Emotional Support Animals in Arkansas

If you're interested in an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) letter, the first step is to begin therapy with one of our licensed clinicians.

Before an ESA letter can be issued, Arkansas law requires an established therapeutic relationship. That means at least 30 days of working together. We also require at least four completed sessions as required by our office. This ensures we fully understand your needs and that an ESA is clinically appropriate for your treatment plan.

ESA letters are valid for one year and must be renewed annually.

A note of caution: be wary of websites offering instant ESA letters or guaranteed approvals. A valid ESA letter can only be issued by a licensed mental health professional following a proper evaluation and ongoing.

Whether your animal qualifies depends on two things — your clinical need and the type of animal. If a licensed mental health professional determines that your animal's presence provides emotional comfort or reduces symptoms of a mental health condition, it may qualify as part of your treatment plan.

Our clinic only issues ESA letters for common household animals and does not provide any evaluation or assessment of the animal itself. We are unable to provide documentation for exotic, unusual, or non-traditional animals, as this falls outside our clinical scope and professional standards.

For questions about what qualifies under housing law, we recommend reviewing HUD's guidance or consulting with a licensed attorney.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are no longer recognized under the Air Carrier Access Act.

Airlines are not required to accommodate ESAs in the cabin and may treat them as regular pets, with standard carrier and fee requirements.

Some airlines may still choose to allow ESAs, but policies vary widely. We recommend contacting your airline directly before traveling.

Note: Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSDs) are still covered under federal travel laws if properly trained to perform specific tasks related to a mental health disability.

ESAs are considered assistance animals, not service animals.

Service animals are highly trained to perform specific tasks, whereas an ESA is often not. For example, a service dog may perform a trained task to interrupt or respond to a panic attack. A seeing-eye dog guides someone with visual impairments.

There are many service animals, but remember that a service dog and an emotional support animal differ.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are protected under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which allows individuals with qualifying disabilities to live with their ESA, even in housing that doesn’t typically allow pets.

Housing providers must make reasonable accommodations without charging pet fees or deposits, as long as the ESA documentation meets HUD’s standards.

However, landlords may deny a request if the animal poses a direct threat to others, causes property damage, or if the request lacks sufficient clinical basis.

Air travel: ESAs are no longer covered by the Air Carrier Access Act. Airlines may treat ESAs as pets. Always confirm your airline’s current policy.

This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

Our providers evaluate each client individually before issuing an ESA letter.

To qualify, clients must complete a minimum of four sessions and maintain an active therapeutic relationship for at least 30 days.

This ensures the letter is clinically appropriate and compliant with Arkansas State Law and HUD guidelines.

ESA letters require an established therapeutic relationship of at least 30 days, as required by Arkansas state law. We also require four completed sessions before a letter can be issued to ensure any recommendation is clinically appropriate and supported by a proper assessment.

Limited exemptions may apply for clients experiencing homelessness as outlined in state law.

ESA letters are valid for 12 months and must be renewed annually through a follow-up session with your provider.

ESA letters must be renewed every 12 months to remain valid. To renew, you’ll need a follow-up session with your therapist to review your current mental health needs and confirm that an ESA is still clinically appropriate.

If you haven’t had a session in the last 60 days, you’ll need to re-establish care before a new letter can be issued.

The renewal fee is $75, which covers the time and administrative work required to update your documentation. While the therapy sessions may be billed to insurance, insurance does not cover the cost of the ESA letter and administrative work itself.

We recommend requesting renewal at least 45 days before your current letter expires to prevent any gap in documentation and to ensure we can get you seen in the appropriate timeframe.

We currently provide Emotional Support Animal (ESA) evaluations and letters only for Arkansas residents.

To qualify, you must be an active client and AR resident with an established therapeutic relationship at our practice and meet clinical criteria indicating that an ESA is part of your mental health treatment plan.

If you live outside Arkansas or plan to move outside Arkansas, we’re unable to provide ESA evaluations or documentation due to state licensing laws and telehealth regulations. The letter we provide will only be valid for Arkansas use and will not transfer if you move states.