Emotional support animals are there to provide comfort and therapeutic benefits to individuals with a psychiatric disability. These animals simply exist and ease their owner’s symptoms through companionship.
However, not every pet can become an emotional support animal just because they provide comfort. Those who want to designate their pets as an emotional support animal require an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional.
In this article, we will go over how much is an ESA letter, along with how you can get one and how you can use your ESA letter when needed.
What Is an ESA Letter?
An emotional support animal letter designates an animal as an emotional support animal to an individual with a psychiatric disability. This document confirms that the emotional support animal provides therapeutic benefits to the owner, making them more than a pet and granting them legal rights.
An individual who wants an emotional support animal must receive this document from a licensed mental health professional in their state. If you’re already seeing a mental health professional, discuss the possibility of an ESA as part of your treatment plan.
However, California, Iowa, Arkansas, Montana, and Louisiana require mental health professionals to have a client-provider relationship with their consultants for at least 30 days before they can write an ESA letter. Even though the cost of an ESA letter isn’t high, which we’ll break down in detail below, individuals in these states must wait for at least 30 days from the first consultation before they can receive an ESA letter.
Costs Associated With Getting an ESA Letter
There isn’t a single amount that will apply to everyone when asking how much is an ESA letter. The exact amount for an ESA letter depends on several factors, including your location, the LMHP you’re seeing, and how much they charge for writing it.
Generally, you will pay between $100 and $250 per session to your mental health worker. If it is your first time seeing one, expect to pay for at least one session, though it is likely that you might need to attend multiple sessions before they can assess whether an emotional support animal will benefit you.
The price you pay for the actual ESA letter typically depends on your mental health professional’s pricing. They can charge anywhere from $50 to $200 for writing the letter. Some providers, like US Service Animals, include the ESA letter in the consultation fee, so you might not need to pay anything for it at all. Once you’ve obtained your ESA letter, you can then use it when needed.
Using Your ESA Letter
Now that you know how much is an ESA letter, it is time to make the necessary arrangements to use it. The only law that grants emotional support animals protection is the Fair Housing Act. This law protects emotional support animals in rentals, allowing them to provide their therapeutic benefits to their owner even if there’s a no-pet policy in place.
Some states, like California, also allow emotional support animals in the workplace. Whether for housing or at the workplace, you’ll need to request accommodation for your emotional support animal by providing a copy of your ESA letter. Unless the presence of your emotional support animal will cause a health or safety risk or create undue hardship for the housing provider or the employer, they can’t deny this request.
Note that your housing provider cannot charge extra for your emotional support animal. Unlike pets, emotional support animals are exempt from pet fees, deposits, and rents.
Keep in Mind the Emotional Support Animal Costs
It is critical for those without a pet to designate an emotional support animal to keep in mind the ongoing expenses of having one on top of the cost of obtaining an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional.
The cost of acquiring an emotional support animal letter from a licensed mental health professional in your state may cost up to $1,000, with consultation fees included. However, this is not a significant amount compared to the cost of having an emotional support animal for most individuals.
For instance, a dog or cat can require the same amount in care expenses for seeing a therapist and obtaining an ESA letter every year alone. Plan your budget when getting an emotional support animal to ensure their care expenses don’t become a burden that adds extra pressure on your shoulders.