Legally reviewed by: 
Medically reviewed by: If you want to register your Emotional Support Animal, the first thing you need to know is that there are no federal, local, or state registration requirements for Emotional Support Animals (ESAs). Rather than “register” your ESA, you need a signed ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional. Every state also allows you to get an ESA letter online because you are protected by federal Fair Housing laws.
If you would like to make your ESA legally recognized, your actual first step is to qualify for an ESA letter. In this guide, we’ll walk you through these topics around Emotional Support Animal registration to make sure you are well informed:
- How to “register” your pet as your Emotional Support Animal
- What Emotional Support Animal registries are
- What other pet registration requirements may apply
- Frequently asked questions about ESA registration
How to “Register” your pet as your Emotional Support Animal
First, it is important to dispel the misinformation that an ESA must be “registered.” 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. Please be aware that that registration numbers do not provide any legal protection.
Being included on an ESA registry does not prove on its own that your pet is an Emotional Support Animal. However, the following steps detail what is to actually required to gain federally protected legal status for your “register” an Emotional Support Animal are:
- Meet with a licensed therapist or doctor (it can help to find out beforehand whether they offer ESA evaluations). Talk openly and honestly about the obstacles you’re facing and your relationship with your animal
- Ask your provider to write you an letter on their letterhead and that the letter meets ESA letter requirements
- Share your ESA letter with your landlord or housing provider to request reasonable housing accommodations
Once you have 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.
Emotional Support Animal Registries
An ESA “registry” is a site offering to log your animal in a database. These registries are usually harmless except when they trick people into thinking that registration is how you qualify for an Emotional Support Animal. Moreover, these “registries” have no legal value and offer no legal protection for you and your Support Animal.
There is no ESA registry recognized by any state or national government. In fact, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development states in their guidelines that you can’t qualify for an ESA by registering it online:
“Some websites sell…registrations, and licensing documents for assistance animals…In HUD’s experience, such documentation from the internet is not, by itself, sufficient to reliably establish that an individual has a non-observable disability or disability-related need for an assistance animal.”
ESA registration does not give you any legal rights. Some ESA owners voluntarily register their animals online to obtain ID cards or certificates, but these are considered optional accessories and don’t replace ESA letters. A landlord can’t reject your Emotional Support Animal because it is lacking a registration number or ID (but they can if you don’t have a proper ESA letter).
Click here to get started on qualifying for your ESA letter.
Pet Registration Requirements
If the city you live in has a general pet registration requirement, 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, 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.
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 snimal 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?
The more relevant question is when your ESA letter expires. If your ESA letter expires, you no longer qualify for an Emotional Support Animal, and having a registration becomes meaningless. 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.
Register your ESA by qualifying for an ESA letter
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/