How to Get an Emotional Support Dog Letter

To make your dog your official emotional support animal, you need to get a signed Emotional Support Animal letter (ESA letter) from a healthcare professional. How do you do this? Its simpler than it may seem! You can get an emotional support dog letter in three easy steps: 

1. Find a licensed healthcare professional who’s qualified to write ESA letters
2. Complete an evaluation to see if an ESA would benefit your mental health
3. Receive your ESA letter and understand how to use it

We will break down each of these steps so you know exactly what to do. 

Step 1: Find a Licensed Healthcare Professional

The first step is finding the right professional who can write an ESA letter that landlords or their lawyers will accept. Not just any healthcare provider can write an ESA letter — it needs to come from a licensed mental health care professional who is qualified to evaluate your mental health and can determine if your ESA would help alleviate your symptoms. Professionals who can write an ESA letter for you include:

• Psychologists
• Psychiatrists
• Licensed counselors
• Licensed clinical social workers
• Mental health nurse practitioners
• Physicians 

Let’s talk about two pathways to connect with a qualified mental health professional:

Option A: Work With Your Current Therapist or Doctor

Already have a mental health professional or a kind doctor in your corner? Great! This is often the smoothest route to an ESA letter.

During your next appointment, bring up how you believe an emotional support animal could help with your specific challenges. Be ready for some thoughtful questions, your provider wants to ensure they’re recommending what’s truly beneficial for you.

Even though your therapist might agree that you’d qualify for an ESA letter, they might not want to write one for you. A lot of providers aren’t familiar with ESA documentation, don’t want the hassle of dealign with your landlord, or in some cases their clinic has a policy that does not allow them to write ESA letters.

Then you turn to option B.

Option B: Use an Online ESA Letter Service

Maybe your therapist can’t write an ESA letter for you or traditional therapy isn’t accessible. Maybe your schedule is packed tighter than a subway car at rush hour, or perhaps in-person appointments trigger your anxiety. Whatever your reason, it is valid. Fair Housing permits certain online services to help you get for an ESA letter.

If you’d like to get an ESA letter online, you can do so here: Ready to get an ESA letter. Here is what you can expect:

• Verifiable credentials: The ESA letter will come from a licensed healthcare professional who has a license number you can look up
• Strong track record: We partner with ESA Doctors because they are the oldest and have the most experience with a decade long track record
• Clear understanding of regulations: If you encounter any problems, we will help support you

Remember, an online evaluation that results in an ESA letter is every bit as legitimate as one obtained while sitting on a therapist’s couch. 

Step 2: Complete an Evaluation

Now comes the heart-to-heart part of the process — having an honest conversation about your mental health needs.

Whether you’re sitting across from your therapist or connecting through a call, the evaluation follows a similar path. You might discuss:

• Your current mental health symptoms and challenges
• How do these challenges impact your daily functioning
• Previous treatments you’ve tried
• How do you believe an emotional support animal could specifically help you

Remember, this isn’t an interrogation — it’s a collaborative exploration. The professional isn’t looking for you to “prove” anything; they’re working to understand if an ESA is genuinely appropriate for your situation.

Some conditions that commonly benefit from emotional support animals include:

• Anxiety disorders (that knot in your chest that won’t unravel)
• Depression (when even small tasks feel mountainous)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (when the past keeps intruding on your present)
• Panic attacks (those moments when your body’s alarm system goes haywire)
• Phobias (fears that limit where you can go and what you can do)

Be prepared to explain how your furry companion helps ground you during anxiety spikes, offers unconditional love on the darkest days, or motivates you to maintain routines when depression makes even getting out of bed feel like climbing Everest.

Step 3: Receive and Use Your ESA Letter

Congratulations! If your mental health professional determines that an emotional support dog would genuinely benefit your condition, you’ll receive that all-important ESA letter.

Your letter should include:

• The mental health professional’s letterhead (their professional “signature line”)
• Their license number and actual signature (proof of legitimacy)
• The date of issue (freshness matters — like milk, these do expire!)
• A statement confirming you have a qualifying condition (without necessarily disclosing private details)
• Their professional recommendation for an emotional support animal

Your ESA letter turns your beloved dog into a recognized emotional support animal with important housing rights. Under the Fair Housing Act, even buildings with strict “no pets allowed” policies have to make reasonable accommodations for your emotional support dog. No more choosing between your mental health and your home address!

Other benefits include:

• Exemption from pet deposits and monthly pet fees 
• Protection from breed and weight restrictions (yes, even for your gentle giant of a dog)

Remember that before moving in with your emotional support dog, you’ll need to share your letter with your landlord and get their sign-off. One other detail that’s easy to miss: ESA letters aren’t lifetime passes. It’s a good idea to get them renewed every year so the mental health professional can back up your letter if your landlord reaches out to verify it. 

Get Your ESA Letter in 3 Easy Steps

Click Here to Get Your ESA Letter

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