Qualify For An Emotional Support Animal Letter In Florida!
- A licensed mental health professional needs to determine that you have an emotional disability
- Your mental disability is in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
- The identified condition substantially limits your ability to participate in at least one significant life activity
- The professional has to determine that an emotional support animal would help treat the condition or ease your symptoms
- You need to get an emotional support animal letter which is a prescription for an ESA
- The letter must come from a licensed mental health professional
- Your letter must be on your therapist’s official letterhead
- Must include your therapist’s license details, issue date, and state
Florida ESA Laws
An emotional support animal registration is not required in Florida. All you need is a legitimate ESA letter. Once you have fulfilled ESA requirements and you have received your letter, you have certain rights. However, there are two significant limitations. First of all, an ESA doesn’t have the same public access privileges as service animals. Secondly, if your animal is not a domestic animal, if it misbehaves or is a danger to anyone, you can lose your privileges.
Know Your Rights
Travel: If you need to fly with your ESA, you need to know your rights according to the Air Carrier Access Act. As long as you have a valid emotional support animal letter no older that one year, your ESA can fly with you in the cabin. What’s more, you don’t have to pay any extra pet fees. Most of the time, a notice to the airline two days before flying will suffice.
Housing: Under the Fair Housing Act, an emotional support animal is considered a “tool” for aiding an individual with a disability, therefore excluding ESAs from “no pets” policies and certain other pet-related property rules. If you have been diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or psychological disability outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders, you are included in the FHA’s provisions for disabled persons.
Florida ESA Process.
In order to obtain an Emotional Support Animal Letter you will:
1. Register with ESA Comfort Animals
2. Choose and pay for the letter desired
3. Fill out a screening form that covers basic health and wellness information
4. Schedule a session (video or telephone) with a licensed therapist
5. If a diagnosis can be made, a prescription will be emailed to you with your results (as a PDF file to print at home) within 2-3 business days.
We encourage you to continue sessions with your therapist to improve the quality of your life and strengthen your coping skills. *E-Session Prices for supportive therapy can be found HERE:
E-Counseling Prices:
One E-Session = 30 minutes phone or video session
- 1 session $49.00 per session (pay as you go)
- 2 sessions per month $89.00
- 4 sessions per month $160.00 per month
*All e-sessions expire within 45 days of purchase
