Michigan follows the ADA definition, adds miniature horses, and since March 29, 2023, lets any animal raiser or trainer bring a service animal in training into public places. Falsely claiming a service animal is a misdemeanor with up to 90 days in jail, a $500 fine and 30 days of community service. Michigan's Department of Civil Rights offers a voluntary service animal ID and patch, but no business may require it.
Who counts as a service animal in Michigan?
Michigan adopts the ADA definition in 28 CFR 36.104 and adds "A miniature horse that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks as described in 28 CFR 36.104 for the benefit of a person with a disability" (MCL 752.61(c)). "Person with a disability" expressly includes a veteran diagnosed with PTSD, traumatic brain injury or other service-related disabilities. The same definition is used across Michigan's service animal laws, so emotional support animals are not service animals here.
The federal rule in full is in ADA service dog laws.
Public places in Michigan, including hotels and restaurants
A public accommodation "shall modify its policies, practices, and procedures to permit the use of a service animal by a person with a disability" (MCL 750.502c(1)). Michigan puts the ADA's limits into its own criminal code: a dog may be removed only if it is out of control or not housebroken, never because of allergies or fear; staff "shall not ... require a special identification card or training documentation"; and they may ask only the two ADA questions, and not when the answer is obvious. Violations are a misdemeanor (750.502c(13)).
The ADA applies in Michigan too. Staff may ask only whether the dog is required because of a disability and what task it is trained to perform. They may not ask for documents or a demonstration, and may remove a dog only if it is out of control or not housebroken. See what businesses can ask.
Service dogs in training in Michigan
Yes, since March 29, 2023 (2022 PA 75). A public accommodation "shall modify its policies ... to permit the use of a service animal in training by an animal raiser or trainer, if the animal raiser or trainer is being accompanied by the service animal in training for the purpose of training or socializing the animal" (MCL 750.502c(3)). An "animal raiser or trainer" is "an individual who raises and socializes a service animal in training with the intent that the animal will become a service animal", so owner- trainers and volunteers count, with no professional or ID requirement. The animal must be on a harness, leash or tether (or under other control), may be removed if out of control or not housebroken, and the raiser or trainer "is liable for damage."
This is state law only. Under the ADA, "the dog must already be trained before it can be taken into public places," and airlines do not treat dogs in training as service animals. Compare states in service dogs in training.
Is there a Michigan service dog registration or tag?
Yes, and it is voluntary. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights "shall develop and make available upon request a voluntary identification and patch for a service animal" (MCL 37.303). To get one, you sign an affidavit that the animal "has been trained to be a service animal" and provide "Documentation from an appropriate health care or rehabilitation professional that the individual requires the assistance of a service animal due to a disability." Access cannot be conditioned on having it (MCL 750.502c(8)).
That state ID is the only government-issued service animal ID in Michigan. A private registry card is not it and does not substitute for it. For dog licensing, "a service animal is not subject to any fee for licensing" when used by a person with a disability or owned by an entity that trains service animals (MCL 287.291(1)).
A private registry card, ours included, is not a state tag. The Department of Justice says such documents "do not convey any rights under the ADA." Our voluntary registry is a paid, optional record (an emergency contact, a card with the two ADA questions) and nothing more.
Housing: service dogs and ESAs in Michigan
We found no Michigan housing statute specific to emotional support animals. ESA requests are reasonable accommodations under the federal Fair Housing Act and Michigan's Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act (MCL 37.1101 and following). Two 2020 bills that would have added verification rules for ESA housing requests (HB 4910 and HB 4911) were vetoed on December 30, 2020.
Federal enforcement narrowed in 2026. A May 22, 2026 HUD memo says its fair housing office "will find reasonable cause and recommend charges only for those cases involving animals trained to provide disability-related assistance." The Fair Housing Act and private lawsuits remain, but for an untrained ESA, Michigan law now matters more.
ESA letters in Michigan
We found no Michigan statute on who may write an ESA letter. The federal baseline is the 2004 HUD and DOJ Joint Statement, which is still posted: a housing provider may ask for reliable information showing the disability and the need for the animal, and "In most cases, an individual's medical records or detailed information about the nature of a person's disability is not necessary for this inquiry."
We never sell or refer ESA letters. Ask the clinician who already treats you, and see ESA letters for housing for what a legitimate letter covers.
Employment: service dogs at work in Michigan
Public access rules do not govern the workplace. At work, a service dog is a reasonable accommodation request under Title I of the ADA, and unlike a store, an employer may ask for "reasonable documentation about his/her disability and functional limitations" when the need is not obvious (EEOC guidance). The Job Accommodation Network says employers "must consider the request, but do not have to automatically allow employees to bring their service animals to work."
Our research for this page covered Michigan access, training, housing and fraud statutes, not state employment law.
Misrepresentation penalties in Michigan
Michigan has had a fraud law since 1981. "A person shall not falsely represent that he or she is in possession of a service animal, or a service animal in training, in any public place" (MCL 752.62). "A person who knowingly violates this act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by 1 or more of the following: (a) Imprisonment for not more than 90 days. (b) A fine of not more than $500.00. (c) Community service for not more than 30 days" (MCL 752.63). Note that it covers dogs in training too.
At least 36 states penalize misrepresentation in some form; see fake service dog laws by state.
Where to file a complaint in Michigan
The Michigan Department of Civil Rights runs a hotline that takes reports of service animal misrepresentation and may refer them to police (MCL 752.64), and violations of MCL 750.502c are misdemeanors. Federal routes are open too:
- Public places: the U.S. Department of Justice, through ADA.gov's complaint page.
- Housing: HUD's complaint page, though HUD now finds cause in animal cases only for trained animals.
- Work: the EEOC, through its page on filing a charge.
Rules change at the state line. Nearby: Ohio service dog laws and Wisconsin service dog laws.
Common questions
Do I need the Michigan service animal ID?
No. It is voluntary, and a business may not require it or any training documents.
Can a service dog in training go into stores in Michigan?
Yes, since March 29, 2023, when a raiser or trainer is training or socializing the animal and it is on a harness, leash or tether.
What is the penalty for a fake service dog in Michigan?
A misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days of community service, or a combination.
Can emotional support animals go into restaurants in Michigan?
No. Michigan's definition follows the ADA (trained dogs, plus trained miniature horses), which excludes emotional support animals.
Sources
- MCL 752.61, definition
- MCL 752.62, false representation
- MCL 752.63, penalty
- MCL 750.502c, public accommodations and trainers
- MCL 37.303, voluntary ID and patch
- MCL 287.291, license fee exemption
- MCL 752.64, reporting hotline
- DOJ, ADA service animal FAQ
General information, not legal advice. Policies and laws change; follow the sources. Last checked September 25, 2026.