PSD Letter From a Licensed Clinician

Psychiatric service dog letter, usaPsdletter.com Our PSD letter

Price: $149 for 1–2 dogs; $229 for 3 dogs
Evaluation: 5–10 minute phone or video call
When you pay: Only if the clinician approves a letter
Format: Signed PDF letter

How the PSD letter works

Book your evaluation online. Booking is free, and the booking step confirms your state.
Talk with a licensed clinician for 5–10 minutes by phone or video about your condition and what your dog is trained to do.
If the clinician finds a letter appropriate, you pay and receive your signed letter as a PDF.
Use it with housing accommodation requests, and bring it with you when you fly alongside any DOT form your airline requires.

Who qualifies for a PSD letter

A PSD letter may fit

Adults with a mental health condition that substantially limits one or more major life activities
People whose dog is individually trained, or currently being trained, to perform tasks related to that condition
Renters and buyers who need to request a reasonable accommodation for their dog under the Fair Housing Act
Travelers who want clinician documentation to keep alongside the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form

Usually not the right tool

Getting into stores, restaurants or other public places (the ADA does not allow staff to ask for documentation)
A dog that provides comfort but has not been trained to perform a specific task
Anyone looking for a registry number, ID card, vest or certificate (none of these are required or recognized by federal law)
Anyone who expects a letter without an honest evaluation, or who is not located in a state where our clinicians can lawfully evaluate them
Emergencies or ongoing mental health treatment; if you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911

What your PSD letter includes

A 5–10 minute phone or video evaluation with a licensed clinician
If appropriate, a signed PDF letter covering 1–2 dogs ($149) or 3 dogs ($229)
The clinician's name, license type, license number and issuing state, plus the date of the letter
A statement that you have a disability and that your dog performs tasks related to it, without listing your diagnosis in detail
Email support at support@usapsdletter.com
No subscription and no membership

PSD letter pricing

Most handlers

PSD letter · 1–2 dogs

$149

Evaluation with a licensed clinician
Signed PDF letter if appropriate
License type, number, state and date
Free booking, pay only if approved

Book free

PSD letter · 3 dogs

$229

Everything in the standard letter
Covers three trained dogs
One evaluation, one letter
Free booking, pay only if approved

Book free

What is a PSD letter

A psychiatric service dog is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a psychiatric disability. The U.S. Department of Justice gives examples such as reminding a person with mental illness to take medication and calming a person with PTSD during an anxiety attack.

A PSD letter is a clinician's written confirmation of two things: that you have a disability, and that your dog's tasks help with it. It is a supporting document, not a license. The dog's training is what makes it a service animal, and the letter cannot replace that training.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and public places cannot require any documentation for a service dog. When it isn't obvious what the dog does, staff may ask only whether the dog is required because of a disability and what task it has been trained to perform. A PSD letter is not needed for public access and does not grant it. Your dog's training and behavior are what matter there.

Where a PSD letter can help

Housing is the most common reason people request a letter. The Fair Housing Act requires housing providers to make reasonable accommodations in their rules, such as a no-pets policy, when needed for a person with a disability. When your disability or your need for the dog isn't obvious, a provider may ask for reliable information, and a letter from a licensed clinician who has evaluated you is a common way to provide it.

For air travel, U.S. airlines follow the Department of Transportation's rules, not the ADA. Airlines may require the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form, which you complete yourself to attest to your dog's health, behavior and training. The DOT form, not a letter, is what airlines may require. Your letter can travel with you as extra context.

Some people also share a letter as part of a workplace accommodation request, since employers may request documentation during that process. Whether you share it is your choice.

What a PSD letter includes

Every letter is signed by the clinician who reviewed your evaluation. It lists the clinician's name, license type, license number and issuing state, and the date it was written, so a housing provider can check the license with the state board if they wish.

The letter confirms the disability-related need for your dog in plain language. It does not need to describe your diagnosis in detail, and housing providers generally should not ask about the nature or severity of a disability. You decide who receives a copy.

PSD letter limits

We can't promise that a clinician will approve a letter, and we can't promise how a landlord, airline or employer will respond. A housing provider may still deny an animal in limited, case-by-case situations, such as a direct threat to others or substantial damage that can't be reduced. An airline may refuse a dog that is disruptive or a threat, or when required forms are missing.

If your dog comforts you but hasn't been trained to perform a task, a PSD letter isn't the accurate document. In that case, an emotional support animal (ESA) letter fits better. We don't sell ESA letters, but our clinician will tell you honestly what fits your situation.

We don't sell registrations, ID cards, certificates or vests. There is no federal service dog registry, and the Department of Justice says online certificates convey no rights under the ADA.

Before you book

Think through what your dog does for you. The clinician will ask about specific trained tasks, such as interrupting a panic attack with deep pressure, waking you from nightmares, or reminding you to take medication, and how those tasks relate to your condition.

Have a sense of how you plan to use the letter, too. If it's for a rental, it helps to know whether your housing provider has its own accommodation request form. If it's for a flight, check your airline's service animal page for the DOT form and its deadlines.

Keeping your PSD letter current

A PSD letter reflects your situation on the date it was written. Some housing providers ask for recent documentation, especially when you move or renew a lease, and a new dog may need to be added. In those cases, you can book a new evaluation at the same published prices.

Keep your dog's vaccination and veterinary records handy as well. They are separate from your letter, but local licensing rules and the DOT form's health questions may make them useful.

PSD letter pricing
Plan	Dogs covered	Price	When you pay
Standard letter	1–2 dogs	$149	Only if the clinician approves a letter
Multi-dog letter	3 dogs	$229	Only if the clinician approves a letter
Booking the evaluation	—	Free	Nothing is charged to book

PSD laws by state

A letter is issued only when a licensed clinician's evaluation supports it. A letter does not train a dog or make a pet a service animal.

PSD letter FAQ

Do I need a PSD letter to bring my dog into stores or restaurants?

No. Under the ADA, staff can't require documentation; they may ask only whether the dog is needed because of a disability and what task it is trained to do. A letter doesn't grant public access.

How much does a PSD letter cost?

$149 for a letter covering 1–2 dogs and $229 for 3 dogs. Booking is free, and you pay only if the clinician approves a letter.

Who signs the letter?

A licensed clinician on our team who has evaluated you, such as Gabriel Warner, LCSW, or Andrew Patel, M.D. The letter shows their license type, number and issuing state.

Does my dog have to be professionally trained?

No. The ADA allows people with disabilities to train their own dogs. What matters is that the dog is individually trained to perform tasks related to your disability and behaves well in public.

Will my landlord or airline have to accept the letter?

We can't promise any outcome. Housing providers review accommodation requests case by case, and airlines may require the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form regardless of any letter.

What if the clinician doesn't approve a letter?

You aren't charged. The clinician may explain whether another type of support, such as an ESA letter from another provider, fits your situation better.

Is there a subscription?

No. It's a one-time fee for the letter, with no membership or recurring charge.

Sources

We cite government agencies, professional societies and peer-reviewed research. See our editorial policy.

ADA Requirements: Service AnimalsU.S. Department of Justice (ADA.gov)
Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADAU.S. Department of Justice (ADA.gov)
24 CFR § 100.204 - Reasonable accommodationsCornell Law School Legal Information Institute
Joint Statement: Reasonable Accommodations Under the Fair Housing Act (2004)HUD and U.S. Department of Justice
Service Animals (Aviation Consumer Protection)U.S. Department of Transportation
14 CFR Part 382, Subpart E: Service AnimalseCFR (National Archives)

Psychiatric service dog letter