Emotional support animals in Iowa

Iowa requires that an ESA letter come from a licensed professional who has had a relationship with you for at least 30 days and has completed a clinical evaluation. A registration card is not documentation in Iowa, or anywhere.

What the law says here

Emotional support animals are protected in housing under the federal Fair Housing Act. They are not service animals and do not have public-access rights, and U.S. airlines are no longer required to accept them in the cabin.

Iowa law requires that the licensed professional providing your emotional support animal documentation has an established relationship with you of at least 30 days and personal knowledge of your disability. Misrepresenting an animal as an assistance animal is a simple misdemeanor in Iowa.

Where a registration card fits

Our card and certificate are convenience items for everyday situations: a doorman, a walker, a neighbor. They carry a registration number anyone can check on our verification page. They do not establish a disability or a need for an accommodation, and a Iowa housing provider is not required to accept them in place of a letter. If you need housing protection, get a letter from a licensed professional.

What a Iowa housing provider may ask

If your disability isn't obvious, they may ask for reliable documentation from a licensed professional that you have a disability and a disability-related need for the animal. They may not ask for your diagnosis or medical records, and may not charge pet rent or a pet deposit for an approved assistance animal.

Sources

42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B); HUD FHEO Notice FHEO-2020-01
Iowa Code § 216.8B (2020)

General information, not legal advice. Laws change; we update this page when they do.