An ESA Letter or Emotional Support Animal letter is a legal document provided by a licensed mental health professional (LMHP) that qualifies an individual for an emotional support animal. Emotional support animals are companion animals that mitigate the effects of emotional and mental health disabilities in humans. An ESA letter provides legal protection for people experiencing emotional and mental health disabilities so they could be given reasonable housing accommodation and freedom from discrimination. LMHPs such as psychiatrists, psychologists, or licensed therapists are the only ones qualified to prescribe an ESA letter to a person diagnosed with a mental health disability as part of their treatment plan.
What is an ESA Letter?
An Emotional Support Animal letter is an official legal document that is provided by a mental health professional that proves a person's need for an emotional support animal. The letter is offered to people 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 treatment protocol. A person 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.
ESAs are also allowed to travel with their owners under certain circumstances and according to the type of travel and the specific airline policies.
What is the purpose of an ESA Letter?
The purpose of an ESA letter is to provide a legal document that certifies a person’s need for an emotional support animal as part of their treatment protocol for mental illness. The letter gives them the legal right to have their ESA live with them and travel with them under specific conditions. An ESA letter is the only binding legal document that affords rights to individuals experiencing emotional and mental health disabilities.
Can you get a free ESA Letter online?
Yes, you can get a free ESA Letter online, but they do not hold any legal value at all, they are scams. Many fraudulent sources advertise free ESA letters online which do not require a consultation from a mental health professional, and are thus fake. A fake ESA letter is easily distinguishable by the lack of a LMHP consult prior to being issued. An ESA letter is a legal document that is only valid if provided by a licensed mental health professional such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, physician, or counselor. ESA letters are only free if you already have a primary care physician who provides them as part of the treatment plan. Otherwise, ESA letters prescriptions are always going to have a cost associated with them.
Who can write an ESA Letter?
Licensed mental health professionals (LMHP) can write an ESA letter. LMHPs are the only people qualified to provide an ESA letter to ensure that it is used correctly and purposefully by people who need it. An ESA letter is an official document that ensures legal protection for people dealing with mental health issues or emotional issues, thus only an expert knowledgeable in the field has the authority and credibility to provide it. This added security measure is taken to prevent the document from being used for malicious intent or misuse.
Listed below are professionals who can write ESA Letters.
- Psychologists: A psychologist is a person with an advanced degree in the Science of Human Behavior. They are professionals who are trained in the clinical skill of evaluating mental health with the use of psychotherapy and psychological testing. They are qualified to write ESA letters due to their expertise in analyzing mental health status. A psychologist evaluates a patient using multiple forms of psychological testing to analyze a patient’s genuine need for emotional support.
- Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They are mental health professionals who deal with complex conditions that often require medical treatment with prescription drugs. A psychiatrist performs diagnostic tests that confirm physiological disorders of the mind and prescribes a treatment plan that combines emotional support and medical intervention.
- Physicians: A physician is a licensed Doctor of Medicine whose job is to diagnose and treat medical conditions. Physicians are qualified to write ESA letters because they are clinically trained to prescribe medical and therapeutic treatments for their patients. They conduct tests to confirm mental health disorders and usually deal with more complex diseases. Requests for ESAs can be made from patients to their primary care physician which is then subject to their approval.
- Licensed Counselor: A licensed counselor is a person with a master's degree or doctorate in counseling. They undergo internships in specialized fields of counseling such as family counseling, career counseling, or rehabilitation counseling. Licensed counselors go through multiple examinations and training to achieve skills in talk-based therapy that support individuals through social, mental, and emotional challenges. A licensed counselor writes an ESA letter as part of providing emotional support to their patients.
- Physician Assistants: A physician assistant (PA) is a person with a master’s degree from an accredited PA program. Physician assistants are tasked with assisting their supervising doctor with the medical care of their patients. They can write ESA letters under the supervising physician. They typically treat and handle minor, less complicated mental illnesses.
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse: A psychiatric mental health nurse (PMHN) is a registered nurse (RN) who specializes in caring for people with mental health and substance use disorders. Some PMHNs are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with more advanced responsibilities that include leading psychotherapy, prescribing medication, and diagnosing and treating illnesses. PMHNs are qualified to provide ESA letters to their patients.
- Licensed Clinical Social Workers: A licensed clinical social worker is a person with a master's degree in social work (MSW) from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). They are tasked to live among people to further understand the difficulties in a specific area. They are qualified to write ESA letters as they are trained and licensed to provide psychological evaluations, diagnoses, and treatment to help their patients.
What Does an ESA Letter Need to Say?
An ESA Letter says that a licensed mental health professional has evaluated the person who is being prescribed the letter and states that they qualify for an emotional support animal; which makes them protected under the Fair Housing Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Valid ESA letters have information on the license type and number of the LMHP, the state in which they’re licensed to practice, the date their license was issued printed on their official letterhead, their contact information, and the date the letter was issued.
Can my therapist write my ESA Letter?
Yes, your therapist can write your ESA Letter. The therapist first conducts tests for evaluation of your mental health condition to determine if you qualify for an ESA. The ESA letter is only provided once a genuine need for emotional support has been established by the LMHP. The therapist requires an up-to-date license to practice in the state that you are currently in and they should have a valid relationship with the patient requesting the ESA.
What does an ESA letter look like?
An ESA Letter looks like a professional legal document with the official letterhead of the LMHP. The letter begins with the LMHP’s contact information, followed by the date of issuance, and then the patient’s name. The body of the letter contains an explanation of how the LMHP has qualified their patient for an emotional support animal due to a mental or emotional health condition that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The letter mentions that the patient and their ESA are granted protection under the Fair Housing Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The LMHP’s signature and name are found at the bottom of the ESA Letter, with their license information which contains the state in which they’re licensed to practice, and the date their license was issued.
What are the requirements of an ESA Letter?
Listed below are the requirements of an ESA Letter.
- Diagnosis of a mental or emotional disability. An ESA is only issued to people who have been clinically diagnosed with an emotional or mental health disability and who have undergone an extensive consultation with a 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.
- A licensed mental health professional. Only LMHPs are qualified to provide valid ESA letters to individuals experiencing mental health or emotional issues. The emotional support animal letter is a legal document that requires written affirmation from a credible expert.
- Yearly renewal. An ESA letter is generally valid for 1 year. Once the date of issuance has lapsed, it is no longer considered valid. Yearly renewal is important to keep the letter valid and to avoid any disputes. Housing ESA Letters have a longer expiration date and typically do not need to be renewed when the tenant has not moved within a year. However, landlords can require an updated ESA in which case the tenant must comply.
How to know if the ESA Letter is Legit?
To know if the ESA Letter is legit, it should have all the necessary requirements and information stated on the document. The letter must be issued by a mental health professional with a valid license to practice in the state in which the individual lives. The LMHP will always consult with the client prior to issuing the letter to assess the mental health of the applicant. ESA letters that are provided without consultation from an LMHP are likely illegitimate and fake.
How do you get an ESA Letter for your dog?
Listed below are the steps to get an ESA Letter for your dog.
- Find an LMHP. Look for a licensed mental health practitioner in your area. The LMHP should be licensed to practice in the state you are currently living in. Schedule a personal evaluation once you have found the right LMHP. People that already have a LMHP are allowed to submit a request for an ESA which will be subject to their approval.
Here at CertaPet we have a staff of psychologists, licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed marriage and family therapists who are legally authorized to prescribe ESA letters in every state and Canada. - Schedule an evaluation. An evaluation of your mental and emotional health status is a mandatory process in getting an emotional support animal letter for a dog. The LMHP conducts a consultation and talks thoroughly with you to assess your current mental state and whether you qualify for an ESA. The ESA letter is approved if they believe that you are in need of genuine emotional support. A dog does not require any special training in order to qualify for your ESA.
- Receive the ESA Letter. The ESA letter is the official document that will protect you and your ESA. The emotional support animal housing letter will state the laws and regulations that allow your ESA into any kind of accommodation and establishment. The letter is to be updated annually as it expires after 1 year.
What should an ESA Letter include?
The things included in an ESA Letter are listed below.
- A legit ESA letter will be issued on formal letterhead.
- General information of the ESA applicant. The full name of the person qualifying for the ESA must be included in the document. The exact kind of mental illness does not need to be included in order to maintain the individual’s privacy.
- License information of the LMHP. The complete and updated license information of the mental health practitioner is included in the ESA letter to be considered valid. The information includes the license number, date of issuance, and the state where they are licensed to practice.
- Date of issuance. ESA letters generally expire within 1 year. The date of issuance is important information for the annual renewal of the document.
How does an ESA letter help with housing?
An ESA letter helps with housing by protecting ESA letter holders from landlord discrimination. Under the Fair Housing Act, landlords are legally bound to provide reasonable accommodation for tenants with ESAs. A “no-pet policy” does not apply once there is a valid ESA letter for housing since they are considered assistive aids to a medical condition. Tenants with ESAs are often exempt from paying pet fees in housing as part of providing reasonable accommodation.
What are the benefits of having an ESA Letter?
The benefits of having an ESA Letter are listed below.
- Improved emotional support. Emotional support animals are effective ways to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in people. Research has shown the mental and physiological benefits of the human-animal bond in people. ESAs regularly provide genuine emotional support to people going through mental illness and reduce the associated risks involved.
- Legal protection. Emotional Support Animal Letters provide legal protection and demand fair treatment for ESA holders anywhere. The letter protects individuals from being discriminated against or denied housing. ESA holders are also exempted from pet restrictions and pet fees that apply to regular pets.
- Improving Social Life. Emotional support animals are great ways to practice social interactions with others. Persons with mental illness are often scared to talk to others or go outside. ESAs provide a sense of comfort during social situations and help the ESA holder to cope with their emotions.
What are the challenges of getting an ESA Letter?
Listed below are the challenges of getting an ESA Letter.
- Fake ESA Letters. Numerous websites offer free ESA letters to access personal information. Some fraudulent websites even ask for payments to create fake ESA letters. Using fake ESA letters leads to serious legal disputes that result in eviction from establishments, housing, or civil lawsuits by the landlord.
- Lack of understanding of ESAs. Emotional support animals are not entirely accepted or understood by everyone. The lack of acceptance of animals sharing public spaces causes disputes, even if the ESA letter is valid. The uncomfortable process of having to explain the need for an ESA results in added stress for the person already suffering from mental illness.
Can I request an ESA Letter due to anxiety?
Yes, you can request an ESA Letter due to anxiety. A licensed mental health practitioner diagnoses and prescribes an ESA letter for anxiety according to the specific individual cases. Anxiety disorders are recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) which qualifies an individual for an ESA letter.
