State-by-state
ESA & service dog laws where you live.
Federal law sets the floor in every state — the Fair Housing Act for ESA accommodations in housing and the ADA for service dog public access. Some states layer on additional rules: California requires a 30-day clinical relationship before an ESA letter, Texas penalizes service-animal misrepresentation, Illinois lists which professionals can issue ESA documentation.
Educational content. Not legal advice. Consult a state-licensed attorney for your specific situation.
Housing — Fair Housing Act
ESA letter laws by state →
50 states + DC. Federal FHA in every state, plus state-specific ESA documentation rules in California, Florida, Illinois, and others.
Public access — ADA
Service dog laws by state →
50 states + DC. Federal ADA in every state, plus state misrepresentation statutes and parallel public-access laws in roughly half the states.
All states + DC, by region
Each link goes to a combined hub for that state with both categories.
Northeast
South
- Alabamaspecific
- Arkansasspecific
- Delawarespecific
- District of Columbiaspecific
- Floridaspecific
- Georgiaspecific
- Kentuckyspecific
- Louisianaspecific
- Marylandspecific
- Mississippispecific
- North Carolinaspecific
- Oklahomaspecific
- South Carolinaspecific
- Tennesseespecific
- Texasspecific
- Virginiaspecific
- West Virginiaspecific
Midwest
Not sure which applies?
ESA letters and service dogs are different. ESAs are for housing accommodations; service dogs are for public access with a trained task. The 2-minute qualifier quiz helps figure out which fits your situation before you read state details.
Take the qualifier quiz →