USA Service Dog Registration

Under the Fair Housing Act, landlords generally cannot charge a pet deposit for an emotional support animal. ESAs are not pets under federal law, so pet deposits, pet fees, and pet rent should not apply. However, HUD’s May 2026 enforcement shift and the Henderson v. Five Properties ruling have created new uncertainty at the federal level. State laws still protect E...

Arkansas has some of the strictest emotional support animal laws in the country. State law (HB1420/Act 268) requires a 30-day provider-patient relationship before any ESA letter can be issued, and letters expire after 12 months. A 2025 law (Act 819) lets businesses ban ESAs from their premises. Federal housing protections under the Fair Housing Act still apply, but...

There is no official government list of disabilities that qualify for a service dog. The ADA uses a functional test: any physical or mental impairment that “substantially limits” one or more major life activities can qualify. This includes mobility conditions, sensory impairments, psychiatric disorders like PTSD and anxiety, medical alert conditions like diabetes a...

Since January 11, 2021, emotional support animals (ESAs) have no special protections on U.S. airlines. The Department of Transportation revised its rules so that only trained service dogs qualify as service animals for air travel. ESAs are now treated as pets, subject to standard pet fees ranging from $50 to $150 each way. Psychiatric service dogs (PSDs), however, ...

You can legally train your own dog to be a service dog in the United States without any certification, professional trainer, or government registry. The ADA only requires that the dog be individually trained to perform a specific task related to your disability. The process typically takes about two years and costs anywhere from $0 to $7,000 for owner-trainers. Thi...