Key takeaway: A real ESA letter is a short, signed letter on a licensed clinician’s letterhead. It states that you have a disability-related need for an emotional support animal and lists the clinician’s name, license type, license number, and state, with a date and signature. It does not need to name your diagnosis, and it says nothing about the animal’s training or registration.
A template you fill in and sign yourself is not an ESA letter. The value is the licensed clinician’s evaluation and signature, not the wording. Below is an annotated example for reference, and a request letter you can send your landlord.
What does a real ESA letter look like?
Like ordinary clinical correspondence: one page, on letterhead, signed by a licensed professional who evaluated you. Here is the general shape, with notes on each part.
[Clinician letterhead: practice name, address, phone]①
[Date]②
To whom it may concern,
[Patient name] is currently under my care③ for a mental-health condition that substantially limits one or more major life activities.④ Based on my clinical evaluation, an emotional support animal helps alleviate symptoms of this condition, and I recommend that [patient name] be allowed to keep their emotional support animal, [animal type and name], in their home as a reasonable accommodation.⑤
Please contact my office if you need to verify this letter.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Printed name, credentials]
[License type, license number, state, and license effective date]⑥
Illustrative example for education only. It is not a form to complete or sign, and it is not legal advice.
What does each part of an ESA letter do?
Each element lets a landlord confirm the letter is real and reliable without needing your medical records.
- Letterhead. Identifies a real practice the landlord can contact.
- Date. Landlords commonly ask for a recent letter; there is no federal expiration date. See how long ESA letters last.
- Treatment relationship. Shows the clinician evaluated you. In California, the clinician must have a client-provider relationship of at least 30 days before documenting a need for an emotional support dog.[1]
- Disability statement. Mirrors the Fair Housing Act’s idea of an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. A specific diagnosis usually isn’t needed.
- Need and recommendation. Connects your condition to the animal and frames the request as a reasonable accommodation, the Fair Housing Act’s term.[2]
- License details and signature. Let a landlord verify the clinician on the state licensing board’s website. California requires the license’s effective date, number, jurisdiction, and type.[1]
Notice what is missing: no registration number, no certificate, no photo ID of the animal, and no claim that the animal is trained. None of those make a letter stronger; see is ESA registration real?
Can you use a free ESA letter template or PDF?
Not as a substitute for a clinician. A letter you complete yourself, or one signed by someone who never evaluated you, doesn’t document anything, and landlords can verify the signer.
The wording of an ESA letter is simple; any example online shows it. What a landlord relies on is that a named, licensed professional evaluated you and will stand behind the letter if contacted. A misleading letter can also cause real trouble. California, for example, requires clinicians to warn clients that misrepresenting a service dog is a misdemeanor.[1] If you need a letter, see how to get an ESA letter; your own provider can often write one at a regular visit.
Sample reasonable-accommodation request letter for your landlord
This is the letter you write. Send it to your landlord or property manager with your clinician’s ESA letter attached, and keep a copy.
[Your name, address, unit number]
[Date]
Dear [landlord or property manager name],
I am writing to request a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act. I have a disability, and my licensed mental-health provider has recommended that I keep my emotional support animal, [animal type and name], in my home. A letter from my provider is attached.
I am asking that you make an exception to the building’s pet policy so that my animal can live with me. I will remain responsible for any damage the animal causes and for following the lease’s rules on noise, cleanliness, and common areas.
Please let me know in writing whether you approve this request, or what additional information you need. Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Your name and contact information]
Since HUD’s May 2026 enforcement change, landlords have more room to question or deny requests for untrained ESAs, so a written request and a letter from a clinician who knows you matter more. Read ESA housing rights in 2026 before you send it.
Frequently asked questions about ESA letter samples
What should an ESA letter say?
It should state that you have a mental or emotional disability, that an emotional support animal helps with it, and that the clinician recommends it as a reasonable accommodation. It should include the clinician’s license type, number, state, signature, and date.
Does an ESA letter have to name my diagnosis?
Usually not. Most ESA letters describe a disability that substantially limits a major life activity without naming a specific diagnosis.
Can I write my own ESA letter?
No. An ESA letter only means something because a licensed clinician evaluated you and signed it. You can write your own accommodation request letter to your landlord, which is a different document.
Is there a free ESA letter PDF?
Free PDFs and templates exist, but filling one in yourself does not create a valid ESA letter. If you already see a therapist or psychiatrist, asking them may cost nothing beyond a regular visit.
What does an ESA letter for housing look like?
It is the same as any ESA letter: a one-page letter on the clinician’s letterhead recommending that you be allowed to keep your emotional support animal at home as a reasonable accommodation, with license details and a signature.
Sources
The sample letters on this page are illustrative and educational. They are not legal advice and do not replace an evaluation by a licensed clinician.
- California Board of Behavioral Sciences, AB 468 FAQ (Health and Safety Code §122318; Penal Code §365.7).
- Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B). Cornell LII.