What is an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Letter?

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) letter is an official legal document that is provided by a licensed mental health professional such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, physician, or counselor that proves a person's need for an emotional support animal. The letter is offered to clients who suffer from conditions such as anxiety, depression, social phobias, and other mental health disabilities and have been deemed in need of emotional support as part of their personalized treatment plan. A client granted an ESA letter is given the legal right to live with their ESA without being charged any additional fee for pet rent or deposit, even in housing accommodations that otherwise charge said fees. Refusal of an establishment or organization to honor an ESA letter is punishable by law under the Fair Housing Act (FHA).

Can you get a free ESA Letter online?

While you may find offers for free ESA letters online, these often have no legal validity and are often scams. Many fraudulent sources claim to provide ESA letters without requiring an evaluation and ongoing treatment with a licensed mental health professional, making them illegitimate. A fake ESA letter is easily identified by the absence of an evaluation from a qualified provider before issuance. A legitimate ESA letter is a legal document that must be issued by your licensed mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, physician, or counselor.

Who can write an ESA Letter?

Only licensed mental health professionals (LMHPs) are authorized to issue ESA letters, ensuring they are used appropriately by clients who genuinely need them. As an official document providing legal protection for those with mental or emotional health challenges, an ESA letter must come from your qualified provider. This requirement helps maintain the integrity of the process and prevents misuse or fraudulent claims.

Listed below are the common professionals who can write ESA Letters:

1. Psychologists

2. Psychiatrist

3. Physicians

4. Licensed Counselor

5. Physician Assistants

6. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse

7. Licensed Social Workers

What are the requirements of an ESA Letter?

An ESA Letter says that your licensed mental health professional has evaluated you, the client, who is being prescribed an ESA, and states why you qualify for an ESA as part of your ongoing treatment, which makes them protected under the Fair Housing Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

An ESA is only issued to clients who have been clinically diagnosed with an emotional or mental health disability and who have undergone a mental health evaluation and ongoing treatment with their LMHP. To qualify for an ESA, a person’s mental or emotional health condition is such that it substantially limits one or more major life activities.