No. The ADA does not require a service dog to pass any test, and no business may ask to see a test result. The DOJ says it "will not impose any type of formal training requirements or certification process". Public access tests still exist, and they are useful goals: the ADI Public Access Test is used by accredited programs, IAADP publishes minimum standards, and the AKC Canine Good Citizen test is open to any dog.
Is a public access test required?
No, not under federal law. The ADA asks that a service dog be trained to perform a task and be under control and housebroken in public. It does not name any test. Staff may ask only two questions, and "are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person's disability" (DOJ FAQ question 7). That applies to psychiatric service dogs in exactly the same way.
A test result can still be useful where documentation legitimately comes up, for example at work, where an employer may ask an owner-trainer to show the dog is trained. See service dogs at work.
The ADI Public Access Test
Assistance Dogs International's test is the best known, and it is not open to the public. ADI's own archived page said: "the ADI Public Access Test cannot be administered without express permission from ADI. Only candidates and members of ADI have that permission," and "Permission is NEVER granted to individual trainers."
As reported by a third-party copy (ADI's page is no longer online), the test covers: a controlled unload from a vehicle, approaching the building, controlled entry, heeling through the building, a six-foot recall on lead, sit, down, noise distraction, a restaurant, off lead, the dog being taken by another person, a controlled exit, a controlled load into a vehicle, and the team relationship. Any aggression eliminates the team.
IAADP Minimum Training Standards
IAADP publishes minimum standards anyone can read: "a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) hours of training over a period of Six Months or more", "At least thirty (30) hours" on outings, basic obedience ("Sit, Stay, Come, Down, Heel"), a dropped leash recall, tasks "on command or cue", and no training for aggression. IAADP is clear about their status:
"Failure to meet IAADP's Minimum Training Standards does not mean the dog is not a legitimate assistance dog under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)."IAADP Minimum Training Standards
AKC Canine Good Citizen vs public access tests
The AKC Canine Good Citizen is "a 10-skill test that teaches good manners to dogs and responsible dog ownership", open to all dogs, purebred or mixed. The skills are: accepting a friendly stranger, sitting politely for petting, appearance and grooming, out for a walk, walking through a crowd, sit, down and stay, coming when called, reaction to another dog, reaction to distraction, and supervised separation. It is given by AKC Approved CGC Evaluators. AKC also offers advanced levels in real-world settings (AKC Community Canine and Urban CGC).
AKC is explicit that CGC is not a service dog credential:
"Dogs are not service dogs simply because they passed the CGC test and they do not have special access rights in public places (stores, restaurants, planes, etc.). Service dogs must also be trained on tasks specifically related to the person's disability."AKC CGC Evaluator Guide (updated September 2024)
So CGC is a good foundation. A service dog's public access work goes further: longer settles, restaurants, transport and tasks under distraction.
Do psychiatric service dogs have to pass a test?
No. The rules are the same for every service dog. There is no psychiatric service dog test in the ADA, and no one may require a letter instead. See psychiatric service dogs.
How to use a test as a training goal
- Pick a benchmark: CGC for manners, then the public access items above for real-world work.
- Turn each item into a practice session, first at home, then in quiet public places where your state allows dogs in training, then busy ones.
- Ask a friend to play the stranger, the dropped item, the other dog.
- Log results by date and place, and repeat failures in easier settings before trying again.
- Only call it done when the dog passes in places it has never seen.
For the full plan, see train your own service dog, and for where you can practice, service dogs in training.
Beware online "tests" and certificates
Some websites sell an online quiz or video "test" with a certificate at the end. It changes nothing legally. The DOJ says documents sold online "do not convey any rights under the ADA and the Department of Justice does not recognize them as proof that the dog is a service animal." ADI has also said that organizations using its test or materials without accreditation are "making deliberately misleading claims." See service dog certification and are service dog registries legit?
Common questions
Does my service dog have to pass a public access test?
No. The ADA does not require any test, and businesses may not ask for proof of training.
Can I take the ADI Public Access Test with my own dog?
Generally no. ADI said permission to administer it is given only to its members and candidates, and never to individual trainers.
Is the AKC Canine Good Citizen a service dog test?
No. AKC says passing CGC does not make a dog a service dog or give access rights. It is a useful manners foundation.
Do psychiatric service dogs have to pass a test?
No. The same rules apply to all service dogs.
Is an online public access test valid?
It has no legal effect. The DOJ does not recognize certificates sold online as proof of anything.
Sources
- DOJ, ADA Requirements: Service Animals FAQ (questions 5, 7, 17)
- 28 CFR Part 36, Appendix A (2010 rule commentary)
- ADI Public Access Test page (archived 2018)
- IAADP Minimum Training Standards for Public Access
- AKC Canine Good Citizen
- AKC CGC Evaluator Guide (September 2024)
General information, not legal advice. Policies and laws change; follow the sources. Last checked September 25, 2026.