- Price
- $129 for up to 2 pets; $199 for 3 or more
- Delivery
- Signed letter emailed within 24 hours after approval
- State rule
- Federal rules apply; no Michigan ESA statute
- Where to complain
- Michigan Department of Civil Rights
How Michigan ESA Letter works
Book a telehealth evaluation and talk through how your condition affects you and what your animal does to help. If the clinician decides you qualify, your signed letter is emailed within 24 hours after approval so you can attach it to your request to a Michigan landlord. If you don't qualify, you won't get a letter.
Who it’s for, and who it isn’t
May be a fit
- Michigan tenants in no-pets buildings or with pet limits in the lease
- People with a mental or emotional health condition whose animal helps them through the day
- Students and renters in college towns who need documentation for a new lease
- Households with 2 or more support animals
Usually not a fit
- Stores, restaurants or workplaces; Michigan's public-access rules cover service animals, not ESAs
- Air travel, where airlines may treat ESAs as pets
- Anyone shopping for an ESA ID or registry; none is required, and a landlord demanding one can be reported
- Anyone under 18
What’s included
- Telehealth evaluation with a licensed clinician
- Signed letter on letterhead with the clinician's license type, number and state
- $129 covers up to 2 animals; $199 covers 3 or more
- Emailed within 24 hours after approval
Possible side effects
- No medical side effects; the risk is relying on the letter outside housing
- Under HUD's May 2026 guidance an untrained ESA is reviewed case by case, so a Michigan landlord may still say no
- The letter does not shield you from paying for damage
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
With no Michigan ESA statute, the main rule is federal: the Fair Housing Act and 24 CFR 100.204 require reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities. HUD's May 2026 enforcement guidance says untrained ESAs are not presumed reasonable and are judged case by case. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights runs its own fair housing program, so renters can raise a complaint at state level as well as with HUD.
How Michigan treats emotional support animals
An ESA is not a service animal under Michigan's public-access laws. That means your letter is for housing only, not for taking your animal into shops or restaurants.
In housing, Michigan relies on the federal reasonable accommodation rule. When a landlord asks for documentation, a clinician's letter explaining your need for the animal is the normal first step.
What a Michigan landlord can and can't ask
- Can ask for reliable information about your disability-related need when it isn't apparent
- Can hold you responsible for damage
- Can't demand your diagnosis or medical records
- Can't make you buy a service animal ID or put your animal on a list; MDCR says that demand is itself reportable
If your request is denied in Michigan
The Michigan Department of Civil Rights accepts fair housing complaints through its online portal or by phone at 1-800-482-3604. You can also file with HUD under the Fair Housing Act.
Write down when you asked, what you sent and how the landlord replied. That record helps whichever agency reviews the case.
Prescription treatments are available only to eligible patients after a clinical evaluation by an independently licensed clinician.
Michigan ESA Letter: common questions
Is there a Michigan law about ESAs in housing?
No separate one. Requests rely on the federal Fair Housing Act, while MDCR offers a state complaint process.
My landlord wants my ESA on a registry. Is that allowed?
MDCR says being required to get a service animal ID or list your animal is something you can report to them.
How do I contact MDCR about housing?
Use its online complaint portal or call 1-800-482-3604.
Can I take my ESA into a Michigan store?
No. ESAs are not service animals under Michigan's public-access laws, so businesses can apply their usual pet rules.
What does the letter cost?
$129 covers 1 or 2 pets. For 3 or more, it's $199.
Sources
We cite government agencies, professional societies and peer-reviewed research. See our editorial policy.
- Fair housingMichigan Department of Civil Rights
- Enforcement guidance on requests to use an animal as a reasonable accommodation (May 2026)U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- 24 CFR 100.204: Reasonable accommodationsLegal Information Institute (Cornell Law School)