Hawaii · HI
Yes. Hawaii's fair-housing statute counts emotional support animals, trained or not, as assistance animals (HRS § 515-3(b)). A landlord may ask for a letter from your treating clinician, not your diagnosis or records, and may not require an extra pet deposit for an approved animal (HRS § 521-44(b)). No waiting period applies. A clinician licensed in Hawaii sees you by live video. If you qualify, the signed PDF usually arrives within 24 to 48 hours. The price is $99.
to file with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, doubled from 180 days on 28 May 2026
HRS § 368-11(c), as amended by Act 56 (2026)caps the security deposit, and no extra pet deposit may be required for an assistance animal
HRS § 521-44(b)for the landlord to return your deposit with written reasons for anything kept
HRS § 521-44(c)is the largest owner-occupied building exempt from the accommodation duty
HRS § 515-4(a)(1)Hawaii, with the capital marked
Hawaii at a glance
Each answer is one line, with the section of Hawaii law it comes from. The detail is further down the page.
Yes, and in the statute itself. The fair-housing chapter defines an assistance animal to include emotional support animals that "may be untrained and may include species other than dogs" (HRS § 515-3(b)). That definition came with Act 154 of 2022, so it does not rest on federal guidance. The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission's own rule uses an emotional support rabbit in a condominium as its worked example (HAR § 12-46-306(a)(1)).
HRS § 515-3(b); HAR § 12-46-306(a)(1)None of the three. No statute or rule here sets a relationship length, a session count, an in-person visit or a validity period for the letter. The only relationship word in the law is "treating": verification may come from your treating health care professional, mental health professional or social worker (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). A 30-day wait is a rule in a few other states, not here. Nothing in state law makes the letter expire.
HRS § 515-3(a)(9)The statute names roles: your treating health care professional, mental health professional or social worker (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). The practice acts then require a local credential. A physician may form a telehealth relationship only with a licence to practise medicine in the State (HRS § 453-1.3(e)). Psychologists need a Hawaii licence or a temporary permit (HRS § 465-15(a)(3)). Mental health counsellors and social workers need a Hawaii licence (HRS §§ 453D-5, 467E-5). No psychology, counselling or social-work compact covers the islands, so an out-of-state licence does not carry over.
HRS §§ 515-3(a)(9), 453-1.3(e), 465-15, 453D-5, 467E-5Not an extra pet deposit. A landlord may take one for a pet, but it "Shall not be required" for an assistance animal that is a reasonable accommodation (HRS § 521-44(b)(1)(B)). For every tenant, nothing may be collected at move-in beyond the first month's rent and a security deposit of up to one month's rent (HRS § 521-44(b)). That ordinary deposit still applies, and damage is still yours to pay. A monthly pet fee charged because of the animal is discrimination in the Commission's guidance, not in statute.
HRS § 521-44(b)If your disability or your need for the animal is not readily apparent, the landlord may ask you to verify it. It may not request medical records or access to your providers (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). It may not ask about the diagnosis, nature or severity of your disability either (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). A letter from your treating clinician is enough. A vest, tag or registration document "commonly purchased online" is not valid verification (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)).
HRS § 515-3(a)(9)Usually, yes. Only two set-ups are exempt from the accommodation duty (HRS § 515-4(a)). One is a building for no more than two families where the owner or lessor lives. The other is up to four rooms rented in a home the owner or lessor lives in. No exemption covers an owner of up to three houses, and none covers an owner-occupied fourplex. An owner who rents out a condo or house they do not live in is covered.
HRS § 515-4(a)One year to the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission since 28 May 2026 (HRS § 368-11(c), as amended by Act 56 (2026)). The official statute file still prints 180 days because it predates that change. A state-court suit is open for two years (HRS § 515-9(b)). The Commission's own form warns that most state-court housing suits need a complaint with it first. A federal suit needs no agency filing and is open for two years (42 U.S.C. § 3613(a)(1)(A)).
HRS §§ 368-11(c), 515-9(b)Hawaii law
Emotional support animals are written into the state's fair-housing statute here, not left to federal guidance. Chapter 515 defines an assistance animal to include one that gives emotional support for an identified symptom or effect of a disability, trained or untrained, of any species (HRS § 515-3(b)). Refusing a reasonable accommodation in rules, policies, practices or services is a discriminatory practice (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). So your landlord must consider the request, and may attach reasonable restrictions to a yes. When the disability or the need is not readily apparent, the landlord may ask for verification. A letter from your treating health care professional, mental health professional or social worker is acceptable (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). Medical records, the diagnosis and online registrations are all off the table. A particular animal may be refused only after an individual assessment finds a direct threat, substantial damage, an undue burden or a fundamental alteration (HAR § 12-46-318(c)). Breed and species are never grounds. The money rule is statute too: no extra pet deposit for an assistance animal that is a reasonable accommodation (HRS § 521-44(b)(1)(B)). Complaints go to the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission within one year (HRS § 368-11(c), as amended by Act 56 (2026)).
Source: HRS § 515-3(a)(9) and (b) (Discrimination in Real Property Transactions; Act 154, SLH 2022, in force 1 Nov 2022). This is general information, not legal advice.
The federal Fair Housing Act still recognises the accommodation, and you can still enforce it in court. Since May 2026, HUD itself has stopped pursuing complaints about untrained emotional support animals, so in practice your protection comes from Hawaii law and the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.
“emotional support animals that may have formal training or may be untrained and may include species other than dogs”
Federal vs Hawaii
| Topic | Federal (Fair Housing Act) | Hawaii |
|---|---|---|
| Fees and deposits | The federal text and its rule, 24 C.F.R. § 100.204, say nothing on fees. HUD pulled its no-fee guidance on 17 September 2025, so any waiver is something you request. | Statute bars an extra pet deposit for an assistance animal that is a reasonable accommodation (HRS § 521-44(b)(1)(B)). No tenant pays move-in money beyond the first month's rent and a deposit of up to one month's rent (HRS § 521-44(b)). The HCRC treats a monthly pet fee for the animal as discrimination; that is guidance. |
| Documentation | The accommodation has to be necessary because of a disability (42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B)). No federal statute prescribes a letter. | Verification only when the disability or need is not readily apparent. A letter from a treating health care professional, mental health professional or social worker is enough. No records, no diagnosis, and online registrations are not valid (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). |
| Timing | No federal waiting period, and no federal deadline for the landlord's reply. | No waiting period or relationship length for the clinician, and no response deadline for the landlord (HRS § 515-3(a)(9); HAR § 12-46-306). If a reply never comes, the one-year HCRC window is your backstop. |
| Who may write | The federal statute names no writer. | Your "treating" health care professional, mental health professional or social worker (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). The practice acts require a Hawaii licence (HRS §§ 453-1.3(e), 467E-5), and no PSYPACT, Counseling Compact or Social Work Compact route exists. |
| Exemptions | An owner-occupied building of up to four units, and single-family homes rented without a broker by an owner of three or fewer (42 U.S.C. § 3603(b)). | Narrower: an owner-occupied building for two families or fewer, or up to four rooms in the owner's own home (HRS § 515-4(a)). An owner of three rental houses, or of an owner-occupied fourplex, is covered. |
| Where to file | HUD, which since May 2026 finds cause only where the animal is individually trained, or federal court. | The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, HUD's partner agency for the state, which dual-files with HUD. Intake starts with the 2026 Housing Pre-Complaint Questionnaire. State court is also open (HRS § 515-9). |
| Deadline | One year to HUD (42 U.S.C. § 3610); two years to federal court (42 U.S.C. § 3613(a)(1)(A)). | One year to the HCRC, up from 180 days (HRS § 368-11(c), as amended by Act 56 (2026)). Two years to state court (HRS § 515-9(b)). |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
Your timeline in Hawaii
No statute or rule in this state makes you wait, so the evaluation sets the pace. The screening is free and asks for no card; you pay at checkout, before the consultation. Moving from the mainland? The letter is the short part of your timeline. Your animal's import paperwork takes months and runs on a separate clock.
Answer the free screening, with no card needed. It asks about your housing, your animal and whether you will be in the islands during the call, so we can match you with a clinician licensed there. Passing it means a consultation is worth booking, nothing more.
Pay at checkout, then meet a clinician licensed in Hawaii on a live video call. The clinician assesses whether you have an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity (HRS § 515-2). They also judge whether the animal is needed to alleviate one or more of its symptoms (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). This is a real evaluation, and some people do not qualify.
If you qualify, the signed PDF usually arrives within 24 to 48 hours of the consultation. It sits on the clinician's letterhead with their Hawaii licence number and the consultation date. It states your need in the statute's terms and names no diagnosis. If you do not qualify, ask for your refund within 7 days.
Housing
Under the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B)) and Hawaii's own fair-housing law, a housing provider must consider a reasonable-accommodation request for an assistance animal, including where pets are prohibited. Each line below carries the section it comes from.
What they may do
What they may not do
Illustrative exchange
Most refusals are not a flat no. They are a question the housing provider is not allowed to ask, or a fee they are not allowed to charge. Here is the shape of a typical exchange in Hawaii, with the rule beside each reply.
A made-up exchange to show the rules, not a real tenant or landlord.
Pet fees and deposits
The core rule here is statute. A landlord may take an extra pet deposit for a pet, but it "Shall not be required" for an assistance animal that is a reasonable accommodation under chapter 515 (HRS § 521-44(b)(1)(B)). Separately, no landlord may require or receive money at the start of a tenancy beyond the first month's rent and a security deposit (HRS § 521-44(b)). The deposit itself is capped at one month's rent (HRS § 521-44(b)). Together, those rules bar a non-refundable move-in pet fee for every tenant. Monthly pet rent is not named in any statute. The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission's flyer lists a monthly pet fee or larger deposit charged because of your assistance animal as discrimination; that is guidance, not statute. You still pay for damage the animal causes, out of the ordinary deposit. The landlord must return the deposit within 14 days of the tenancy ending, with written reasons for anything kept, or lose the right to keep any of it (HRS § 521-44(c)). Wilful wrongful retention can cost three times the amount in small claims (HRS § 521-44(h)). The landlord-tenant code does not reach public housing, University of Hawaii and other college housing, or day-to-day hotel stays (HRS § 521-7). Chapter 515 and federal law still apply in those places.
Small landlords
The exemptions here are narrower than the federal pair. The accommodation duty does not apply to a unit in a building for no more than two families where the owner or lessor lives in one of them (HRS § 515-4(a)(1)). Nor does it apply to renting a room, or up to four rooms, in a home where the owner or lessor lives (HRS § 515-4(a)(2)). That is the whole list for disability. No exemption covers an owner of up to three single-family houses, and none covers an owner living in a three- or four-unit building, though federal law exempts both (42 U.S.C. § 3603(b)). The carve-outs for religious housing and housing for older persons do not touch disability (HRS § 515-4(b)–(c)). An owner renting out a condo or house they do not live in is covered.
If your landlord says no
Phone: (808) 586-8636 (TTY (808) 586-8692 · Maui County callers (808) 984-2400 ext. 6-8636) · File a complaint
Deadline: One year from the act or its most recent occurrence (HRS § 368-11(c), as amended by Act 56 (2026)). The official statute file still prints 180 days because it predates Act 56, signed on 28 May 2026. The Commission applies the year to claims that had not expired by that date. There is no online portal. Complete the 2026 Housing Pre-Complaint Questionnaire, sign and date it, and return it by email or to Room 411, 830 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu. An intake investigator then interviews you and helps you file the formal complaint. The investigation should finish within 100 days and the case within one year, unless that proves impracticable (HRS § 515-9(a)(1)).
Court: You may sue in state court within two years of the act or its end, with compensatory and punitive damages and attorney's fees available (HRS § 515-9(b)–(c)). The Commission's 2026 questionnaire warns that, in most circumstances, a state-court housing suit needs a Commission complaint and a right-to-sue notice first. So file with the Commission early. A right-to-sue notice must be used within 90 days of receipt or one year after filing, whichever is later (HRS § 515-9(a)(2)). After a cause finding, either side may elect court within 20 days, and the Commission then provides the complainant's lawyer (HRS § 515-9(a)(3)). A federal suit needs no agency filing and stays open for two years (42 U.S.C. § 3613(a)(1)(A)).
Retaliation: Retaliating, threatening or discriminating against you for exercising a right, opposing a discriminatory practice, or filing, testifying or taking part in a complaint is itself a discriminatory practice (HRS § 515-16(1)).
The Commission is HUD's Fair Housing Assistance Program agency for the state and dual-files cases with HUD under a workshare agreement. Its assistance-animal flyer, revised on 28 May 2026, six days after HUD's enforcement memo, still says assistance animals include emotional support animals. No county or city runs its own enforcement agency, and HUD's partner list names no local agency in the state.
Your envelope, item by item
Keep a dated copy of everything you send.
What to send your landlord
Ask for a reasonable accommodation for your assistance animal under HRS § 515-3(a)(9). Name the animal and its species, and date the request. Using the landlord's form is fine, but the Commission's guidance says a landlord may not insist on written requests on its own form only. Keep a copy of whatever you send.
Signed by a clinician licensed in Hawaii, on letterhead, with the licence type, the Hawaii licence number and the date of your live video consultation. It states that you have an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. It also states that the animal is needed to alleviate one or more symptoms, which is the verification HRS § 515-3(a)(9) describes. No diagnosis appears.
Medical records, your diagnosis, an online registration, an ID card and a vest. The statute bars the first two as demands and says online registrations and vests are not valid verification (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). Vaccination records, and a county licence where the county requires one, are reasonable asks (HAR § 12-46-306(a)(1)).
No statute here sets a deadline for the landlord's answer, so ask for one in writing and follow up in writing. Settle the decision before the animal moves in. If the answer is no, or an extra pet deposit appears, record the date. Your one-year HCRC window runs from it (HRS § 368-11(c), as amended by Act 56 (2026)).
If your housing provider questions the letter, your clinician responds directly at no extra cost.
Hawaii renters by city
The rules are the same on every island because both the fair-housing and the landlord-tenant chapters are statewide, and one agency enforces them. A renter in Honolulu, Pearl City, Kaneohe or Kapolei on Oahu files with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission. So does a renter in Hilo or Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, in Kahului on Maui or in Lihue on Kauai. The window is one year everywhere (HRS § 368-11(c), as amended by Act 56 (2026)). No county or city runs its own enforcement agency, and HUD's list of partner agencies names only the Commission for the whole state. Consultations are live video calls with a clinician licensed in Hawaii, so the timeline in Lihue matches the one in Honolulu. It is a free screening, one consultation, and a signed PDF usually within 24 to 48 hours if you qualify. Campus note: University of Hawaii student housing, UH Mānoa included, sits outside the deposit statute (HRS § 521-7). The accommodation duty in chapter 515 still applies there, so start with the campus housing office.
Myths in Hawaii
With an ESA letter, a landlord in Hawaii cannot charge you any deposit or pet fee at all.
FactClose, but too broad. The statute bars an extra pet deposit for an assistance animal that is a reasonable accommodation (HRS § 521-44(b)(1)(B)). It also bars move-in money beyond the first month's rent and a security deposit, for every tenant (HRS § 521-44(b)). The ordinary deposit of up to one month's rent still applies, and you pay for damage. Monthly pet fees rest on the Commission's guidance. Public, college and hotel housing sit outside the deposit statute (HRS § 521-7).
An ESA letter is valid for 12 months, and chapter 515 says it must carry a licence number from any state.
FactNeither is in the law. No statute or rule sets a validity period, and chapter 515 prescribes no letter contents. HRS § 515-3(a)(9) says only who may verify: your treating health care professional, mental health professional or social worker. The need for a Hawaii licence, not just any state's, comes from the practice acts (HRS §§ 453-1.3(e), 467E-5). Our letters carry the clinician's Hawaii licence number anyway, so a landlord can look it up.
An emotional support animal letter, or a psychiatric service dog letter, lets your pet skip Hawaii's quarantine.
FactNeither does. Every dog and cat must meet the import rules of the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, whatever its age or purpose. Only a trained guide or service dog can use the service-dog entry route. Even then it needs rabies shots, a microchip, a passing FAVN test, a health certificate, tick treatment and notice at least 24 hours ahead, and it skips quarantine only. Emotional support is not a trained task (HRS § 347-2.5).
Task-trained dogs are a different document. If your dog performs trained tasks for a psychiatric disability, read about the psychiatric service dog (PSD) letter online, written after a real consultation.
Typical competitor price $159 — you save up to $60
The reasonable-accommodation letter you give your landlord, after a live clinical evaluation.
Both letters from one course of care, including the consultations for each.
For people who already have housing sorted and need psychiatric service dog documentation only.
Signed PDF within 24 to 48 hours of your consultation. Same-day evaluations are often available for early bookings. Read the guarantee and refund terms.
Why this letter holds up
Read the exact terms. Money-back guarantee: full refund if you do not qualify, and a full refund if your housing provider refuses the letter.
★★★★★I had a really positive experience from start to finish. The process was smooth, and I felt comfortable sharing everything without feeling rushed or judged. The questions were straightforward and easy to answer, and I really appreciated how respectful and understanding everyone was throughout the process. Having the opportunity to speak with a licensed professional afterward was also very helpful and added a lot of value to the experience. Overall, I’m very satisfied with the service
Hamza Khalid · Trustpilot, 2026-09
★★★★★Great service!! 5 stars hands down!
Jen Khan · Trustpilot, 2026-09
Read all Pet Support Letter reviews on Trustpilot. We show our own reviews only, word for word.
Hawaii FAQ
Here the person qualifies, not the dog. You need an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity (HRS § 515-2). The animal must be needed to alleviate one or more of its symptoms (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). It needs no training and need not be a dog at all (HRS § 515-3(b)). Someone only "regarded as" disabled gets no accommodation (HAR § 12-46-306(c)). A clinician decides, and not everyone qualifies.
Possibly. HRS § 515-3(a)(9) names roles, not employers: a treating health care professional, mental health professional or social worker. A VA clinician who treats you fits that description. Whether a VA clinic will write the letter is VA practice, not state law. If it will not, our evaluation costs $99, paid at checkout before a live video consultation with a clinician licensed in Hawaii. Not everyone qualifies.
You can say it, but it may not be enough. When your disability or need is not readily apparent, a landlord may ask for verification from your treating professional, and an online registration does not count (HRS § 515-3(a)(9)). No state offence covers an untrue ESA claim. Passing an animal off as a service animal is different: a civil fine of 100 to 250 dollars, then at least 500 (HRS § 347-2.6).
Its own conduct, judged individually. A landlord may refuse a particular animal that poses a direct threat to others with no effective control in place, or would cause substantial physical damage (HAR § 12-46-318(c)). An undue financial and administrative burden, or a fundamental change to the landlord's operations, also counts. Breed and species alone never do. Refusing one animal does not bar a request for another. Without a disability-related need, though, no animal qualifies.
One already has. Act 56, signed on 28 May 2026, doubled the Commission's filing window to one year (HRS § 368-11(c), as amended by Act 56 (2026)). Bills that would have made ESA sellers and verifiers print a service-animal disclaimer, SB2853 and HB1994, died, as did every psychology-compact bill. HUD narrowed its own enforcement in May 2026, but the untrained-ESA definition in HRS § 515-3(b) is state statute and still stands.
Yes, if the paperwork is right. Direct Airport Release in Honolulu needs two rabies vaccinations, the latest at least 30 days before arrival. It also needs a passing FAVN test followed by a 30-day wait, and documents received at least 10 days ahead. The fee is 185 dollars. Animals that miss the rules can be quarantined for up to 120 days. An ESA letter changes none of this.
$99 for a housing letter, $149 together with a psychiatric service dog letter, or $79 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.
Nearby states and resources
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Last reviewed 2026-10-22 by Darren Rafel, LCSW. Statutes change; we re-check each state page and record the date above.
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.
