Emotional support animals (ESAs) are animals that alleviate symptoms of an emotional or mental health disability through their companionship. ESAs are a vital part of an individual’s treatment plan and help ensure they can go about their day-to-day life without being significantly hindered by their condition.
If you’re considering an ESA for your own disability, it’s important you’re familiar with what exactly an ESA is, what legal protections they receive, and most importantly, the emotional support animal registration process. We’ll explain all of this below.
What Is an Emotional Support Animal?
An emotional support animal is an animal that helps alleviate symptoms of a mental health disability through their companionship. They often provide the individual comfort, reassurance, security, and a sense of routine, all of which helps the person navigate everyday challenges.
Any animal can be legally recognized as an ESA, including (but not limited to) dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, mice, birds, and even reptiles like snakes. There are also no breed restrictions or size limits.
What Is the Difference Between an ESA and Service Animal?
Emotional support animals are often mistakenly assumed to be a branch or “category” of service animals. However, this isn’t the case.
ESAs are distinct from service animals for one main reason. Service animals are specifically trained to perform disability-related tasks while ESAs undergo no training and only provide support through their physical presence.
The tasks a service animal performs ultimately depend on the person’s needs and disability. For example, an individual with an anxiety disorder may train their service animal to perform deep pressure therapy, while an individual with diabetes may train their service animal to detect changes in blood sugar levels.
Other disability-related tasks service animals can perform include retrieving medication, finding help, and crowd control. They only need to perform one disability-related task to be legally considered a service animal.
Because of their different roles, service animals and ESAs also have different legal protections.
Service animals are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), among several other federal laws, to ensure they can carry out their trained tasks properly and efficiently. They are permitted entry into public spaces that typically don’t allow pets and can fly on board planes at no additional cost.
Employers must also make reasonable accommodations so that the service animal can stay by their handler’s side in the workplace.
In comparison, emotional support animals have fewer legal protections. They are not recognized by the ADA and are only protected under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which we’ll explain shortly below. Some states, cities, and towns grant additional protections for ESAs, though this isn’t common.
While there are no species restrictions for ESAs, only dogs and miniature horses can be considered service animals under the ADA.
Who Is Eligible for an ESA?
Individuals with a diagnosed, qualifying emotional or mental disability are eligible for an ESA. The condition must be recognized within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Some disabilities that qualify include panic disorder, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
There must also be reasonable evidence that an ESA could help the person better manage the symptoms of their condition. For example, the security and comfort an ESA provides may help an individual with anxiety feel confident enough to visit friends or go to new, unfamiliar places.
In addition, the individual must have space to comfortably accommodate the ESA and be able to meet their care needs (e.g. training, grooming, exercising, and feeding).
What Legal Protections Do ESAs Receive?
Unfortunately, ESAs receive limited legal protections. They are not recognized by the ADA and there aren’t many federal laws in place to protect them.
ESAs used to have the right to fly with their owner at no additional cost, but in 2021 the Department of Transport (DOT) revised the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) to remove ESAs from their definition of “assistance animals.” Due to this, ESAs are now treated as pets by most airlines in the US and are subject to the same restrictions, fees, and expectations.
With that said, ESAs are still protected under the Fair Housing Act. Passed in 1968, the FHA was created to protect individuals against discrimination in the housing industry. It protects characteristics such as race, gender, religion, familial status, and disability. Since ESAs help alleviate symptoms of a disability, the Fair Housing Act protects them also.
ESAs have the right to live in rented accommodation, even if the landlord has a no-pet policy in place. ESAs also can’t be subject to pet fees, pet rent, security deposits, or pet-related restrictions such as breed bans or size limits.
There are a few exceptions to this, though most housing properties must legally accommodate ESAs as long as the animal can reasonably live within the space.
Do keep in mind that ESAs can be removed from the property if they exhibit disruptive behavior, put other tenants in harm’s way, or cause significant property damage. While pets don’t need any training to become an ESA, it’s vital they are still well-trained and know how to behave around others in a respectable manner.
Some states, cities, and towns grant additional legal protections for ESAs on top of the federal laws already in place. For example, in California, employers are required to reasonably accommodate emotional support animals in the workplace under the Fair Housing and Employment Act.
Why Register Your Emotional Support Animal?
While ESA registration isn’t legally mandatory, there are a few good reasons to consider going through the registration process.
First and foremost, when you register your ESA, you’ll receive an ID card that lists information about your rights as well as information about your ESA. This can serve as a reminder of what your rights are as well as prevent unwanted hassle from strangers without having to present your ESA letter.
Your ESA letter, which we’ll explain more on below, contains sensitive information like your diagnosis and your mental healthcare professional’s information. While this is acceptable to present to high authority like your landlord, if you’re just trying to go to an ESA-friendly public space, you may not want to show it to individuals trying to question you.
Another benefit of ESA registration is that it connects you to a network of support who can assist you should you find yourself in ESA-related legal trouble. This can save you a lot of hassle, distress, and confusion which will be well-worth it in the moment.
Emotional Support Animal Registration Process: What to Expect
Registering your emotional support animal is easy. First, you’ll want to navigate to our registration page.
Next, you’ll fill out the given form, which asks about you and your ESA. You’ll want to have documentation like your ESA letter, diagnosis, and ESA information handy, so be sure to get that before you dive into the form.
Then, if there are additional accessories you’d like along with your registration certificate, add those to your order. This part’s optional, but gear like vests, harnesses, collars, or leashes that label your animal as an ESA can go one step further in preventing hassle from strangers.
Finally, check out and wait for your registration package!
Remember, an ESA registration certificate is not the same thing as an ESA letter. You’ll want to obtain your ESA letter before taking on registration – if you don’t have a letter and aren’t sure how to get one, see our instructions below.
How to Obtain an Emotional Support Animal Letter
An ESA letter is a document signed by a practicing licensed mental health professional, or LMHP. LMHPs are most commonly psychologists, but they can include social workers, psychiatrists, counselors, and more.
This letter confirms an individual has a diagnosed emotional or mental health disability and that an ESA is part of their treatment plan for this condition. The letter must be printed on official letterhead and also contain the following:
- LMHP’s medical license type, number, and issue date. Also the name of the state they practice in – this must be the same state that you reside in.
- LMHP’s contact details.
- LMHP’s official signature.
- Practice’s name and contact information.
- Issue date of the ESA letter.
- The species and/or breed of the animal.
To obtain an ESA letter you must request an appointment with an LMHP and undergo an evaluation for your eligibility. The LMHP will usually ask you several questions about your disability and how you feel an ESA will help alleviate your symptoms.
While it can be difficult to talk about your condition, it’s important you advocate for yourself and emphasize your need for an ESA during the consultation. You should try to mention:
- Your disability and the struggles you experience in your day-to-day life because of its symptoms.
- How you feel an ESA will help (or a current pet has helped) mitigate the symptoms of this disability. Try to go into specific details, if possible — you might mention that an ESA will help lessen your panic attacks because of the comfort and sense of security their presence provides.
If you aren’t connected with a mental healthcare professional or need an updated ESA letter, online solutions like Emotionalsupportanimal.com can help. We connect you with an LMHP licensed in your state of residence to see if you qualify for an ESA letter.
Do keep in mind that some states have additional requirements or legislation when it comes to getting an ESA letter. For example, in California you must have a client-provider relationship for at least 30 days with the LMHP that signs the ESA letter for it to be valid.
Are Online ESA Letters Legitimate?
Unfortunately, there are a lot of websites that will offer you an ESA letter for a low price, but they’re too good to be true. These websites will often use mental health professionals that aren’t licensed in your state of residence, or worse, don’t connect you to an LMHP at all.
Here are the biggest red flags to look out for when seeking an ESA letter online:
- No consultation required.
- No evidence of diagnosis required.
- Extremely low price.
- No information on which states the organization has licensed mental healthcare professionals.
- ESA letter is not on official letterhead.
- ESA letter is missing LMHP’s license info, contact information, or other important information.
Getting a legitimate ESA letter will be more expensive, but it will save you lots in fines for misrepresentation and other legal trouble.
Emotional Support Animal Registration FAQ
We’ve gathered some common questions about emotional support animal registration below. If you have any further questions, do reach out to us directly and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
What Is a Licensed Mental Health Professional?
A licensed mental health professional helps diagnose, treat, and support individuals with emotional or mental disabilities. There are several types of LMHPs, each better suited to certain needs than others. Some examples include psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, and counselors.
Do ESA Letters Expire?
ESA letters do not have an expiration date. However, it’s good practice to renew your letter if it’s over a year old, there has been a change in your circumstances, or the LMHP who provided the letter has retired or moved away. You will also need to get a new ESA letter if you have moved to a different state.
Does an ESA Letter Need to Mention My Disability?
Understandably, you may not want to share what disability you have with your landlord, employer, or whoever else would need to see your ESA letter. However, rest assured that an ESA letter does not need to explain what your disability is in specific detail — the letter just needs to broadly say that an ESA helps mitigate the symptoms of a disability you have.
Can I Have Multiple ESAs?
Yes, there are no federal laws that limit how many emotional support animals you can have. However, when obtaining your ESA letter you will need to specify to the LMHP that you require multiple ESAs and what species they are.
Do I Need to Identify My ESA?
While there are several websites online advertising ESA-identifying apparel, there is no legal requirement to identify your ESA. The only “identification” you need is an ESA letter. With that said, you can buy apparel for your ESA if you feel it will be beneficial in your day-to-day life and better convey your animal’s role to others in your social circle.
Registering an Emotional Support Animal
An emotional or mental disability can make it difficult to achieve your long-term goals, keep up a routine, and fulfill your everyday responsibilities. However, for many individuals, an emotional support animal helps alleviate symptoms and allows them to lead a fulfilling, independent life.
If you qualify for an ESA, rest assured that the emotional support animal registration process is simple and fairly quick. Once you obtain an ESA letter, you will be granted additional protections, such as the ability to live with your ESA in places that typically don’t allow animals.