What Does an ESA Letter Do? Your Questions Answered

Emotional support animals have been around for a long time, and they continue to be one of the best solutions for mental health disorders. While this may be the case, you need an emotional support animal letter to have a legitimate support animal. Now, if you don’t know what an ESA letter does, the good news is that you’ve come to the right place.

So, what does an ESA letter do? Read on to learn more; we cover what they are, what they do, and even how to get one.

What Is an Emotional Support Animal Letter?

An emotional support animal letter is a letter that’s written by a licensed mental health professional. These letters outline why someone needs an emotional support animal, and you’ll find that they must be signed by a licensed mental health professional who’s licensed in your state of residence.

Some information about their license is also necessary on the letter, because without it, you’ll find that landlords can turn the letter down, charge pet fees, or reject it completely. ESA letters also need to include information about someone’s mental health disorder, the animal, and how the animal helps them.

Who Qualifies for an ESA Letter?

Almost anyone who has a mental health disorder can qualify for an ESA letter. Ultimately, whether or not you qualify comes down to a conversation with a licensed mental health professional. However, there are some common conditions that qualify, and we list some examples below.

• Anxiety and panic attack disorders.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Chronic stress
• Lonelines

These are only a few examples of disabilities that qualify, so make sure you connect with a licensed mental health professional for a complete evaluation.

What Does an ESA Letter Do?

An ESA letter does a lot. There are a handful of emotional support animal laws in place, and these laws come with unique protections for your ESA. Most of these laws apply at the federal level, although some states have some unique variations or additions. 

Typically, state ESA legislature is based on the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which ensures that landlords can’t discriminate against people who have an ESA letter. Landlords also can’t charge pet fees or evict tenants for having ESAs. Essentially, the Fair Housing Act ensures that you get a hassle-free living situation with your companion animal, whether there’s a pet policy or not for the apartment or home.

Without one of these letters, you won’t be able to benefit from the protections outlined in the Fair Housing Act (FHA), so this is the letter’s main purpose.

It’s also important to note that ESA letters only have so much pull. For example, if your companion animal is harming others, making loud noises into the night, or otherwise causing issues, landlords can take action.

How to Get an ESA Letter

To get an ESA letter, there are a few things you need to do. First and foremost, you need to have an animal that you can use as an emotional support animal, and this animal must help you with a mental disorder.

Once you have the animal, you can schedule a consultation with a licensed mental health professional. Now, this can be done in person with a therapist or someone similar, but if you don’t have insurance or someone you work with already, you may want to consider alternative options.

The good news is that there are plenty of online providers who will help you connect with an LMHP via telehealth. That said, make sure you choose a reputable resource that connects you with someone who’s licensed in your state to avoid problems.

Also, check with local state laws to determine if you need to maintain a 30-day professional relationship with them first; this is common in California and some other states.

What Does an ESA Letter Do? Our Final Thoughts

So, what does an ESA letter do? At the end of the day, an ESA letter classifies your dog as an ESA under the Fair Housing Act. Without one of these letters, you can say your pet is an ESA, sure, but they won’t legally be considered one.

For this reason, if you want to experience the benefits provided by the Fair Housing Act, well, you need to make sure you have one of these letters.