Emotional Support Animal Laws and Regulations

Curious about you and your furry friends’ legal rights when it comes to the ADA, ACAA, and FHA? Each article below is fact checked to bring you up-to-date and accurate information.

Federal
ESAs are protected under federal housing rules. Empower yourself by learning about your rights.
State
Many states have passed ESA laws. We’ll help you understand your state’s unique requirements.

Our Best Articles on ESA Laws

Everything to Know About Emotional Support Animals

Emotional support animals (ESA) are pets that provide comfort to owners with mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, and other disorders diagnosed by...

ESA Doctors2024-09-20T15:54:09+00:00Emotional Support Animal|

Do You Know if Your ESA Letter is Legit?

For 10 years we’ve been helping people just like you get legit and enforceable ESA letters that follow ESA guidelines for all 50 states and...

ESA Doctors2025-02-12T16:37:09+00:00ESA Laws|

Emotional Support Animal Laws You Should Know

Federal and state laws protect your right to have an emotional support animal in your home. Our ESA rules experts have reviewed them so you...

ESA Doctors2025-03-11T17:46:20+00:00ESA Laws|

What is the Fair Housing Act for Emotional Support Animals?

Under the Fair Housing Act, having an ESA letter will protect your animal from housing discrimination.

ESA Doctors2025-02-21T04:18:15+00:00ESA Laws, Federal|

Is My Emotional Support Dog Legal?

Is My Emotional Support Dog Legal? Confusion as to the legality of Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) or Emotional Support Dogs (ESDs) abound due to misinformation and incorrect stories about mishandling and exploitation. But the fact is, there really are people who need comfort p [...]

ESA Doctors2024-03-15T10:08:53+00:00ESA Laws|

Emotional Support Animal Requirements

Getting your pet to become an emotional support animal is easier than you might think! Unlike service dogs that need lots of special training, emotional support animals just need to help you feel better when you're sad, scared, or worried. Here's a simple list of what makes [...]

ESA Doctors2025-03-27T16:21:51+00:00ESA Laws|

1.What laws protect emotional support animals?

Emotional support animals are protected by the federal Fair Housing Act which is applicable to every state. In addition, many states such as California, Florida, New York, Illinois and others have passed their own legislation protecting owners of emotional support animals.

2.What legal rights do I have as an ESA owner?

Owners of emotional support animals have the right to live in no-pets buildings. If you own a valid emotional support animal, the landlord must also waive pet fees, pet deposits, and pet breed and weight restrictions.

3.How do I qualify for an emotional support animal under the law?

To qualify for an ESA, you’ll need to get an ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional. Note that many states have additional requirements when it comes to getting an ESA letter. For example, California, Arkansas and Montana have a 30 day waiting period for obtaining an ESA letter from a new healthcare provider.