Day 1
Free screening, then your first live consultation with a California-licensed clinician. This starts the 30-day relationship.
California · CA
ESA letter in California, written to your state's rules.
California has the strictest emotional support animal documentation rules in the country. A letter written the same day you first speak to a provider does not meet them — and a landlord who knows the law can reject it.
California law
California requires a 30-day client-provider relationship
Under California Health and Safety Code section 122318, a health care practitioner may not provide documentation of a need for an emotional support dog unless they hold a valid, active license, are licensed to practice in the jurisdiction where the documentation is issued, have established a client-provider relationship with you for at least 30 days beforehand, and have completed a clinical evaluation of your need. The documentation itself must state the license type, license number, jurisdiction and effective date, and the practitioner must notify you that fraudulently representing an animal as a service dog is a misdemeanor under Penal Code section 365.7. The 30-day relationship is not required for individuals verified to be homeless.
Source: California Health & Safety Code § 122318. This is general information, not legal advice.
Your timeline in California
What actually happens, and when.
Because of the 30-day rule, California is one of the few states where we cannot deliver a next-day letter. We tell you this before you pay, not after. Your first consultation opens the client-provider relationship; your clinician schedules the letter for day 31 and keeps you on the calendar in between.
Days 2-30
A short scheduled check-in. Nothing further is charged.
Day 31
Clinical evaluation is completed and, if you qualify, your signed letter is issued with license number, type, jurisdiction and effective date.
Housing
What your California landlord may and may not ask.
Under the federal Fair Housing Act, a housing provider must consider a reasonable accommodation request for an assistance animal, including where pets are prohibited.
- They may ask for reliable documentation of a disability-related need for the animal when it is not readily apparent.
- They may not ask for your diagnosis, its severity, or your medical records.
- Pet fees do not apply to an approved assistance animal, though you remain responsible for any damage it causes.
- We handle follow-up — if your housing provider questions the letter, your clinician responds directly at no extra cost.
Serving renters across Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland and everywhere else in California, entirely by telehealth with California-licensed clinicians.
ESA letter for housing
$149 one time
The reasonable-accommodation letter you give your landlord, after a live clinical evaluation.
- Live video or phone consultation
- Signed PDF on clinician letterhead
- License type, number and jurisdiction shown
- Landlord verification support included
ESA + PSD combination
$199 one time
Both letters from one course of care, including the consultations for each.
- Everything in the housing letter
- Psychiatric service dog letter included
- Both consultations with a licensed clinician
- One clinical record, two documents
PSD letter & consultation
$99 one time
For people who already have housing sorted and need psychiatric service dog documentation only.
- Live consultation with a licensed clinician
- Psychiatric service dog letter
- Disability-related task documented
- No housing letter included
Signed PDF within 24 to 48 hours of your consultation. Same-day evaluations are often available for early bookings. California’s 30-day rule applies to the letter date. Read the guarantee and refund terms.
California FAQ
California questions.
Can I get an ESA letter in California in 24 hours?
No, and any service promising one in California is issuing documentation that does not meet Health and Safety Code section 122318. The clinician must have had a client-provider relationship with you for at least 30 days first. We start that relationship on day one and issue the letter on day 31.
Does my California ESA letter need a license number on it?
Yes. California requires the documentation to include the practitioner's license type, license number, jurisdiction and effective date. Every letter we issue carries all four, so a landlord can verify it against the state licensing board.
Do California landlords have to accept an ESA?
Under the federal Fair Housing Act, and California's own fair housing law, a housing provider must consider a reasonable accommodation request for an assistance animal, including in a building with a no-pets policy. They may ask for reliable documentation of a disability-related need when it is not obvious; they may not ask for your diagnosis or medical records.
How much does an ESA letter cost in California?
$149 for a housing letter, $199 together with a psychiatric service dog letter, or $99 for a PSD letter and consultation on its own. The consultation and landlord verification support are included, and the price is the same across every state.
Check if you qualify in California.
Two-minute screening, confidential, no card. You will see your exact state timeline before anything is charged.
Start the free screening HIPAA-compliant intake · Licensed clinicians · Money-back guarantee: full refund if you do not qualify, and a full refund if your housing provider refuses the letter.