- Price
- $129 for up to 2 pets; $199 for 3 or more
- Delivery
- Emailed within 24 hours after approval
- State law
- HRS 515-3: any species, no training needed
- Where to complain
- Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission
How Hawaii ESA Letter works
Start with a telehealth evaluation. The clinician asks how your condition affects daily life and what your animal does for you, whatever kind of animal it is. If they find you qualify, they sign a letter on letterhead and it is emailed to you within 24 hours after approval. If you don't qualify, no letter is issued.
Who it’s for, and who it isn’t
May be a fit
- Renters on Oʻahu, Maui, the Big Island or Kauaʻi whose building limits or bans pets
- People whose cat, rabbit, bird or other non-dog animal eases symptoms of a mental health condition
- Tenants whose landlord has asked for verification because the disability is not visible
- Households with more than one support animal
Usually not a fit
- Bringing an animal into shops, beaches with dog bans or restaurants; ESAs have no public-access rights
- Flying to or between the islands; U.S. airlines may treat ESAs as pets
- Anyone who wants a vest, tag or registry number; Hawaii law says these do not prove a need
- Anyone under 18
What’s included
- Telehealth evaluation with a licensed clinician
- Signed letter on letterhead showing the clinician's license type, number and state
- $129 for 1 or 2 animals, or $199 for 3 or more
- Letter emailed within 24 hours after approval
- No letter is issued if you don't qualify
Possible side effects
- No medical side effects; the risk is expecting the letter to cover places it does not
- A Hawaii landlord can still set reasonable rules on how the animal is kept
- You pay for any damage the animal causes, and federal review of untrained ESAs is case by case
This isn’t a complete list. Your clinician reviews risks, interactions and warnings with you before prescribing. In an emergency, call 911.
What the evidence says
Federally, the Fair Housing Act and 24 CFR 100.204 require reasonable accommodations, and HUD's May 22, 2026 enforcement guidance says untrained ESAs are weighed case by case rather than presumed reasonable. Hawaii's own law goes further: HRS 515-3 counts an untrained animal of any species as an assistance animal if it eases the effects of a disability, so state law gives Hawaii renters a clearer footing than the federal baseline alone.
Hawaii law on assistance animals in housing
Hawaii's fair housing chapter, HRS 515, treats an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation. Under section 515-3(b), the animal does not need formal training and can be any species. What matters is that it relieves symptoms or effects of your disability.
- A treating professional in health care, mental health or social work can provide the verification
- Vests, tags and online registry entries do not count as verification
- The Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission enforces chapter 515
What a Hawaii landlord can and can't ask
If your disability is not obvious, a landlord may ask for verification of the need. They may not ask what your condition is or how severe it is, and they may not demand medical records.
A landlord may put reasonable limits on the animal, such as how it is kept in shared areas. That is different from refusing it.
If your request is denied in Hawaii
Keep copies of your request, your letter and the landlord's reply. You can file a complaint with the Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission, which handles refusals under chapter 515. A federal fair housing complaint can also be filed with HUD.
Prescription treatments are available only to eligible patients after a clinical evaluation by an independently licensed clinician.
Hawaii ESA Letter: common questions
Does my ESA have to be a dog in Hawaii?
No. HRS 515-3 allows an assistance animal of any species, and it does not need formal training.
Can my Hawaii landlord ask what my diagnosis is?
No. A landlord may ask for verification of the need when it isn't apparent, but not about the nature or severity of your condition.
Is an online ESA registration enough in Hawaii?
No. Hawaii law says a vest, tag or registry listing is not verification. A letter from a professional who evaluated you is.
How much is the letter and how fast is it?
$129 for one or two pets and $199 for three or more. It is emailed within 24 hours after the clinician approves it.
Can I bring my ESA on an inter-island flight?
Airlines are not required to accept emotional support animals and may treat them as pets, so check the airline's pet policy.
Sources
We cite government agencies, professional societies and peer-reviewed research. See our editorial policy.
- Hawaii Revised Statutes § 515-3 (discriminatory practices in real estate)State of Hawaii
- Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission: housing complaintsHawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission
- Enforcement guidance on requests to use an animal as a reasonable accommodation (May 2026)U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development