Medically reviewed by: 
Legally reviewed by: You can request a housing accommodation for more than one emotional support animal (ESA). There is no fixed federal number that automatically applies to every household. But a landlord does not have to approve a request for more than one animal.
Many people who suffer from mental illnesses like depression or anxiety need more than one emotional support animal to help with their condition. Your needs are valid, and it’s okay if you need more than one ESA. The situation is more common than you think, the U.S. Department of
Housing even acknowledges in its guidelines that many ESA housing requests involve more than one animal.
Requirements for more than one Emotional Support Animal
To have more than one emotional support animal, you must meet certain requirements:
- Your licensed healthcare professional must assess that you have a need for more than one emotional support animal to alleviate symptoms of your mental illness.
- Your ESA letter must reference each emotional support animal and explain how they alleviate symptoms.
- All the animals must be able to reasonably live in your home — humanely and safely.
In this article, we’ll dive into everything you need to know if you plan to live with more than one emotional support animal. If you need an ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional, ESA Doctors can help.
The ESA professionals who work with ESA Doctors are knowledgeable about ESA recommendations and ESA letters. They have experience with helping clients who need more than one emotional support animal.
How do you qualify for more than one ESA?
To qualify for one emotional support animal, a licensed healthcare professional must assess your mental health. If your provider determines that an ESA can alleviate symptoms of a mental health disability in the form of chronic depression, severe anxiety, PTSD, panic disorder, or other condition, then they can issue an ESA letter. An ESA letter is the only document that proves that you own an emotional support animal and not just a pet.
The process for qualifying for multiple emotional support animals is similar. Your licensed healthcare professional would need to determine that each emotional support animal you own is needed to help with different symptoms of your mental illness. Most ESA letters recommend just one ESA, but numerous recommend multiple ESAs.
If you have more than one emotional support animal, your ESA letter should reference each of your ESAs. Some providers will write a letter for each ESA. The ESA letter(s) should be signed by your healthcare professional and contain their contact and license number.
Do the animals have to help in different ways?
Yes. For multiple emotional support animals, it is important to have documentation showing why the person needs each animal, or why multiple household members need their respective animals.
A request for two animals should explain the disability-related training of each one and why one animal would not adequately meet the need for which the accommodation is sought. If the request is evaluated under HUD’s present enforcement approach, be ready to identify the trained work or task each animal performs in relation to the person’s disability. An ESA letter that says only that two animals provide comfort may not establish that kind of assistance. Under a state law that protects untrained support animals, the supporting explanation may look different.
Do you need a separate ESA letter for each animal?
A separate letter for every animal is not a universal requirement. One qualified health care professional may address multiple animals in a single letter, or different professionals may provide information relevant to different household members. What matters is whether the available information supports the disability-related need for the accommodation being requested. If a provider recommends multiple emotional support animals, the letter should be specific enough to explain the role and need for each animal without unnecessarily disclosing a diagnosis.
Does a pet limit apply to multiple ESAs?
No. A person may ask for an exception to the pet limit policy from a landlord to accommodate more than one emotional support animal. However, each one must help with your symptoms in different ways. Each animal just needs a valid ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional.
But there are practical limits. Your landlord only has to make “reasonable accommodations” under Fair Housing rules. What’s reasonable? It depends on your situation.
Consider these real-world factors:
- Space matters.
Do you have enough room for all your ESAs to live comfortably? Four large dogs in a tiny apartment might not be considered reasonable. - Type of animals
Regular household pets, such as dogs, cats, and small animals, are typically accepted. Exotic or unusual animals aren’t. - Safety concerns
Your ESAs can’t create health or safety issues for other tenants or cause property damage to the building. - Your documented need
Each additional ESA should have a connection to your mental health needs, documented in your ESA letter.
Many people legitimately need multiple ESAs for different aspects of their mental health support, and that’s completely valid. The key is making sure you have proper documentation for each animal to show your landlord.
You can trust ESA Doctors to match you with a real-life professional who is licensed and capable of writing ESA letters.
How should you request an accommodation for multiple Emotional Support Animals?
- Tell the housing provider that you are requesting a disability-related exception for the animals you identify.
- Provide reliable supporting information about the need for each animal when that need is not apparent. A licensed health care professional can help explain the disability-related role without revealing unnecessary medical details.
- If HUD’s current federal enforcement approach is relevant to your request, describe the trained disability-related work or task each animal performs. Check whether your state offers different or additional protection.
- Address practical concerns about space, control, sanitation, and the animals’ care. If the housing provider raises a concern, ask for its specific basis and discuss whether a workable solution is available.
The answer in brief
More than one emotional support animal may be allowed in a home. There is no automatic federal one-animal cap, and there is no automatic approval for an unlimited number. Explain the need for each animal, consider the practical circumstances, and check both HUD’s current enforcement approach and the state law where you live.
I live in low income housing and the Manager says they won’t accept any other form other than the one they have that has there Housing name. It’s a Animal companionship Verification form with 2 questions. She also stated that she must fax it to provider from the office, they would not accept it coming from the tenant. I’m not sure why they always make things so complicated 😢. Can this be done here?
Your landlord can’t ask the LMHP to complete their own form if you have submitted a valid ESA letter. The latest HUD guidelines were clear about this.
I am attempting to move to another apartment complex. Previously, I have used one letter that includes both cats as ESA’s for my anxiety. The new landlord is stating that they require a letter for each cat that lists different ‘purposes’ as she said. Can they ask this? I’ve never had a landlord require that I have two disabilities to justify my two ESA’s.
You do not need a separate letter for each ESA, a recommendation for both can be included in one letter. The LMHP should state in the letter how each provides support in a different way.
Hi, I am curious. My daughter suffers from depression and also high functioning autism. We have 1 ESA for her. I also suffer from ptsd, panic and depression. I am wanting to adopt one for my needs. I live in an income based apartment complex and was told we could only have one. What are my rights? Do ESA rights apply to even income based or can certain apartments have their own rules? Also, if they deny, is there something I can provide to them proving my rights?
Income based housing should be subject to the same rules. The only types of housing exempt from Fair Housing rules are owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units and single-family homes sold or rented by the owner without the use of an agent.
hi! so i just got my dog esa certified and i have a few questions. i put him under my name because i have high anxiety but my fiancé does as well and we were wondering if the same esa could be registered to two different people ???
You do not need to certify or register an ESA. An owner qualifies for an emotional support animal by having an ESA letter given to them by their licensed doctor or therapist. Please see this article for more details: https://esadoctors.com/emotional-support-animal-registration/
If I have one documented ESA animal and one pet that is not an ESA animal, how is that handled? I assume I cant be charged a pet deposit for the ESA but can be for the other. Does the existence of the ESA require the landlord to allow the non ESA animal?
If the building has a no-pets policy the non-ESA does not need to be accepted by the landlord. ESAs are not considered pets, but other animals are. An ESA would not be subject to a fee, but a non-ESA could be (assuming the building allows for pets).
Are you legally obligate to disclose an ESA to your landlord and/or the HOA?
You must inform your landlord or HOA if you plan to live with an ESA and submit an ESA letter.
My landlord is saying management has to approve my ESA cats and that I would need to provide my disorders to even get approved, is this accurate? I feel like it’s an invasion of privacy and my confidential records. I know I need a reason that each would help me and why I would need each one over having just one, but I don’t feel like I should have to tell them my disorders or worry about being “denied”
You would need to submit a signed ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional that establishes you have a qualifying disability that is helped by an emotional support animal. If you need a licensed healthcare professional to evaluate whether you qualify, we can help, just start here: https://esadoctors.com/esa-questionnaire/
I have 2 cats and 1 dog and they all help me with different things. For example my dog helps in public with my social anxiety. Then one of my cats lays on my chest and puts pressure on my chest to relieve anxiety. And my other cat is just a pet how would that work with 2 pet policies.
ESAs are not considered pets and pet limits do not apply to them.
I have an ESA cat, my boyfriend has an ESA dog. A landlord is trying to tell me that only one ESA is allowed per household and the other would be considered a pet, so the second animal would need a deposit. What can I do?
HUD rules allow for tenants to have multiple ESAs, as long as you have a recommendation covering each one from a licensed healthcare provider.
Can I have multiple ESA from 1 recombination letter?
Yes, it is possible to have more than 1 ESA recommended in a single letter.
Ok….my tenant has a pirbulk, a longhair cat. Recently, she got a letter frim an “doctor ” for her 4 chickens to be ESA. This move was made after she violated the livestock ordinance. She is back peddling. How do i spot a fake ESA letter?
Make sure the letter is from a licensed healthcare professional. It should have their signature, contact and a license number that you can verify.
I am a Landlord and we have a 2 pet maximum policy. We allow non-support dogs/cats, however I had a call from someone who has 6 support animals (5 Cats & 1 dog) it appears that anyone can continue to get more pets and have them added as ES pet. We only allow 2 ESA per person per the guidelines by federal law and any additional pets would have to be agreed upon between tenant and landlord. This person assumed that she could have as many ESAs as she wanted and apartment communities had to accept them all… I can understand a person having 2, but where are these Dr.’s drawing the line and who’s keeping count? Anyone can get their pet registered with 5 different vets. I would love some clarification on this issue
Under Fair Housing guidance, there is no technical limit to the number of ESAs a tenant can have. However, each ESA must be specifically recommended by a licensed healthcare professional. If the tenant is providing 6 letters from 6 different therapists, then you may be able to question whether they have just been utilizing separate therapists who have no knowledge of the tenant’s other ESAs.