of the consultation payment. Check the refund policy before you pay.
• If your FHA or ADA rights are violated, some registration companies offer access to a legal support team.

Do I need to register my dog in an official database? No. There is no official, governmental or FHA registry for emotional support animals, and registration is not required. You only need a valid ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional.

Who can write my ESA letter? A licensed mental health professional such as a therapist, psychiatrist, licensed counsellor or doctor. The letter must be on their letterhead with their licence type, number, jurisdiction, date and signature.

Can my ESA fly with me in the cabin for free? Not as a protected right. Since January 2021, ESAs are no longer protected under the Air Carrier Access Act on domestic flights, and it is up to each airline to decide. Many major US airlines have banned them from flying free of charge.

Can my landlord refuse my ESA or charge pet fees? Under the Fair Housing Act, landlords must provide a reasonable accommodation for a valid ESA letter, including waiving breed, size and weight restrictions and pet fees. If your letter is denied, some services will refund your consultation fee.

Does my ESA need special training? No. Emotional support animals do not need specialised training or certification. That is one of the main differences between an ESA and a service dog, which must be trained to perform a specific task related to a disability.