Emotional support dogs: ESA letters, breed rules and state laws

What is an emotional support dog?

An emotional support dog is a dog that helps a person with a disability through its presence, easing symptoms such as anxiety, low mood or isolation. It does not need special training, a vest or a registration. What makes it an ESA is a letter from a licensed clinician who has evaluated you.

Dogs are a popular choice, partly because walks and daily care give structure to people living with anxiety, depression or PTSD. Our articles on ESAs for anxiety and depression explain how that support works.

How do you get an ESA letter for a dog?

You complete a free assessment, choose your evaluation, and a licensed mental health professional licensed in your state reviews your answers. They connect with you by phone or video when your state's rules or their judgment call for it. If documentation is clinically appropriate, you receive a signed PDF letter by email, and Pet ESA Service helps your housing provider verify it at no extra charge.

A letter for an ESA dog includes the clinician's name, credentials, license number, issuing state and license type, the date, a statement of your disability related need without your diagnosis, the dog it covers, and contact details for verification. You can see the format on our sample letter page.

What are the California and Arkansas rules for emotional support dogs?

Two states have laws written specifically for emotional support dogs. Both require a relationship period before a clinician can document your need, which adds at least a month to the process.

Louisiana and Montana have 30 day rules too, but theirs apply to support animals of any species. Arkansas also passed Act 819 in 2025, which lets private property owners ban ESAs unless the federal Fair Housing Act or other federal law prohibits it. Check your state's rules before you start.

Can a landlord enforce breed or size restrictions on an ESA dog?

This is the area that changed most in 2026. HUD's 2013 notice, FHEO-2013-01, said breed, size and weight limits may not be applied to an assistance animal. That notice was withdrawn in September 2025, and HUD's May 22, 2026 memo says federal enforcement no longer treats requests for untrained ESAs as presumptively reasonable, so federal policy no longer pushes landlords to waive breed or size rules for ESA dogs.

State law can still require a closer look. Maryland's Commission on Civil Rights said in September 2026 guidance that rejecting an ESA based solely on species or breed is generally evidence of discrimination, and that a direct threat must be based on the specific animal rather than stereotypes. Colorado's HB26-1045 presumes that permitting an assistance animal, including an ESA, is a reasonable accommodation.

For trained service dogs, the ADA rule is clearer. Municipalities with breed bans must make an exception for a service animal, and a service animal cannot be excluded based on assumptions about its breed.

What is the difference between an ESA dog and a psychiatric service dog?

Training is the dividing line. A psychiatric service dog is individually trained to do work or perform tasks related to a mental health disability, such as calming a person during an anxiety attack or reminding them to take medication. An ESA dog helps by being with you, which the ADA does not count as a task.

That difference shapes where the dog can go. A PSD generally has public access under the ADA, flies as a service animal using the DOT form and, under HUD's 2026 memo, has presumptively reasonable housing requests. An ESA dog has no public access, flies as a pet and relies more on state law for housing. Learn more about psychiatric service dogs.

What behavior is expected of an emotional support dog?

An ESA letter does not excuse problem behavior. Housing providers can generally deny or end an accommodation for a specific animal that poses a direct threat, causes substantial damage or seriously disturbs neighbors, and you remain responsible for any damage your dog causes. A few habits keep things smooth:

• Keep your dog housebroken and under control in shared spaces.
• Follow leash, licensing and vaccination rules where you live.
• Address barking or destructive behavior early, with training if needed.
• Clean up after your dog in common areas.
• Never put a service dog vest on an ESA or call it a service dog. California and Arkansas impose civil penalties for selling or representing an ESA dog as a service dog, and California makes fraudulently claiming a service dog a misdemeanor.

Ready to document your dog?

If your dog helps you manage a mental health condition, the free assessment takes about 5 to 10 minutes. A single pet evaluation is $89, two pets are $109, and you get a full refund if the clinician does not approve your completed assessment. In California and Arkansas, your clinician follows the 30 day rule for dogs before issuing a letter.