If you have an emotional support animal, you likely have an emotional support animal letter of certification. This valuable letter allows you to live anywhere regardless of pet policy of fees under the Fair Housing Act. However, you may be wondering if it ever expires or needs to be renewed.
What is an Emotional Support Animal Letter of Certification?
Emotional support animals provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities, like service animals do. Emotional support animals are protected by the Fair Housing Act, meaning you can live with your emotional support animal regardless of pet policy and pet fees. All you need to make your emotional support animal official is a letter of certification. This is a letter written by a certified mental health professional verifying you have a mental health condition for which having an emotional support animal is beneficial.
Do Emotional Support Animal Letters Need to Renewed?
Emotional support animal letters of certification need to be renewed once a year. Many landlords will reject a letter that is more than a year old, so keeping it up to date is important. You will need to have the letter renewed by a licensed mental health professional or therapist, who will need to verify your mental health condition and verify your continued need for a support animal.
In conclusion, you must renew your letter of certification once a year. To do so, you will need to contact a licensed mental health professional, preferably the one who wrote your original letter, and have them verify your mental health condition and continued need for an emotional support animal. This up-to-date letter is crucial to have in order to live wherever you want regardless of pet policy or fees, and you should be prepared for your landlord to ask for it. To get an emotional support animal letter of certification or renew your current one, contact the professionals at United Support Animal at 800-918-3151 or do an online screening.
