- Price
- $149 for up to 2 dogs; $229 for up to 3
- Delivery
- Emailed within 24 hours after approval
- State law
- HRS 347-2.5: dogs only; comfort is not a task
- Where to complain
- Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission
How Hawaii PSD Letter works
Book a telehealth evaluation and describe your symptoms and the specific tasks your dog has been trained to do. The clinician decides whether a PSD letter is appropriate. If you qualify, the signed letter 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
- People in Hawaii whose dog is trained for psychiatric tasks, such as interrupting panic or waking them from nightmares
- Renters who need to document that need for a landlord or association
- Visitors and residents staying in Hawaii lodging with a trained dog
- Handlers with up to 3 task-trained dogs
Usually not a fit
- Dogs that help through comfort or companionship only; Hawaii law says that is not a trained task
- Animals other than dogs
- Anyone hoping a letter will turn an untrained dog into a service dog
- Anyone under 18
What’s included
- Telehealth evaluation with a licensed clinician
- Signed letter with the clinician's license type, number and state
- $149 for one or two dogs and $229 for three
- Letter emailed within 24 hours after approval
Possible side effects
- No medical side effects
- Hawaii fines people who knowingly present an untrained animal as a service animal
- You stay responsible for any damage your dog causes, even where no fee is allowed
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
Under HUD's May 2026 enforcement guidance, housing requests for task-trained animals, including psychiatric service dogs, are presumptively reasonable. Under the ADA, businesses may ask only two questions and can't require documentation. Hawaii's HRS 347-2.5 uses the same dog-only, task-based definition, and HRS 347-13 adds a ban on extra charges in lodging, transit and other public accommodations.
Public places in Hawaii
Under the ADA, a shop, restaurant or hotel in Hawaii gets two questions: is the dog required because of a disability, and what has it been trained to do? They can't ask for a letter. Hawaii's rules run in the same direction.
- HRS 347-2.5 covers dogs only and says emotional support, comfort or companionship is not a task
- HRS 347-13 opens lodging, transit and public accommodations to your dog with no added fee
- You still pay for damage your dog causes
Penalties Hawaii sets
- Knowing misrepresentation of an untrained animal (HRS 347-2.6): $100 to $250 the first time, then a minimum of $500
- Harming a working service animal is a misdemeanor, and the person responsible pays vet or retraining costs (HRS 711-1109.5)
Renting in Hawaii with a PSD
A landlord may ask for reliable information about a disability-related need that is not obvious. A clinician's letter answers that. If a request is refused, the Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission takes housing complaints, and HUD accepts federal fair housing complaints.
Prescription treatments are available only to eligible patients after a clinical evaluation by an independently licensed clinician.
Hawaii PSD Letter: common questions
Is an emotional support dog a service dog in Hawaii?
No. HRS 347-2.5 says providing comfort or companionship is not a trained task, so the dog needs psychiatric task training to count.
Can a Hawaii hotel charge a pet fee for my service dog?
No. HRS 347-13 bars extra charges for a service dog in lodging and other public accommodations, though you pay for any damage.
What happens if someone fakes a service dog in Hawaii?
A first knowing offense carries a fine of $100 to $250; repeat offenses cost at least $500.
How much is the PSD letter?
$149 for one or two dogs and $229 for three, emailed within 24 hours after approval.
Do I need the letter to enter a store in Honolulu?
No. Under the ADA, staff can't require documentation for a service dog.
Sources
We cite government agencies, professional societies and peer-reviewed research. See our editorial policy.
- Hawaii Revised Statutes § 347-2.6 (misrepresentation of a service animal)State of Hawaii
- Hawaiʻi Civil Rights CommissionHawaiʻi 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
- ADA requirements: service animalsADA.gov (U.S. Department of Justice)