Emotional support animals in Louisiana

Louisiana 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 Louisiana, 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.

Louisiana law requires emotional support animal documentation to come from a licensed health care provider who has had a relationship with you for at least 30 days and has personal knowledge of your disability. Online questionnaires alone are not reliable documentation in Louisiana.

Knowingly misrepresenting an animal as a service animal, or providing false information to obtain an accommodation, is unlawful in this state and may be a misdemeanor.

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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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
La. R.S. 9:3258 et seq. (Act 216, 2021)

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