What Does an ESA Letter Do?

An emotional support animal (ESA) letter is a legal document that must be obtained from a licensed mental health professional. The letter, which is printed on official letterhead, states that the individual has a qualifying mental health disability and an ESA has been prescribed as part of their treatment plan.

This document confirms that you have a legal right to an ESA, but it does so much more than this. It gives your animal certain legal protections, which can make everyday life with them more manageable.

Below, we discuss what does an ESA letter do and how to obtain one legally.

What Does an ESA Letter Do Exactly?

An ESA letter confirms that your animal is no longer a pet and must be legally recognized as an emotional support animal. This not only helps to protect your animal against discriminatory practices, but also entitles you to housing privileges enforced at a federal level.

Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), those with valid ESA letters receive the following rights:

• Reasonable accommodation in almost every housing situation. Valid ESAs bypass no-pet policies and pet-related restrictions like breed limits.
• Complete immunity from pet-specific charges. ESAs are not pets, and therefore cannot be charged pet fees like pet rent and security deposits.

These rights open up the rental market for you and your animal. Instead of being restricted to pet-friendly housing, you can live in practically any property as long as your animal can be safely housed and does not pose a danger. Since you won’t have to pay extra pet fees, you’ll also save costs.

States like California have extra protections in place for emotional support animals. For instance, under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), emotional support animals are granted reasonable accommodation in the workplace.

What Does an ESA Letter NOT Do? 

A common misconception is that an ESA letter entitles your animal to protections like public access rights. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Only task-trained service animals receive public access rights. This isn’t likely to change in the foreseeable future. An ESA letter also won’t give your animal additional travel rights; again, this is a right only granted to service animals.

Does an ESA Letter Give Air Travel Rights?

In short: No. In the past, ESAs with valid letters used to receive air travel rights under the federal Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). Per the ACAA, airlines had to reasonably accommodate ESAs and allow them to fly in the cabin with their owners. They also could not subject them to pet travel fees and restrictions like size limits.

However, the ACAA was revised in 2021 and no longer grants these travel protections to ESAs. It is now at an airline’s discretion whether they accommodate your ESA on board the plane. Unfortunately, virtually every major airline has opted to treat ESAs as pets, even if you have obtained an ESA letter. You will need to be mindful of pet travel fees and policies when booking your flight.

How Do I Get an ESA Letter?

Getting an ESA letter isn’t complicated, but it does involve close collaboration with a licensed mental health professional (LMHP).

Qualifying Mental Health Conditions

You must first evaluate whether you’re eligible for an ESA. You must have a mental health condition that is classified in the DSM-5 and has been officially diagnosed by an LMHP. This includes conditions such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Undergoing an ESA Evaluation

Alongside this, you also need to arrange for (and undergo) an ESA evaluation. This appointment can only be carried out by an LMHP who practices in your state. It can be held in-person at the LMHP’s clinic, or via telehealth through a reputable third-party provider, like US Service Animals.

As its name suggests, the ESA evaluation appointment serves as a way for the LMHP to assess whether an ESA is an appropriate treatment for your disability. Expect to discuss areas like:

• Your medical history
• Symptoms
• Disability-related needs
• Home environment and ability to care for an animal
• Current prescribed treatments

If you currently have a pet who provides you with therapeutic support, it helps to highlight this to show that you’re already finding benefit from an animal’s presence.

If the LMHP feels that an ESA is a good fit for you, they will then make an ESA an official prescription and give you a legally valid ESA letter.

What Does an ESA Letter Do: Quick Recap

An ESA letter is indisputable proof that you have a diagnosed mental health condition and have a legitimate need for an ESA. It confirms your animal is not simply a pet, but a life-changing companion who provides immeasurable symptom relief. An ESA letter also entitles you to certain legal protections, including housing protections under the FHA.

Our article covered a lot of points about what an ESA letter does, but the process of getting one entails more than what we’ve covered, especially when you factor in state-specific details. If you’re interested in learning more, we recommend reading this guide on getting an ESA letter, put together by US Service Animals.