2 Minute Screening
Begin by filling out a short, confidential assessment to determine if you are a good candidate for an ESA letter in California.
Connect With a Professional
After you have submitted the form, we'll set up a telehealth appointment with a mental health professional licensed in California. The mental health expert will confirm whether an emotional support animal is a suitable treatment option for your mental or emotional condition.
Get Your ESA Letter California
California now requires a thirty-day evaluation period before a health professional can prescribe an ESA letter. After these thirty days, the health professional will re-evaluate your mental health condition. If approved, ESA Pet will issue your ESA letter in 30 days.
How to Get an ESA Letter in California
To get an ESA letter in California, you will have to talk with a qualified mental health professional who is licensed in your state. ESA Pet can connect you with someone for a telehealth appointment online or over the phone.
The mental health expert will determine if the symptoms of your mental or emotional condition can be alleviated with an emotional support animal. If this is the case, they will then issue your ESA letter.
The entire process is quick, easy, and convenient. You no longer have to see a clinician for in-person meetings. With ESA Pet, you can connect with a qualified mental health expert and get an ESA letter in California all from the comfort of your home.
What are you waiting for?
Get you pre-screening now!
Emotional Support Animal Laws in California
An emotional support animal can provide key therapeutic benefits, including comfort and companionship, to individuals struggling with a mental or emotional illness.
The state of California recognizes the advantages of having an emotional support animal and has passed multiple laws that afford protections to ESAs.
Several conditions qualify for emotional support animals in California, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Cognitive Disorder
- Certain Phobias and Fears
- Various Learning Disorders
Further, there are no restrictions that limit which pets can be considered emotional support animals in California. While most people prefer dogs and cats, any domestic animal qualifies. This includes rabbits, hedgehogs, and even birds.
California ESA Housing Protections
California has adopted federal policies on housing under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which prohibits landlords and housing providers from discriminating against individuals with emotional support animals. Living with an ESA can help to mitigate anxiety, stress, and other symptoms of mental illness. As a result, housing providers must provide reasonable accommodations to emotional support animals.
California’s Fair Employment Act
California’s Fair Housing and Employment Act has provisions that permit emotional support animals in the workplace. This California law aims to protect employees suffering from an emotional or mental illness. It states that employers cannot discriminate against their employees based on a disability and must provide reasonable accommodations for ESAs in the workplace.
California’s New Rules and Laws 2022
Effective on January 1, 2022, all California residents are obliged to follow the new guidelines on emotional support animals.
There are new qualifications and requirements for mental health professionals when prescribing ESA letters. Under the new emotional support animal California law, the medical professional must hold an active license within the scope of the service given, complete a clinical evaluation, and establish a patient-provider relationship at least 30 days prior.
That's why it's important to use a legitimate service, such as ESAPet.com, that can match you with a qualified licensed medical professional in California.
How Do You Qualify For An ESA Letter In California?
See if you’re eligible for an emotional support animal letter in California with ESA Pet.
ESA Pet provides a fast and easy way to find a professional licensed in your state. We can schedule a telehealth consultation and issue your ESA letter in no time!
ESA LETTER IN CALIFORNIA: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
An ESA letter in California is a document that certifies an individual's need for an emotional support animal (ESA) for therapeutic purposes.