How to Get an ESA Letter: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026
A ValidESA guide · Updated · General information, not legal or medical advice
In short
- Clinician licensed in the state you’re in
- No registry or certificate needed
- Letter only if the clinician approves
How to get an ESA letter in 5 steps
Check whether you may qualify
Under the Fair Housing Act, a person with a disability can ask a housing provider for a reasonable accommodation, such as an exception to a no-pets rule, to live with an animal that helps with a disability-related need. A licensed clinician decides whether that need applies to you; no list of conditions qualifies on its own.
Read how emotional support animal laws work and which conditions a clinician may consider.
Choose a legitimate provider
Look for a mental health professional licensed in the state you are in during your evaluation, a real evaluation, and license details printed on the letter. Avoid sites that promise instant approval, sell registrations or certificates, or hide who the clinician is.
See who evaluates ValidESA requests and how to tell whether an online ESA letter is legit.
Complete your evaluation
The clinician assesses your circumstances and how the animal supports you. It is a genuine clinical assessment, not a formality, and it can end without a letter.
See how the ValidESA evaluation works, step by step.
Receive your letter
If the clinician finds a disability-related need, you receive a signed letter with their name, license type, license number and state, the date, and the animals it covers. It does not need to state your diagnosis.
Curious what one looks like? See our ESA letter sample.
Give it to your landlord
Send the letter with a short written request for a reasonable accommodation, ideally before you sign the lease or move in, and keep copies. The housing provider may check that the letter is reliable and decides on the request; no letter can guarantee approval.
For a ValidESA letter, your landlord can use our ESA verification page.
Red flags: instant approval, no evaluation, no license number, a paid "registry", or a promise that every landlord must accept the letter.
Where federal housing law stands in 2026
HUD withdrew its 2013 and 2020 assistance-animal notices in September 2025. On May 22, 2026, HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity issued enforcement guidance under which HUD pursues Fair Housing Act complaints about animals only when the animal is individually trained to do work or perform tasks related to the person's disability.
The Fair Housing Act and its reasonable-accommodation regulation (24 CFR 100.204) have not changed. Courts are not bound by HUD's enforcement position, and state and local fair housing laws, enforced by their own agencies, may still protect a request to live with an emotional support animal. An ESA letter documents a licensed clinician's assessment of your disability-related need; it cannot promise that a housing provider will approve your request.
Where can I get an ESA letter? Online vs in person
| Option | Licensed? | Real evaluation? | Reliable documentation? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online telehealth provider (such as ValidESA) | Yes, for the state you are in | Yes | Yes, when a licensed clinician evaluates you |
| Your own therapist or doctor | Yes | Yes (existing relationship) | Yes |
| Registry or certificate website | Often unclear | Often none | No legal standing |
An online evaluation is legitimate when the clinician is licensed for the state you are in and actually evaluates you. If you already see a therapist, you can ask them first; if not, a telehealth evaluation is a legitimate route.
ESA certificates and registrations: what you actually need
Searching for how to get an ESA certificate or how to register an ESA? There is no official ESA registry in the United States, and a certificate or ID card carries no legal weight. What supports a housing request is a letter from a licensed professional who evaluated you. More in are online ESA letters legit?
How long it takes and what it costs
At ValidESA, if the clinician approves, the signed letter is typically ready within 24–48 hours of approval; the evaluation itself depends on the clinician and your state's rules. There is no paid faster-review option.
| Letter | 1 animal | 2 animals | 3 animals |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESA Letter | $99 | $129 | $149 |
| PSD Letter | $99 | $129 | $149 |
One-time price for the evaluation and, if the clinician approves, the letter. PSD letters cover dogs only. Full details on the pricing page.
A letter for a dog, a cat or more than one animal
The process is the same for every species. List each animal so your landlord can consider them all; a ValidESA letter covers up to three animals. See an ESA letter for dogs and an ESA letter for cats. If your dog is individually trained to perform tasks for a psychiatric disability, a PSD letter may fit better; see psychiatric service dog vs ESA.
Mistakes that get ESA requests denied
- Relying on a registry, ID card or certificate
- A letter with no license number or state
- A clinician not licensed for the state you were in during the evaluation
- Asking too late: send your request before you sign or move in where you can
- Not listing each animal
- Sending medical records instead of the letter
If a landlord still refuses, read can a landlord deny an emotional support animal?
How to Get an ESA Letter: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an ESA letter?
Check whether you may qualify, choose a clinician licensed in the state you are in during your evaluation, complete a real evaluation and, if the clinician finds a disability-related need, send the letter to your landlord with a written accommodation request.
Where can I get an ESA letter online legally?
From a licensed mental health professional who holds a license for the state you are in during your evaluation and performs a genuine evaluation: your own therapist, or a telehealth service such as ValidESA. Registries and certificates are not a legal requirement and carry no legal weight.
How long does it take to get an ESA letter?
At ValidESA it depends mainly on when the clinician completes your evaluation; if they approve, the signed letter is typically ready within 24–48 hours of approval. ValidESA has no paid faster-review option. California requires a 30-day client-provider relationship for an emotional support dog letter.
How much does an ESA letter cost?
At ValidESA an ESA letter is priced by the number of animals: 1 pet $99, 2 pets $129, 3 pets $149. The price covers the evaluation and, if the clinician approves, the letter.
How do I get an ESA certificate?
You do not need one. There is no official ESA registry in the United States, and certificates, ID cards and registrations carry no legal weight. What a housing provider may ask for is reliable documentation, such as a letter from a licensed professional.
Do I need a doctor, or can a therapist write it?
A licensed mental health professional, such as a therapist, can write an ESA letter if the evaluation is within their license and they are licensed for the state you are in. You do not need a medical doctor, and state rules vary.
Does my landlord have to accept an online ESA letter?
Not automatically, and no letter guarantees approval. The Fair Housing Act requires housing providers to make reasonable accommodations that may be necessary for a person with a disability, and a letter from a licensed professional after a real evaluation, in person or by telehealth, can be the reliable documentation a provider asks for. A provider may still deny a request in limited situations, such as a direct threat or substantial damage from the specific animal. HUD withdrew its 2020 guidance and now limits its own enforcement to trained animals, but that did not change the Act: tenants can still go to court, and state or local fair housing laws may also apply.
What happens if I don’t qualify?
Then no letter is issued. A legitimate evaluation can never promise approval in advance. For questions about cancelling or a refund, contact ValidESA.
Related guides
This page is general information, not legal or medical advice. A letter is issued only if a licensed clinician approves it, and no letter can guarantee that a housing provider will approve a request. Laws differ by state. Questions about an order, a cancellation or a refund: contact us or read our Refund & Cancellation terms. See also the Privacy Policy. If you are in crisis in the United States, call or text 988.