$ USD ESA Letter in Florida Through a Licensed Telehealth Provider
Telehealth emotional support animal evaluations for renters and condo owners in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and across Florida
Florida is one of the few states that spells out exactly what ESA documentation a landlord can ask for. A valid letter must come from a licensed provider with personal knowledge of your disability, and a website registration or certificate on its own does not count.
Start with a free pre-screening, then meet a licensed provider online who can decide whether an ESA is right for you.
- Florida Telehealth Evaluation
- Licensed Providers
- No Extra Pet Fees Under FL Law
- Individual Decision
Pre-screening does not guarantee approval. An ESA letter is issued only if the evaluating provider determines it is appropriate.
Florida ESA Laws at a Glance
Last reviewed November 2026 against official Florida and federal sources.
Since 2020, Florida’s own ESA rules sit inside the Florida Fair Housing Act. They protect tenants from invasive questions and extra charges, and they make faking an ESA a crime.
Housing law
Florida Fair Housing Act section on emotional support animals. No extra charge for an approved ESA; you stay liable for damage.ESA letter rules
Personal knowledge required
Florida-licensed or telehealth provider, or an out-of-state provider who has seen you in person at least once. Online registrations alone don’t count.Fake ESA penalty
Second-degree misdemeanor, plus 30 hours of community service.Where to file a complaint
File within 1 year of the incident, or with HUD within 1 year.What a Florida landlord can’t ask for: your diagnosis or how severe it is, your medical records, a specific form, or a notarized statement. They also can’t deny you only because you didn’t use their usual request process.
2026 federal change: since May 22, 2026, HUD reviews federal complaints about untrained ESAs case by case. Florida’s § 760.27 still governs ESA requests for housing in Florida.
How to Get an ESA Letter in Florida
Built around what Florida Statute § 760.27 treats as reliable documentation.
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1
Take the Free Pre-Screening
Share your symptoms, your animal and whether you rent, own a condo or live in an HOA community.
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2
Telehealth Visit With a Licensed Provider
Talk with a licensed provider online, so they have the personal knowledge of your disability that Florida requires.
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3
Get a Professional Decision
The provider decides independently whether your animal provides support related to your disability. There is no automatic approval.
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4
Send Your Letter to Your Housing Provider
If approved, your letter confirms the disability-related need without naming your diagnosis, as Florida law allows.
Florida ESA Letter Pricing
One evaluation fee, no subscriptions.
Where a Florida ESA Letter Helps — and Where It Doesn’t
Rentals, Condos & HOAs
Yes. Use it with landlords, condo associations and HOAs that enforce no-pet, breed or size rules.
College Housing
Usually. UF, FSU, UCF, USF, FIU and other campuses review ESA requests through disability or housing services.
Flights
No. Airlines at MIA, MCO, TPA, FLL and JAX may treat an ESA as a pet, with normal pet fees and carrier rules.
Stores, Beaches & Restaurants
No. Only trained service animals have public-access rights under the ADA and Florida Statute § 413.08.
What a Florida Landlord May Ask For
Under § 760.27, when your disability or need isn’t obvious, a housing provider may ask for:
- Reliable information that you have a disability, such as information from a health care practitioner
- Information showing the specific support this animal gives you
- Information about each animal, if you have more than one
- Proof the animal meets state and local licensing and vaccination requirements
Who may qualify: people with a mental or emotional disability, such as anxiety, depression or PTSD, that substantially limits daily life, when the animal genuinely helps with it. A diagnosis alone doesn’t qualify someone.
Florida law says an internet ESA registration, ID card, patch or certificate is not, by itself, enough to show a disability or need.
Florida ESA Letter FAQ
Does Florida have its own ESA law?
Yes. Florida Statute § 760.27, part of the Florida Fair Housing Act since 2020, spells out what documentation a housing provider may ask for, what it may not ask for, and that you cannot be charged extra for an emotional support animal. Faking an ESA is a crime under § 817.265.
Who can write an ESA letter in Florida?
A Florida-licensed health care practitioner, a registered Florida telehealth provider, or a similarly licensed practitioner in good standing in another state, as long as they have personal knowledge of your disability. An out-of-state practitioner's letter only counts if they have provided in-person care to you at least once.
Can I get a Florida ESA letter online?
Yes, through a telehealth evaluation with a provider who is licensed in Florida or registered as a Florida telehealth provider. Florida law specifically allows telehealth providers. What it does not accept on its own is an internet registration, ID card, patch or certificate.
What can a Florida landlord ask for?
If your disability or need is not obvious, the landlord may ask for reliable information that you have a disability and that the specific animal helps with it, plus proof the animal meets state and local licensing and vaccination rules. They may not ask for your diagnosis, its severity, medical records, a specific form or a notarized statement.
Can a Florida landlord charge a pet fee or deposit for an ESA?
No extra charge. Florida Statute § 760.27 says a person with an approved emotional support animal may not be required to pay extra compensation for the animal. You are still liable for any damage the animal causes to the property or to other people.
Can a Florida landlord refuse my emotional support animal?
Only for specific reasons, such as when the animal poses a direct threat to others' health or safety, or to their property, that no other reasonable accommodation can reduce. Since May 22, 2026, HUD reviews federal complaints about untrained ESAs case by case, but Florida's own § 760.27 still governs ESA requests in Florida housing.
Do condo associations and HOAs in Florida have to allow ESAs?
Florida's fair housing rules cover housing providers, which includes condominium and homeowners' associations that enforce no-pet or size rules. Submit your request in writing with your documentation, and keep a copy.
Is it illegal to fake an emotional support animal in Florida?
Yes. Under § 817.265, falsifying ESA documentation, knowingly giving fraudulent information, or misrepresenting yourself as having a disability-related need for an ESA is a second-degree misdemeanor, plus 30 hours of community service.
Can I take my ESA into stores or restaurants in Florida?
No. Public-access rights under the ADA and Florida Statute § 413.08 belong to trained service animals. Florida businesses may apply their own pet policies to emotional support animals.
Can I fly with my ESA from Miami, Orlando or Tampa?
Under the U.S. Department of Transportation's rules (14 CFR Part 382), airlines may treat emotional support animals as pets, so expect pet fees, carrier size limits and cabin caps. Check your airline's pet policy before booking. A trained psychiatric service dog is still accepted as a service animal.
Where do I file a housing complaint in Florida?
With the Florida Commission on Human Relations within one year of the incident, or with HUD within one year. A private Fair Housing Act lawsuit can be filed within two years.
Does getting an evaluation guarantee an ESA letter?
No. The licensed provider decides, based on your individual evaluation, whether an ESA recommendation is appropriate. If it isn't, no letter is issued.
More for Florida Animal Owners
Official Sources
- Florida Statute § 760.27 (emotional support animals in housing)
- Florida Statute § 817.265 (false or fraudulent proof of need for an ESA)
- Florida Statute § 413.08 (service animals and public accommodations)
- Florida Commission on Human Relations — Housing Complaint
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — Report Housing Discrimination
- 14 CFR Part 382 — U.S. DOT air travel rules
Ready to Start Your Florida ESA Evaluation?
Begin with the free pre-screening. If it makes sense, a licensed provider will evaluate your situation online and decide whether an ESA letter is appropriate.
Licensed providers. Florida § 760.27 explained. Individual decision.
START YOUR FLORIDA ESA EVALUATIONUnited States Service Dogs
Online ESA Letter Evaluations for Florida
This page is general information about Florida and federal law as of November 2026, not legal or medical advice. Completing a pre-screening does not guarantee eligibility, an appointment, an ESA letter, a housing accommodation or any particular outcome. ESA recommendations are made by independent licensed professionals based on individual evaluations. United States Service Dogs is not a government agency.