You cannot write your own ESA letter. It has to come from a licensed health care provider who knows you, and several states now set rules on who that is and what the letter must say. That is why there is no fill-in template on this page. Instead, here is what a clinician's letter usually covers, so you know what to expect and what to ask your own provider for.
Can you write your own ESA letter?
No. The point of the letter is that someone qualified, other than you, confirms two things: that you have a disability, and that the animal is connected to a disability-related need. A letter you write about yourself does neither. It can also get you into legal trouble. Kentucky makes it an offense to knowingly make "materially false statements for the purpose of obtaining documentation for the use of an assistance animal in housing", and Missouri covers "Knowingly and intentionally misrepresenting a material fact to a health care provider for the purpose of obtaining documentation".
If you are hoping to skip the clinician because you do not have one, the honest route is to find care first. See how to get an emotional support animal.
Why we do not offer a fill-in ESA letter template
Search results for "ESA letter template" are full of fill-in documents and sample PDFs. We left ours out on purpose. A form letter with blanks invites exactly the kind of documentation state laws now reject, and HUD's May 2026 memo attached a case finding no cause on "a complaint involving three emotional support animals supported by an online form letter". Your provider writes in their own words, on their own letterhead, from what they know about you.
What a clinician's ESA letter usually covers
The 2004 HUD and DOJ Joint Statement, which is still posted, says a housing provider may request reliable information that "(1) is necessary to verify that the person meets the Act's definition of disability ..., (2) describes the needed accommodation, and (3) shows the relationship between the person's disability and the need for the requested accommodation." A clinician's letter usually addresses those three points, plus details that let a landlord rely on it:
- Who the provider is: name, profession and contact details on their letterhead.
- License details: license type and number, and the state that issued it. Montana and Louisiana require the effective date, license number and license type. California requires the license number and jurisdiction.
- The relationship: that the provider treats you and, in states with a 30-day rule, that the relationship meets it. Iowa's finding must certify whether the relationship "has existed, in person or via telehealth, for at least thirty days".
- Disability: a statement that you have a disability as the law defines it (a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, in the Fair Housing Act's words). Not the diagnosis.
- Need: how the animal relates to that disability.
- The request: the accommodation asked for, usually living with a named animal despite a pet rule.
- Date and signature.
A sample layout for clinicians
If you are a clinician asked for a housing letter, this is the order most letters follow. It is an outline of topics, not wording to copy:
- Letterhead with your name, credentials and practice details.
- Date, and the effective date if your state asks for one.
- License type, number and issuing state.
- How long, and in what setting, you have treated the patient.
- Your professional statement that the patient has a disability, without naming the diagnosis.
- Your statement of the disability-related need for the animal.
- The accommodation requested.
- Any notice your state requires. California practitioners must include a notice about Penal Code 365.7.
- Signature.
Iowa adds one more item: the finding must say whether you received a separate or additional fee solely for writing it.
What the letter does not need
A landlord generally does not need your medical records. The Joint Statement says "In most cases, an individual's medical records or detailed information about the nature of a person's disability is not necessary". Montana bars landlords from asking for a diagnosis, its severity or medical records, and Minnesota bars demands for medical records. Florida says a landlord "may not require the use of a specific form or notarized statement".
State-specific ESA letter requirements
- California: license held where the letter is provided, 30-day relationship (homeless exception), clinical evaluation, Penal Code 365.7 notice. California rules.
- Florida: telehealth providers allowed; out-of-state providers only after in-person care at least once. Florida rules.
- Iowa: 30-day relationship, fee disclosure, valid twelve months or the lease term.
- Louisiana: 30-day relationship, at least two sessions, clinical evaluation, license details. Louisiana rules.
- Montana: Montana-licensed mental health professional, 30-day relationship, clinical evaluation, license details. Montana rules.
- Kentucky: in-state provider with an active practice, no fee-for-documentation providers. Kentucky rules.
- Arkansas: emotional support dogs, 30-day relationship, annual clinical evaluation.
Why templates from letter sites get rejected
Landlords see the same form letters again and again, and state laws now give them grounds to question them:
- Tennessee excludes documentation from a website whose "primary function" is selling such documents for a fee.
- Minnesota and Kentucky exclude providers whose main business is documentation.
- Kentucky lets a landlord "independently verify the authenticity of any supporting documentation".
- Florida and Montana say an online registration, ID card or certificate is not enough by itself.
- HUD's 2026 memo names the industry: "an entire industry has emerged to convert pets into emotional support animals".
More on this in are online ESA letters legit? and, for the full picture, our ESA letter guide.
Common questions
Can I write my own ESA letter?
No. It has to come from a licensed provider who knows you. Writing false documentation can be an offense in states such as Kentucky and Missouri.
Is there an emotional support animal letter sample PDF I can fill in?
Not here, on purpose. A fill-in letter is not what state laws describe as reliable documentation. Your clinician writes it in their own words.
What should an ESA letter for housing include?
Information showing you have a disability, the accommodation you need, and the link between the two, plus the provider's license details. Your diagnosis is not needed.
Does my landlord's own form have to be used?
In Florida, a landlord may not require a specific form or a notarized statement. Other states vary.
Is there an emotional support animal letter template for doctors?
The outline on this page shows the topics a clinician's letter usually covers. The wording should be the clinician's own.
Sources
- HUD/DOJ Joint Statement on Reasonable Accommodations (2004)
- HUD FHEO enforcement guidance on animal accommodations, 2026-05-22
- California Health and Safety Code 122318
- Iowa Code 216.8C
- Montana Code 70-24-114
- Kentucky KRS 383.085
- Tennessee Public Chapter 754 (2024)
- Minnesota Statutes 504B.113
General information, not legal advice. Policies and laws change; follow the sources. Last checked September 25, 2026.