Quick answer
To get an ESA letter in Colorado, you need an evaluation by a licensed mental health professional who can practice in Colorado. Colorado requires mental health licensees and nurses to have met the patient in person before writing an assistance animal finding, and its 2026 law presumes that allowing an ESA is a reasonable accommodation. Most evaluations finish within a few days.
Key points
- Colorado has a state law on ESA documentation: C.R.S. §§ 12-240-144, 12-245-229, 12-255-133 (relocated by Laws 2019, ch. 136).
- Your clinician must be licensed to practice in Colorado.
- Colorado law covers untrained support animals independently of HUD.
- Pet ESA Service: $89 one time, 100% back if not approved.
Colorado ESA rules at a glance
This summary reflects Colorado law and federal guidance as of October 8, 2026. Rules change, so check the linked sources before relying on them for a dispute.
| Topic | Colorado |
|---|---|
| State ESA documentation law | Yes. C.R.S. §§ 12-240-144, 12-245-229, 12-255-133 (relocated by Laws 2019, ch. 136); § 18-13-107.3 (Laws 2016, ch. 309); HB26-1045 (Session Laws 2026, ch. 202, signed May 28, 2026, eff. Aug. 12, 2026) amending §§ 24-34-301, 24-34-501, 24-34-502, 24-34-502.2 |
| Clinician licensing | Licensed to practice in Colorado, where you will be during the evaluation |
| Relationship or waiting period | No state waiting period found |
| Untrained support animals under state law | Covered by state law independently of HUD (see below) |
| Pet fees for assistance animals | No state statute found; see the fees section below |
| Fair housing agency | Colorado Civil Rights Division |
| Pet ESA Service price | $89 one pet, $109 two pets, $79 renewal, $99 PSD |
What Colorado law requires for an ESA letter
A Colorado licensee asked for an assistance animal finding must make a written finding on disability and disability related need (or that information is insufficient) and may do so only if sufficiently familiar with the patient and qualified; mental health licensees and nurses must have met the patient in person, while physicians may meet in person or by telemedicine. HB26-1045 (effective Aug. 12, 2026) presumes that permitting an assistance animal, including an ESA, is a reasonable accommodation once the housing provider has had a chance at an interactive process, allows reasonable documentation only when disability or need is not obvious, and says the mere presence of the animal is not a direct threat. Intentional misrepresentation of entitlement to an assistance animal in housing, after a prior warning, is a civil infraction with fines from $25 to $500.
Source: C.R.S. §§ 12-240-144, 12-245-229, 12-255-133 (relocated by Laws 2019, ch. 136); § 18-13-107.3 (Laws 2016, ch. 309); HB26-1045 (Session Laws 2026, ch. 202, signed May 28, 2026, eff. Aug. 12, 2026) amending §§ 24-34-301, 24-34-501, 24-34-502, 24-34-502.2. Read the source.
How HUD's 2026 change affects Colorado renters
On May 22, 2026, HUD's fair housing office announced it will find reasonable cause in animal accommodation complaints only when the animal is individually trained to perform disability related tasks, and it withdrew its older ESA guidance. The Fair Housing Act itself, HUD's regulation at 24 CFR 100.204 and your right to bring a private lawsuit within two years did not change.
Colorado renters have an extra layer of protection: HB26-1045 adds CADA definitions: 'assistance animal' includes emotional support animals and service animals, and an ESA is an animal that provides solely emotional support to alleviate a symptom or effect of a disability (C.R.S. § 24-34-301(2.5), (8.5)).
If your dog is trained to perform tasks, a psychiatric service dog evaluation may suit you better, because trained animals keep HUD's presumption of reasonableness.
How to get an ESA letter in Colorado
Start with the free assessment. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Choose your evaluation, pay once through Stripe, and a licensed mental health professional who can practice in Colorado reviews your answers and talks with you by phone or video when Colorado rules or their judgment call for it.
Colorado requires counselors, social workers and nurses to have met you in person before writing an assistance animal finding, while physicians may use telemedicine. Timing depends on the clinician you are matched with.
Your letter lists the clinician's license number, type, issuing state and effective date, so a landlord can check it on the state licensing board website. If your completed assessment is not approved, you receive a 100% refund.
Before you order in Colorado: Colorado requires counselors, social workers and nurses to have met you in person before writing an assistance animal finding. Ask us which clinician is available for Colorado before you pay.
ESA letter cost in Colorado
Pet ESA Service charges the same one time price in Colorado as everywhere else: $89 for one pet, $109 for two, $129 for three and $149 for four. Renewal evaluations are $79 and psychiatric service dog evaluations are $99. There is no subscription, no rush fee and no charge for landlord verification. See the pricing page for what each evaluation includes.
Be cautious of "free ESA letter" offers and instant certificates sold to Colorado residents. A registry listing or ID card is not clinical documentation, and several states say landlords may reject them.
Pet fees and deposits for ESAs in Colorado
Colorado has no statute that specifically bars pet fees for assistance animals. Federally, two court decisions held that waiving a pet fee is not always required as a reasonable accommodation, and HUD cited one of them in 2026. Ask for any fee in writing and check your lease, and contact a local fair housing organization if a fee seems designed to discourage your request.
Where to get help in Colorado
If a housing provider denies a reasonable request, you can contact the Colorado Civil Rights Division about filing a complaint under state law, consult a local fair housing organization, or speak with an attorney about a private Fair Housing Act claim, which generally must be filed within two years.
Keep copies of your request, your letter and every reply. Our guides on talking to your landlord and what landlords can ask walk through each step.
Questions Colorado renters ask most
People in Colorado often search for an ESA letter online, the cost, and whether a letter can be same day. You can complete the evaluation online with a clinician who can practice in Colorado. Same day documentation is rarely appropriate, because a real evaluation comes first. Templates, free PDFs and registrations do not replace an evaluation and are easy for a landlord to reject.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get an ESA letter online in Colorado?
Yes. A licensed mental health professional who can practice in Colorado can evaluate you by telehealth. In Colorado, counselors, social workers and nurses must have met you in person, while physicians may use telemedicine. The letter is issued only if the clinician finds an ESA clinically appropriate.
How long does an ESA letter take in Colorado?
Colorado requires counselors, social workers and nurses to have met you in person before writing an assistance animal finding, while physicians may use telemedicine. Timing depends on the clinician you are matched with.
Can a Colorado landlord charge pet rent for an ESA?
Colorado has no statute banning pet fees for assistance animals. Federal courts have split on whether a fee must be waived, so ask for any fee in writing and seek local fair housing advice if it seems excessive.
Is there an ESA registry in Colorado?
No. Neither Colorado nor the federal government runs an ESA registry. Registration and certificate products do not establish a disability related need; a letter from a licensed clinician who evaluated you does.
Do ESA letters expire in Colorado?
Colorado sets no fixed expiration, but many landlords ask for a letter dated within the past year. A $79 renewal evaluation keeps your documentation current.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed October 8, 2026 by the Pet ESA Service editorial team. General information, not legal advice.
Get evaluated in Colorado
A clinician who can practice in Colorado reviews your assessment. $89 one time, 100% back if you are not approved.