Legally reviewed by: 
Medically reviewed by: Emotional Support Animal Registration is not required.
There are no federal, local, or state registration requirements for Emotional Support Animals (ESAs). ESA registration does not provide any legal protection.
Following the steps detailed below tells you what is actually required to gain legal status for your Emotional Support Animal. Every state allows you to get an ESA letter online.
How to Make your Pet an Emotional Support Animal
To make your pet your Emotional Support Animal, you must qualify for an Emotional Support Animal Letter. The only way to get an ESA letter is to work with a licensed healthcare professional (LHCP). They need to determine if you have a qualifying disability and if an Emotional Support Animal would alleviate those symptoms.
You do not need to register your pet as your ESA. Instead, you need to find an LHCP that can assess if an Emotional Support Animal is right for you. There is no centralized state or national registry. The FHA and federal guidance regarding ESAs specifically state that there is no federal- or state-maintained registry. Being included on an ESA registry does not prove on its own that your pet is an Emotional Support Animal.
If you qualify for an ESA Letter, you’ll have all the benefits, like being exempt from no-pet policies, no-pet lease provisions, pet fees/deposits, and breed/weight restrictions. There is no such thing as an official ESA registration but that doesn’t stop a landlord from requesting to see your registration. You can always choose to register your ESA but make sure to do it all in the correct order.
- Meet with a licensed therapist or doctor (it can help to find out beforehand whether they offer ESA evaluations to begin with). Talk openly and honestly about the obstacles you’re facing and your relationship with your animal
- Ask your provider to write you a letter on their letterhead and to make sure that their letter meets ESA letter requirements
- At this stage, you can optionally choose to register your ESA with an ESA registry. But remember, registration alone does not provide any legal protections or benefits because the “registry” is not maintained by any government agency.
- Share your ESA letter (and ESA registration if you decided you wanted one) with your landlord or housing provider to request reasonable housing accommodations
Pet Registration Requirements
If the city you live in has a general pet registration requirement (also called “pet licensing”), your emotional support animal is not exempt. Almost every city or county has a pet licensing requirement. For example, all dogs in Los Angeles County must be licensed, and the same is true in Harris County in Texas. Nearly every city or county in the United States requires that pets, particularly dogs, be licensed with the city or county. Most places let you license your dog online using the rabies tag you received from your veterinarian, containing the rabies vaccine number, to identify your dog and verify it has been vaccinated for rabies. The tag your veterinarian hands you after your dog (or cat) is vaccinated for rabies is not the license for the city/county. You must use the number on the tag to license your animal in your local jurisdiction. ESAs are not exempt from this requirement because it is a Dept. of Health issue. Every state has a Dept. of Health because the Dept. of Health is in charge of responding to rabies outbreaks.
Make sure to check with your local city or county about licensing your animal, regardless of whether your animal is an ESA or not.
Emotional Support Animal Registration Form
You do not need an Emotional Support Animal registration form to make your pet an ESA. There is no official ESA registry, and forms or certificates sold by online registries do not give you housing rights. What you need is a legitimate ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional. You can submit that letter to your landlord when requesting housing accommodations.
Your landlord may have its own form for keeping track of assistance animals or processing accommodation requests. These forms often ask for basic information about your animal, such as its name, description, and vaccination records. You can complete this paperwork for your landlord’s records, but you do not have to purchase an ESA registration, obtain a registration number, or provide a certificate from an ESA registry.
If you have already submitted your ESA letter, your landlord must consider your request even if you do not use its preferred form. Landlord forms also cannot demand your diagnosis, full medical records, or other unnecessary medical details. Your ESA letter, not an online registration form, is the necessary document.
ESA Letter vs. Online Registrations
| Feature / Criteria | ESA Letter (Legal) | ESA Registration | Service Dog Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Status under FHA | Legally Recognized | Not Legally Recognized | Legally Recognized |
| Issuer Requirement | Licensed Mental Health Professional | Commercial | None (Task-trained by handler/trainer) |
| Housing Protection (No-Pet Rules) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Exempt from Pet Fees / Deposits | Yes | No | Yes |
| Public Access (Stores, Restaurants) | No | No | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions about Emotional Support Animal Registration
- Is there a government registry for Emotional Support Animals?
No, there is no government-run or government-sponsored registry for Emotional Support Animals. There is also no registry for service dogs. Many people mistakenly believe that there is a government-approved registry site, but there is not. The misconception comes from the notion that service dogs need to be registered or licensed. The truth is that the government does not keep track of assistance animals or their owners because it would violate the owner’s HIPAA rights. - If it’s not required, why do owners register their Emotional Support Animals?
Some people register their Emotional Support Animal under the mistaken belief that it will show others that their animal is more than just a pet. When you register, you often get an ID card for your ESA. This card can act as a quick way to show people in your building that your animal is an Emotional Support Animal. Remember, carrying a card is completely optional and not required and does not actually provide any legal protection for you and your animal. - Do service dogs need to be registered?
No, service dogs do not have to be registered. There is no government registry that tracks handlers of service dogs. Service dog registration, just like Emotional Support Animal registration, is done on a voluntary basis and provides no legal protection or validation. - Do ESA letters contain registration numbers?
No, an ESA letter will contain the provider’s license number, but it does not need to contain any other special registration or certification numbers. - Do Emotional Support Animal registrations expire?
They are not real, so no. Mental health treatment has no expiration date. Expiration dates on ESA letters are also voluntary, and a letter does not need to contain one. However, it is good to make sure you check in with your medical provider regularly, or at least once per year, to make sure your treatment program is on track and that you still need an ESA.
Ideally, an ESA letter should be no older than one year so the healthcare professional can validate your need for an ESA following a recent evaluation on file. - Can I use an Emotional Support Animal registration to bring my pet to a store, restaurant, or public place?
No, having an ESA registration does not grant your animal public access rights. Emotional Support Animals only have rights when it comes to housing, and only if you have an ESA letter. - What do I do if my landlord asks for a registration number for my Emotional Support Animal?
If your landlord asks for an ESA registration number, do the following.- Provide your ESA letter.
- Share with them HUD’s guidelines, which say registration is not required.
- Follow up with a friendly email about the encounter and ask for confirmation that your ESA letter has been received.
Work with a licensed healthcare professional remotely to see if you qualify for an Emotional Support Animal
Get the love and support you deserve.
Can I use the information or registration number for my dog or do I need a card to stay at a motel
There is no registration number or card needed for an emotional support animal, but keep in mind that ESAs also do not have access rights for motels. Only service dogs need to be legally accommodated in hotels and motels.
Can ESA be allowed to stay free in hotel rooms or is that just for service dogs?
ESAs unfortunately do not have legal rights for hotels. Please see this post for more info: https://esadoctors.com/where-can-i-take-emotional-support-animals/
How long does it take to receive the letter and what is the cost?
The time required for each evaluation and ESA letter varies since each of the licensed healthcare professionals we work with operate independently and have their own procedures. Rest assured however that they understand how important your ESA is and will try to complete your order as quickly as possible. We also have an expedited service if you need a faster turnaround. Please note that certain states like California and Arkansas have a mandatory 30 day waiting period for ESA letters. For pricing information, please see this link for more info: https://esadoctors.com/pricing-plan/
Are there any illnesses that ESA does not cover? For example, ADHD, OCD, etc.?
There are certainly people who use their emotional support animal to help with their ADHD or OCD. To qualify for an ESA, a person must have a mental health condition that “substantially limits one or more major life activities.” It is up to a licensed healthcare professional to determine if you meet that criteria. Common conditions include depression, severe anxiety, phobias, PTSD and ADHD. If you’d like to work with a licensed professional to see if you qualify, we’d love to help you. You can get started by click on this link: https://app.esadoctors.com/checkout/
Do you need board approval for an ESA if you live in a condo? If so, how many days do they have to respond after receiving a letter from your doctor?
The board or manager of the building would need to approve your emotional support animal. Under HUD guidelines, housing providers are expected to respond within 10 days of receiving the tenant’s request. Please see this post for more details: https://esadoctors.com/hud-housing-rules-emotional-support-animals/
I just moved into my own apartment a week ago after a 12 year relationship ended. I have my little miniature chihuahua Peanut and from day one (she is 9) this little dog took my heart. I had to quietly bring her in my new place because no animals are permitted. Everyday I am nervous that someone will come to my door and take her or tell me “the dog has to go”. Peanut is everything to me, I love her so much and I get just as much love in return. I am on medication for high blood pressure, depression and anxiety and Peanut is my lifesafer. She makes me smile and laugh even on the darkest days and makes my heart feel good. I live in montreal quebec canada and would like to know, what do I do to register my precious Peanut so I am not nervous every single day that I am going to be told “she has to go”. She is all i have. Please help and tell me what I need to do to ease the stress and nervousness and anxiety that she will be taken away because of “no animals allowed”
We recommend speaking to your doctor or therapist about your mental health and need for your dog. You may benefit greatly from having an ESA letter. For information on how ESA letters work, please see this link: https://esadoctors.com/esa-letter/
Can my physician who’s a Internal Medicine doctor write the note for me, he does treat me for anxiety and depression, or does it have to be a mental healthcare worker?
A physician is able to write an ESA letter for you if they are familiar with your mental health.
Good day
I would like to know if a hore can be registered as an ESA.
ESAs have to be “small, domesticated animals” typically kept in the home, so horses likely do not qualify.
My leasing office wants to speak to my therapist to verify that they signed my verification letter, however my therapist says they cannot speak or communicate with my leasing office directly. Is this common? My leasing office just needs a verification email or phone call – no other information. Should I switch therapist?
Licensed healthcare professionals are careful not to divulge information about their clients, as doing so may potentially violate confidentiality rules. However, many therapists are willing to do a quick verification if they have your permission.
I’m leaving in rented accommodation for almost ten year’s, in that time my life long companion sky my dog died, my letting agency knew I’ve had her since day one, now that some time has passed i realised I can’t live without a dog in my life, I suffer from depression, I’ve got another dog six months now and my letting agency is telling me I need to rehouse my dog, it’s in my best interest.. I cannot do that as I feel saver when he’s here, he keeps me calm, helps me to go outside, otherwise I’d lock myself away, he gives me the reason to live, and they want to take that from me or I lose my home so would I qualify for ESA please help
A licensed healthcare professional can help determine whether you qualify for an emotional support animal. If you do qualify, they can provide you with an ESA letter that you can share with your housing provider. If you need a licensed professional to help you, you can start here: https://esadoctors.com/esa-questionnaire/