If you are a resident of Colorado and have an emotional support animal, you are protected by law from discrimination. ESA owners in Colorado can live with their emotional support animals in no-pets buildings without any charge.
However, qualifying for an ESA has to be done correctly in Colorado, or else there may be legal consequences. In Colorado, you can be fined for misrepresenting that you have an emotional support animal. It’s critical to get legitimate documentation for your ESA.
In this post, we will dive into the laws surrounding emotional support animals and explain how to get an emotional support animal in Colorado. If you believe that an ESA is right for you and would like help from a healthcare professional licensed for Colorado, complete the questionnaire in the link below to get started with the process.
ESA vs. Service Animal
Pets provide unconditional love, support, and friendship to their owners. An emotional support animal serves a similar purpose but is recommended by a healthcare professional to assist someone with a mental illness or emotional wellness issues.
For example, an emotional support animal may be used by someone who has chronic depression, anxiety, PTSD, or a phobia. Sometimes people confuse ESAs with service dogs, but there are several differences.
A service animal can only be a dog and must be specifically trained to perform a task for a disabled individual. This can include several skills like guiding, alerting, opening doors, or pulling a wheelchair. ESAs, on the other hand, do not require any specialized training. They help their owners just by being present. ESAs can also be different animals like cats, dogs, rabbits, fish, turtles, birds, and rodents.
Colorado Emotional Support Animal Registration
Are you looking to register your dog or cat as an emotional support animal? Stop! Registering your pet on a website will not make your pet an ESA, and you will not be protected under the Fair Housing Act. Registration of emotional support animals in Colorado is not recognized by the law and will not be accepted by landlords.
Registering your pet on a website will not make your pet an ESA, and you will not be protected under the Fair Housing Act or the Air Carrier Access Act.
ESA Doctors, est. 2015
Many landlords are not aware of ESA laws in Colorado. They may have heard something on Facebook or from a friend and request documentation that is simply unnecessary. ESA registration from a website does not legally protect you and does not qualify your animal as a legitimate emotional support animal.
No, all you need is documentation from a licensed healthcare professional. Read more about how to get an ESA in Colorado and about ESA letters in the next section.
A licensed mental health professional would include Doctor, LPN or RN, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Licensed Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist, LMHP, Mental health therapist.
How to Get an Emotional Support Animal in Colorado
To make your animal a legit emotional support animal, you will need an ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional. An ESA letter is the only legal document that is required for emotional support animals in Colorado. You can talk to your existing health professional or connect with one online. Your medical health professional must determine that you will benefit from an ESA and write a letter on their official letterhead to qualify your animal as an ESA.
An ESA letter is the only legal document that is required for emotional support animals in Colorado.
ESA Doctors, est. 2015
The ESA Letter
There is specific information that must be included in your ESA letter:
- It must be written on your health professional’s letterhead
- It includes their name, license number, date of issue, and state it was issued
- It contains the licensed medical health professional’s signature
You can obtain an ESA letter through an in-person visit or an online therapist. If you do not have access to a licensed health professional, you can connect with a professional online. ESA Doctors works with online healthcare professionals who are licensed for Colorado and familiar with ESA recommendations.
Click here to get started on qualifying for your ESA letter.
Where Can I Take My ESA in Colorado?
“No Pets” Policy Housing – According to the Fair Housing Act, a landlord cannot legally evict you or deny you access to a rental unit just because of your emotional support animal. In fact, the landlord must make “reasonable accommodation” for your assistance animal (meaning they cannot charge you additional fees and must welcome the animal as long as it’s not causing an undue financial burden on the landlord and the animal is not a threat to the other tenants or property). Emotional support animals are also exempt from breed and size restrictions when it comes to housing.
In Cabin Flights – Unfortunately, ESAs are no longer allowed on flights. Psychiatric service dogs, however, are still allowed to board the cabin of planes free of charge. PSDs help with mental health issues like ESAs, but they are trained to perform a task relating to their owner’s condition.
Employment Rights – Employers in Colorado cannot discriminate against people with mental health disabilities. Businesses with five or more staff must ensure that a service animal can accompany the employee to work. Unfortunately, emotional support animals do not have access rights in the office. If your employer’s usual guidelines state that animals are not allowed in the office, talk to your HR representative about whether there are exceptions for assistance animals like ESAs.
Emotional Support Animals in Colorado
If you do not have access to a licensed healthcare professional, you can connect with one online.
ESA Doctors, est. 2015
Like most states in America, Colorado recognizes the positive influence ESAs provide to individuals with mental health issues. If you feel you could benefit from an emotional support animal, then ask your doctor or mental health professional for their opinion. If your provider agrees, ask them for an ESA letter to take advantage of all the perks of having an emotional support animal in your life. To connect with a licensed mental health professional online, complete the questionnaire in the link below.
Are you a good candidate for an ESA?
I was told after signing the lease to an apartment that the person being assigned my shared apartment has allergies to the ESA. Is it legal to make me not bring my ESA animal?
We wrote an article about whether your ESA can be denied due to allergies which you may find helpful: https://esadoctors.com/can-a-landlord-deny-an-emotional-support-animal-because-of-allergies/
When applying for apartments or talking to landlords in CO do I have to disclose that I have and ESA? (Technically 2, 1 is mine, 1 is partners). Or if it says no pets can I just apply and get in and then show the letters?
You do have to disclose that you have an ESA at some point and also submit your ESA letter. You can do it before or after signing a lease or applying for a rental, but we suggest trying to get ESA approval as soon as possible so you’re not caught by surprise by any issues the landlord raises.
How do I get in touch with an ESA doctor and how do I find out if the doctor is legitimate as well as this site?
If you have any questions please reach out to us at support@esadoctors.com.
If I have a letter from my therapist, I I need to also register my esa somewhere?
You do not need to register an emotional support animal. Please see this link for more info: https://esadoctors.com/register-dog-emotional-support-animal/
In Colorado, can I have a horse as an ESA if I live in a covenant controlled community that doesn’t specifically identify a horse as an ESA?
Unfortunately horses generally do not qualify as ESAs since they are not small domesticated animals typically kept in a home.
while it is important to abide the law, at what point does the fear of butterflies outweigh the fear of dogs? i’m aware that if a dog misbehaves it may no longer enjoy the protections of these laws, but even once that happens, the person w/ the fear of dogs is still suffering, and theoretically has legal recourse…?
(this is actually an issue in my community)
the problem is too many people know they can get away with an illegitimate claim because an hoa or landlord doesnt preform their due diligence. so how does a landlord or hoa protect themselves & (prospective) tenant w/ legitimate need while protecting their community from fraud and abuse? it seems clear the “obvious disability” question addresses this in as much as getting this letter and presenting it when asked, as well as the potential fines for abuse, but the current climate of entitlement and confrontation on social media as well as the legal battles which can ensue mean that many wont make any effort.
Can an HOA in colorado restrict my ESA dogs access to certain areas of the building? We have a “no pet dogs” policy. They are currently requiring that all ESA dogs exit and enter through the garage and are not allowed to be brought through the buildings main entrance, lobby or other common areas.
ESAs are generally allowed in residential common areas where other owners are allowed to go, unless there is a specific health or safety reason the ESA can’t be accommodated.
If you move into an apartment with dogs that are not ESAs…then months later you are informed that eviction is starting…can you go and register said dogs as ESAs in order to remain living in the home? (Ex: Landlord SAID 3 dogs were ok, but HOA has 1 dog limit. There was no written number of allowed pets in the lease. Apparently it was just verbal. So people want to quickly get their 3 dogs to become ESAs so they can’t be evicted). Is that legal? Does making dogs ESAs months after moving in void the fair housing act protection?
You cannot qualify for emotional support animals just to avoid evictions or get around a pet limit. ESAs are only for individuals who have been evaluated with a mental health disability and genuine need for an assistance animal.
I am moving to CO in two weeks. I was told my ESA needs certification training something when I have a out of state letter signed by a licensed healthcare professional. Do I need what the complex is talking about?
You do not need “certification training” for an emotional support animal. The only document you need to prove you have an emotional support animal is a letter from a licensed healthcare professional.
I have an ESA document in Maryland but am moving to Colorado in 2 months, am I required to get a new ESA document for a Colorado Dr?
Most landlords are accepting of out of state ESA letters from tenants who have recently moved, but some may demand that you have one from an in-state provider.