Emotional support animals (ESA) are beloved by many, and these companion animals bring many benefits to the lives of their owners. In order for your support animal to be legally protected under federal and state laws, you will need an ESA letter. It’s important that your ESA letter is accurate and up to date so you can benefit from these protections. Our article tells you more about ESA letters, including giving you details on how long an ESA letter might be good for after it is issued.
Why Do I Need an ESA Letter?
Any individual with a companion animal that they wish should be treated like a valid emotional support animal must have an ESA letter. This letter, written by a qualified mental healthcare provider licensed in your state, states your need for an ESA and lists your provider’s qualifications. Under the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), this letter is required if you are to ask for housing accommodations; living with your ESA in any area of housing without paying pet rent or fees and without adhering to breed or pet restrictions are considered accommodations.
Who Writes ESA Letters?
In general, a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state will write your ESA letter. These are the professionals who are recognized by most state laws as eligible to prescribe ESAs, and your provider will be able to evaluate your specific condition and suitability for an emotional support animal.
In the case that you cannot get a therapist or other mental healthcare provider to write your ESA letter, your primary care doctor may be able to prescribe you an ESA and write the accompanying letter. However, this does depend on specific state laws and what is allowable under the FHA.
How Long Are ESA Letters Good For?
Your emotional support animal letter will generally be good for a year, though states vary in how long a letter is valid before you will need to renew it. You can expect your ESA letter to have an expiration date included somewhere on the letter, and you should pay close attention to that date; it’s your duty and responsibility to check in with your mental healthcare provider as needed to ensure that your ESA letter remains valid while your support animal is in your care. If you work with certain providers, like US Service Animals, they’ll inform you in advance when you need to renew your ESA letter.
If you have any questions about how long your ESA letter is good for, you can always speak to your provider to learn about renewing the letter and the expiration date of your ESA letter.
How Do I Renew an ESA Letter?
Renewing your ESA letter is as simple as meeting with your therapist or mental healthcare provider and checking in again about your emotional support animal. You may need to keep up monthly meetings and an established relationship with your provider throughout the year, or you may be able to make an appointment once a year to ensure your ESA letter is valid. Every state has different rules about the relationship length you are required to have with your therapist before an ESA letter is considered valid.
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Can I Print an ESA Letter From the Internet?
You cannot print out an ESA letter from the internet, such as one you find through a Google Images search or a template that you fill out and print. These letters have not been signed by a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state, and they will not be considered valid. If you try to use an ESA letter you have printed from somewhere, your landlord is allowed to turn down your accommodation request. In the absence of a valid ESA letter, your companion animal will be treated like a pet and be subjected to pet rules and restrictions.
Only ESA letters that have been signed off on by mental healthcare providers are valid ESA letters that grant you accommodation protections.
Can I Reuse an Old ESA Letter?
You cannot reuse an old ESA letter, even if it has been signed by a therapist. For example, if you had a companion animal and then the animal passed, you cannot obtain a new support animal and then attempt to use the previous ESA letter to show your support animal’s validity. You will need to speak to your therapist and request a new letter with details that are specific to your current companion animal to ensure they are valid and protected by federal and state laws.
Keeping Your Emotional Support Animal Valid
Making sure that your emotional support animal is valid is an incredibly important part of owning and caring for a companion animal. You will need a valid ESA letter to ensure you and your companion animal can receive housing accommodations, and this means paying attention to any expiration date that is attached to your ESA letter. If you need a new ESA letter or you want to renew your ESA letter, speak to your mental healthcare provider as soon as possible.
