- Price
- $129 for up to 2 pets; $199 for 3 or more
- Delivery
- Signed letter emailed within 24 hours after approval
- State law
- S.C. Code 31-21-70(N) sets questions and documentation
- Where to complain
- South Carolina Human Affairs Commission
How South Carolina ESA Letter works
Book a telehealth evaluation and describe your symptoms and the support your animal gives. If the clinician finds you qualify, a signed letter on letterhead with their license type, number and state is emailed within 24 hours after approval. If not, no letter is issued.
Who it’s for, and who it isn’t
May be a fit
- South Carolina renters asking a landlord to allow a non-service animal as an accommodation
- People whose mental health condition is eased by their animal
- Tenants who want documentation that meets the state's definition of sufficient
- Households with more than one support animal
Usually not a fit
- Public places; South Carolina lets businesses set their own ESA rules
- Flights; airlines may treat an ESA as a pet
- Anyone wanting an ESA certificate or registry
- 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 for up to 2 animals, or $199 for 3 or more
- Letter emailed within 24 hours after approval
Possible side effects
- No medical side effects; the risk is relying on the letter outside housing
- The 180-day complaint deadline is short, so delays can cost you your state claim
- Untrained ESAs are reviewed case by case under HUD's May 2026 guidance
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
The Fair Housing Act and 24 CFR 100.204 require reasonable accommodations, and HUD's May 2026 guidance reviews untrained ESAs case by case. South Carolina's S.C. Code 31-21-70(N) adds a state framework, setting the questions a landlord may ask and what documentation is sufficient.
South Carolina law on emotional support animals
A 2019 amendment to the state's fair housing law, S.C. Code Section 31-21-70(N), addresses requests to keep a non-service animal as an accommodation. It covers both the landlord's questions and the paperwork, and the federal Fair Housing Act applies as well.
Under the statute, paperwork is enough when it establishes a disability and that the animal offers disability-related help or emotional support.
What a South Carolina landlord can ask
- Is there a disability that substantially limits a major life activity?
- Does your disability create a need for the animal?
ESAs outside your home
S.C. Code 47-3-990 lets public places decide their own policies on emotional support animals. In South Carolina an ESA's protection is mostly about where you live.
If your request is denied in South Carolina
File a fair housing complaint with the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission within 180 days of the discriminatory act. That window is shorter than in many states, so act quickly. You can also file with HUD.
Prescription treatments are available only to eligible patients after a clinical evaluation by an independently licensed clinician.
South Carolina ESA Letter: common questions
What can a South Carolina landlord ask about my ESA?
Only two questions: does a disability substantially limit a major life activity for you, and do you have a disability-related need for the animal?
What documentation is enough in South Carolina?
Paperwork showing that you have a disability and that the animal gives you disability-related help or emotional support.
How long do I have to file a complaint?
180 days from the discriminatory act, with the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission.
Can I take my ESA into South Carolina restaurants?
Not as of right. Public places may set their own rules for ESAs under S.C. Code 47-3-990.
How much is the letter?
$129 covers 1 or 2 pets and $199 covers 3 or more.
Sources
We cite government agencies, professional societies and peer-reviewed research. See our editorial policy.
- South Carolina Code, Section 31-21-70 (fair housing)South Carolina Legislature
- Housing discrimination complaints and civil rights informationSouth Carolina Human Affairs Commission
- Enforcement guidance on requests to use an animal as a reasonable accommodation (May 2026)U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development