Federal service dog law in every state
Three federal laws shape most situations you will face with a psychiatric service dog. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers public places such as stores, restaurants and government buildings. The Fair Housing Act covers most housing. The Air Carrier Access Act, through the U.S. Department of Transportation's rules, covers flights.
Under the ADA, a service animal is a dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, including a psychiatric disability. Staff may ask only two questions when it is not obvious, and they cannot require documentation, certification or a vest. These rules are the same whether you live in Alaska or Florida.
How state service dog laws differ
The Department of Justice notes that some state and local laws define service animal more broadly than the ADA does, and recommends contacting your state attorney general's office for details. When laws overlap, you generally get the benefit of whichever gives you more protection.
Here are the kinds of differences you may find from one state to the next.
- Whether service dogs in training have public access rights
- Whether emotional support animals are covered in any public settings
- Penalties for misrepresenting a pet as a service animal
- State fair housing laws that track or expand on federal rules
- Local dog licensing, vaccination and leash requirements, which service dogs still follow
State housing rules for service dogs
For housing, the Fair Housing Act and the 2004 HUD/DOJ Joint Statement on reasonable accommodations explain how providers handle requests under federal law. HUD withdrew its 2020 assistance animal notice (FHEO-2020-01) in 2025. Providers may ask for reliable information about a disability-related need when it is not obvious, generally shouldn't charge extra fees or deposits as a condition of the accommodation, and can charge for actual damage.
Many states have their own fair housing laws and agencies as well. Your state guide explains where to look and what documentation typically looks like there.
Flying with a PSD from any state
Air travel rules do not change at the state line. Under the U.S. Department of Transportation's service animal rules, airlines must treat trained psychiatric service dogs like other service dogs, may require the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form, and may require a relief attestation form for flights of 8 hours or more. Emotional support animals are not service animals under these rules, so airlines can treat them as pets.
Because the DOT form asks you to attest to your dog's health, behavior and training, it is your statement, not a clinician's. A PSD letter can travel with it but does not replace it.
Your state and your PSD evaluation
Clinicians must follow the licensing rules where you are located, so we offer evaluations only where our clinicians can lawfully evaluate you. The booking step confirms your state before you go any further. If you move, your state guide and our article on updating a letter after a move explain what may need to change.
Each state guide lives at /psd-letter/ followed by your state's name. We have featured six of the most populous states below; the full list of states appears beneath them.
Checking your state's service dog rules
State laws change. When you need certainty, go to the source: your state attorney general's office, your state's civil rights or fair housing agency, or the state legislature's website. Our state guides cite official sources so you can confirm what they say.