Documentation That Supports Your Psychiatric Service Dog

A PSD letter is documentation from a licensed mental health professional confirming that you have a qualifying psychiatric disability and that a task-trained dog helps mitigate its symptoms. It is for people whose disability substantially limits a major life activity and who use or plan to use a task-trained service dog under the ADA.

An ESA letter documents an emotional or mental health condition and supports housing accommodations under the Fair Housing Act. A PSD letter documents a psychiatric disability under the ADA and supports both housing accommodations and the dog's status as a service animal. PSDs must be task-trained; ESAs do not require training.

No. The 2026 HUD update narrowed federal enforcement for untrained ESAs. Psychiatric Service Dogs were explicitly preserved and keep full protection under the Fair Housing Act, the ADA, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Your PSD letter from a licensed mental health professional remains valid documentation.

Under the Fair Housing Act, landlords are generally required to consider reasonable accommodation requests for service animals, including psychiatric service dogs, even in "no pets" buildings, and typically cannot charge pet fees or deposits for a qualifying service animal. Your PSD letter is the documentation your landlord uses to review the request.

Your therapist evaluates your situation during the intake sessions. A PSD requires a psychiatric disability that substantially limits a major life activity, along with the need for a dog to perform specific tasks. If your situation doesn't meet the PSD bar, an ESA letter may be a better fit.

Most people complete their evaluation across 2 to 4 sessions over 2 to 3 weeks. After your final session, documentation is typically issued within a few business days.