Does an ESA letter allow me to keep a pet in a no-pets apartment?

Yes, in most cases. Under the Fair Housing Act, housing providers must grant reasonable accommodation requests for emotional support animals from tenants with disabilities, even if the property has a no-pets policy. The landlord may request documentation from a licensed mental health professional but cannot demand disclosure of your specific diagnosis.

Can a landlord deny an ESA accommodation request?

A landlord may deny an ESA request if the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, would cause substantial physical damage to property, or if the accommodation is unreasonable (e.g., an unusually large animal in a very small space). Owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units and single-family homes sold without a broker may be exempt from FHA.

Is an ESA the same as a service animal?

No. Service animals (under the ADA) are specifically trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities and have broader public access rights. ESAs provide emotional support through companionship and are not required to be trained. ESA rights under the Fair Housing Act are well-established, but ESAs do not have the same public access rights as service animals under the ADA.

Can airlines still require an ESA letter?

No. Since January 2021, the DOT revised its rules to no longer require airlines to accommodate ESAs as service animals. Airlines may treat ESAs as regular pets (subject to pet fees and carrier requirements). Individual airlines may have their own policies, but they are not federally required to provide free ESA accommodations.

Free ESA Letter Template — Fill Out & Download Instantly

Free — No Sign-Up RequiredPDF & WordUpdated April 16, 2026

⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This template is attorney-reviewed and built to US legal standards. It does not substitute for professional legal advice. For complex situations, we recommend consulting a licensed attorney.

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Therapist / Provider Full Name*

Credentials*

e.g., LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PhD, PsyD, MD

License Number*

License State*

Practice Name*

Practice Address*

Practice Phone*

Letter Date*

MM/DD/YYYY

Patient Full Name*

Animal Type*

Animal Name*

Animal Breed*

Mental Health Condition (General Terms)*

Use general clinical terms — e.g., 'anxiety disorder,' 'major depressive disorder,' 'PTSD'

Functional Limitations*

Describe how the disability limits one or more major life activities

Therapeutic Benefit of Animal*

This letter is intended to support a Fair Housing Act (FHA) reasonable accommodation request for housing.

Note: As of 2021, airlines are not required to accommodate ESAs. This checkbox is for informational reference only.

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[Practice Name]

[Practice Address]

Phone: [Practice Phone]

Date: [Letter Date]

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EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL (ESA) LETTER

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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I, [Therapist / Provider Full Name], [Credentials], am a licensed mental health professional in the State of [License State] (License No. [License Number]). I am writing this letter in my professional capacity to confirm that [Patient Full Name] is my patient and is under my ongoing care.

MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION AND FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS

[Patient Full Name] has been diagnosed with a mental health condition: [Mental Health Condition (General Terms)]. This condition is a recognized disability under the Fair Housing Act and related federal statutes.

Functional Limitations:

[Functional Limitations]

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL RECOMMENDATION

I am recommending that [Patient Full Name] be permitted to keep the following emotional support animal as part of their ongoing treatment plan:

Animal Type: [Animal Type]

Animal Name: [Animal Name]

Breed: [Animal Breed]

Therapeutic Benefit:

[Therapeutic Benefit of Animal]

The presence of this emotional support animal is, in my professional judgment, necessary for [Patient Full Name]'s mental health and emotional well-being.

Please do not hesitate to contact my office at [Practice Phone] with any questions regarding this letter.

Sincerely,

_______________________________________

[Therapist / Provider Full Name], [Credentials]

License No. [License Number] ([License State])

[Practice Name]

Date: [Letter Date]

This letter is confidential. Disclosure is subject to HIPAA (45 CFR Parts 160 and 164).

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Therapist / Provider Full Name*

Credentials*

e.g., LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PhD, PsyD, MD

License Number*

License State*

Practice Name*

Practice Address*

Practice Phone*

Letter Date*

MM/DD/YYYY

Patient Full Name*

Animal Type*

Animal Name*

Animal Breed*

Mental Health Condition (General Terms)*

Use general clinical terms — e.g., 'anxiety disorder,' 'major depressive disorder,' 'PTSD'

Functional Limitations*

Describe how the disability limits one or more major life activities

Therapeutic Benefit of Animal*

This letter is intended to support a Fair Housing Act (FHA) reasonable accommodation request for housing.

Note: As of 2021, airlines are not required to accommodate ESAs. This checkbox is for informational reference only.

What Is a ESA Letter (Emotional Support Animal)?

An ESA letter (Emotional Support Animal letter) is a written recommendation from a licensed mental health professional certifying that a patient has a mental or emotional disability and that an emotional support animal is part of their treatment and provides therapeutic benefit. Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), individuals with ESAs are entitled to request reasonable accommodations in housing — including properties that otherwise prohibit pets — when they have a valid ESA letter from a licensed mental health provider. This template covers all key elements: provider credentials and license information, patient identity and mental health condition (described in general terms), functional limitations, how the animal provides therapeutic benefit, the specific type, name, and breed of the animal, and checkboxes for housing and airline accommodation requests.

When Do You Need It?

An ESA letter is needed when a person with a mental or emotional disability wants to request a reasonable accommodation to keep an emotional support animal in housing that otherwise prohibits pets or charges pet fees. Under the Fair Housing Act, housing providers (landlords, HOAs, most housing facilities) must grant reasonable accommodation requests for ESAs when accompanied by documentation from a licensed mental health provider. The letter must come from a provider who has established a legitimate therapeutic relationship with the patient — online 'ESA certification websites' without an actual clinical relationship do not produce legally valid letters..

What's Included in This Template

Therapist name and professional credentials
License number and issuing state
Practice name, address, and phone number
Patient name
Animal type, name, and breed
General mental health condition description
Functional limitations caused by the condition
Description of therapeutic benefit the animal provides
Housing accommodation request checkbox
Letter date and provider signature block

How to Fill It Out

Enter Therapist Credentials and Contact Information — Fill in the therapist's full name, professional credentials (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PhD, PsyD, MD, etc.), license number, and the state in which the license was issued. Enter the practice name, address, and phone number. Valid ESA letters must come from a licensed mental health professional.

Enter Patient and Animal Information — Enter the patient's full name. Provide the type, name, and breed of the emotional support animal. The animal does not need to be specially trained — ESAs are distinguished from service animals by providing emotional support through companionship.

Describe the Mental Health Condition and Functional Limitations — Describe the patient's mental health condition in general clinical terms (e.g., 'anxiety disorder,' 'major depressive disorder') without revealing more specifics than necessary. In the functional limitations field, describe how the condition limits one or more major life activities.

Describe Animal Benefit, Select Purpose, and Sign — Describe how the specific animal alleviates symptoms or assists the patient in the animal benefit field. Check the housing request checkbox if the letter will be used for an FHA accommodation request. Enter the letter date and sign.

Legal Requirements & Notes

An ESA letter must be issued by a licensed mental health professional (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PhD, PsyD, or MD/Psychiatrist) who has established a legitimate therapeutic relationship with the patient. Online 'ESA certification websites' that issue letters without a real clinical relationship are widely considered fraudulent and may not be legally enforceable. Under the Fair Housing Act, housing providers must grant reasonable accommodation requests for ESAs with proper documentation. The FHA does not require ESAs to be trained. As of January 2021, DOT regulations no longer require airlines to accommodate ESAs. Some states have enacted laws criminalizing the misrepresentation of a pet as an emotional support animal. Misuse of ESA documentation may result in civil or criminal liability.

Frequently Asked Questions

An ESA letter is a written recommendation from a licensed mental health professional (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, psychologist, or psychiatrist) certifying that a patient has a mental or emotional disability and that an emotional support animal is part of their treatment. The provider must have an established therapeutic relationship with the patient — letters from websites without actual clinical contact are not legally valid.

Free ESA Letter Template — Fill Out & Download Instantly

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EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL (ESA) LETTER

════════════════════════════════════════

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION AND FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL RECOMMENDATION

What Is a ESA Letter (Emotional Support Animal)?

When Do You Need It?

What's Included in This Template

How to Fill It Out

Legal Requirements & Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

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