Big Questions...Honest Answers

A legally-enforceable, legitimate Emotional Support Letter is a documented prescription written by a licensed mental health professional indicating that an individual will experience certain emotional and psychological benefits while in the company of and enjoying the companionship of a personal pet, including dogs, cats, birds, other mammals and reptiles.

A legitimate website (be careful; there are plenty of scammers around) has a team of licensed mental health professionals (LMHP) who review your application. If you qualify (85% of applicants do qualify), you’ll receive a signed “prescription letter” entitling you to the protection of all Federal laws regarding rental housing and airline transportation in the company of your pet.

It’s the same process: an online questionnaire qualifies you quickly. Once issued by a LMHP, your ESA Letter carries the force of Federal law under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, under the Federal Housing Authority.

Your ESA Letter is actually a prescription from a licensed medical health professional naming you as qualified for the unrestricted companionship of your pet. You are the one protected by law when you fly aboard commercial airlines as per the Air Carrier Access Act (49 U.S.C. 41705 and 14 C.F.R 382). It’s your letter and the right to board aircraft with your pet is your right.

You don’t. There is no such certification, and there is no database of “certified pets” anywhere in the world. Any online service offering “pet registration” or membership in the “registry” of emotional support animals is not legitimate. Websites offering to register you or your pet are completely fraudulent, and any documentation they send you will not be honored by landlords or airlines. Don’t get ripped off! Only work with legitimate providers of authentic, medically-prescribed ESA Letters.

ESA Letters are legally recognized when written by a state-licensed psychotherapist, marriage and family counselor, or psychiatrist. Neither your family doctor, dentist, or massage therapist are qualified to issue your ESA Letter. Of course, you can visit a licensed therapist in an office setting, where the cost can run as high as $300 per hour; legitimate online providers like RealESAletter.com are a true value.

Your ESA Letter will guarantee you the unrestricted companionship of your pet in most housing and airline travel situations. You’ll be able to enforce your rights and avoid all unreasonable “pet fees” and “no pet” policies throughout the U.S.

With your ESA Letter from RealESAletter.com, we will communicate directly with the airline on your behalf and provide them with any additional document support. (Just be sure to notify the airline that you’ll be flying in the passenger compartment with your pet well prior to departure so that we can handle any paperwork ahead of time.)

It’s a straightforward process:

• Fill out a simple questionnaire and submit it with the click of a button.
• If you qualify, submit payment for the services of your licensed health care provider.
• Your application is reviewed and assessed by a licensed therapist. If approved...
• Your ESA Letter—signed by a licensed professional—is sent to you either by email or by the U.S. Postal Service.

Individual ESA documentation is valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance. Ongoing symptoms indicating clinically-approved need for further emotional support qualify for annual renewals of your ESA Letter.

Yes. Under the law, you are the patient whose symptoms (anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc.) are reviewed by our licensed professional healthcare provider. The letter is a medical prescription authorizing you to be afforded "reasonable accommodation" under the law calling for you to be in the company of your Emotional Support Animal. While letters generally describe your specific pet (species-breed-weight & pet's name), we can provide a "general" ESA for your use at your discretion. Once you acquire your new pet, just request a "revised letter" and our therapist will gladly provide a revision specifically naming your pet.

The online application takes a few minutes. Review by a licensed professional and issuance of the ESA Letter requires a minimum of 24 hours (on a “rush order” basis); standard delivery time is approximately 48 hours.

RealESAletter.com engages the services of licensed mental health professionals, as well as a roster of physicians and clinical health care workers. With more than 100 such professionals in the field, your satisfaction and proper attention to your needs are guaranteed.

When you make your rental application, you will provide a copy of your ESA Letter to the landlord. State laws vary, but under the Federal Housing Authority, discrimination on the basis of your need for an Emotional Support Animal is strictly prohibited. Your ESA Letter also allows you to bring any breed or size of Emotional Support Animal within reason, without being required to pay additional fees or deposits. Keep in mind, however, that any damages to the property caused by your Emotional Support Animal are your responsibility.

There is no state, local, or national registry for Emotional Support Animals, and you should never pay anyone to register your pet as an ESA. The ESA Letter is a prescription for you in light of the benefits an emotional support animal will provide to you. If you have multiple ESA pets who provide you comfort and healing, each of those is covered under your letter when so indicated by the therapist issuing your ESA Letter.

You have multiple delivery options, including a priority delivery add a slight additional cost. Standard delivery is by PDF attachment via email, with the option to have a hard-copy document mailed to your address at a small additional fee. Priority Mail service is available as well.

Your ESA status is established by your individual need for companionship and the comfort that comes from that companionship. Service animals are highly-trained to perform specific tasks for their handlers, and under Federal law, are granted access to all facilities nationwide. Your Emotional Support Animal requires no training of any kind; while you may be turned away at certain facilities under Health Department code compliance rules, the presentation of your ESA Letter is generally accepted by and carries considerable weight with all business owners, landlords, and transportation providers.

There is no training requirement at all. Your pet only needs to be well-behaved and under your control. If your animal causes property damage or personal injury to others, you may be liable for such harm.

Yes. Your rights to an emotional support animal are protected under the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Air Carrier Access Act, each of which prohibits discrimination against individuals suffering from physical, mental, or emotional challenges.

Yes. Your ESA Letter is a powerful document providing for such an accommodation by the airlines. Of course, your pet must be well-behaved, not be a threat or a problem to anyone on the aircraft, and should not be fearful or noisy. We recommend that you contact your airline well prior to check-in to let them know that you are traveling with an Emotional Support Animal so that they may provide appropriate accommodations.

If your initial therapist declines your valid need for an Emotional Support Animal, you may request a re-evaluation. In the unlikely event, you are declined upon review, we will provide you with an immediate, 100% guaranteed refund.

Only to be aware that the majority of “online services” claiming to provide ESA Letter documentation are of questionable legitimacy. Those who suggest “registration” for your pet, focus their services on selling you products and accessories (tags, licenses, vests, ID cards) should be avoided. The therapist who writes your ESA Letter should always provide their state license number. If you have any questions about your therapist’s professional qualifications or about the RealESAletter.com process, please contact us here.