PSD letter for housing

Fair Housing Act and service dogs

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibits disability discrimination in housing. Its regulations make it unlawful to refuse reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services when they are needed to give a person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a home. HUD's own example is a building with a no-pets policy that must let a blind tenant live with a guide dog.

The same principle applies to a psychiatric service dog. If you have a mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, and your dog is trained to perform tasks that help with it, you can ask the housing provider to make an exception to pet rules. The FHA applies to virtually all types of housing, which is broader than the ADA's coverage.

What a housing provider may ask

If your disability is obvious and the dog's role is clear, a provider usually has no reason to ask for more. When your disability or your need for the dog isn't apparent, the 2004 joint statement from HUD and the Department of Justice says a provider may request reliable disability-related information that is needed to evaluate the request.

That information can come from a reliable third party who is in a position to know about your disability, such as a licensed clinician. The joint statement also says a provider ordinarily may not ask about the nature or severity of your disability, and medical records are usually unnecessary.

• A provider can ask for information confirming you have a disability and need the dog because of it
• A provider shouldn't demand your diagnosis, medical records or therapy notes
• A provider can't require a registry number, certificate, ID card or vest, since none of these show disability-related need

Pet fees, deposits and damage

The HUD and DOJ joint statement says housing providers may not require people with disabilities to pay extra fees or deposits as a condition of receiving an accommodation. That means pet rent or a pet deposit generally shouldn't be charged for an approved assistance animal.

You remain responsible for your dog. A provider can typically charge for actual damage your dog causes, the same way it would for damage caused by a tenant, and you should keep the dog under control and clean up after it.

When a housing request can be denied

Accommodation requests are decided case by case. A provider may deny a request if the specific animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, or would cause substantial physical damage, that can't be reduced by other reasonable steps. The Department of Justice notes that a direct threat finding must be made on an individualized basis, not on general assumptions about a breed or condition.

A request can also be denied if granting it would impose an undue financial or administrative burden or fundamentally change the provider's operations. If you think a denial is unfair, you can ask the provider to discuss alternatives, which the joint statement calls an interactive process, and you can contact HUD or your state fair housing agency.

HUD guidance changes in 2025

In January 2020, HUD issued FHEO Notice 2020-01, which gave detailed best practices for assistance animal requests and documentation. On September 17, 2025, HUD withdrew that notice and its 2013 assistance animal notice as part of a broader review of guidance documents.

The withdrawal didn't change the Fair Housing Act or its reasonable accommodation regulation, which remain in effect. It does mean there is less detailed federal guidance, so providers' practices may vary. A clear letter from a licensed clinician that describes your dog as task-trained and related to your disability can help a provider understand your request.

Housing request tips

Make your request in writing, keep a copy, and attach your letter. Share only what is needed: you don't have to disclose your diagnosis. If your state or city has additional rules on assistance animals, those may also apply, so it's worth checking local requirements.

We can't promise that any housing provider will approve your request. Our clinicians issue a letter only when an evaluation supports it.

Student and short-term housing

College residence halls, dorms and many other residential settings can be covered by fair housing rules, and some are also covered by the ADA, so the process can look different from a typical apartment. Hotels and other short-term lodging generally fall under the ADA's public accommodation rules instead, where documentation can't be required for a service dog.

Our guides on college housing and on hotels and short-term rentals walk through those situations.