- Price
- $149 for up to 2 dogs; $229 for up to 3
- Delivery
- Emailed within 24 hours after approval
- State law
- Human Services 7-704: equal housing access
- Where to complain
- Maryland Commission on Civil Rights
How Maryland PSD Letter works
Book a telehealth evaluation and describe your symptoms and the tasks your dog is trained for. If the clinician finds you qualify, the signed letter is emailed within 24 hours after approval. If you don't, no letter is issued.
Who it’s for, and who it isn’t
May be a fit
- Marylanders whose dog performs trained psychiatric tasks
- Handlers whose dog is still in training
- Renters who want to document a need for a landlord
- Handlers with up to 3 trained dogs
Usually not a fit
- Emotional support animals; Maryland's service animal rules don't cover them
- Anyone expecting a letter to qualify an untrained 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
- Emailed within 24 hours after approval
Possible side effects
- No medical side effects
- Misrepresenting a pet as a service dog is illegal in many states
- You stay responsible for your dog's behavior and any 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
HUD's May 2026 guidance presumes housing requests for task-trained animals to be reasonable, and under the ADA businesses may ask only two questions with no documentation. Maryland's Human Services 7-704 and 7-705 apply alongside the ADA, giving people with disabilities, and parents of minors with disabilities, access for a service animal to public places and rental housing without added charges.
Public places under the ADA and Maryland law
The ADA lets staff ask whether the dog is required for a disability and what it is trained to do, nothing more. Maryland adds:
- Section 7-705: trainers can take an animal in training wherever a service animal could go, except where it would clearly risk disturbance or harm
- Refusing or obstructing a service animal's entry is a misdemeanor, with fines up to $500 for each offense
Renting in Maryland with a PSD
Section 7-704 gives tenants with a service animal, or an animal in training, equal access to rental housing with no extra charge. One exemption applies: a single-family home where the owner lives and rents out a single room at most.
If you are refused in Maryland
Complaints about housing or public accommodations can go to the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. Federal housing complaints can go to HUD.
Prescription treatments are available only to eligible patients after a clinical evaluation by an independently licensed clinician.
Maryland PSD Letter: common questions
Can a Maryland landlord charge a pet deposit for my service dog?
No. Section 7-704 gives renters with a service animal full and equal access without extra charges.
Which Maryland rentals are exempt?
Owner-occupied single-family homes that rent out no more than one room.
Can my dog in training enter Maryland businesses?
Under section 7-705, trainers can take an animal in training wherever a service animal could go, except where it would clearly risk disturbance or harm.
What is the penalty for refusing a service dog in Maryland?
Maryland treats it as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500 for each offense.
How much is the PSD letter?
$149 for one or two dogs and $229 for three.
Sources
We cite government agencies, professional societies and peer-reviewed research. See our editorial policy.
- Maryland Code, Human Services § 7-705Maryland General Assembly
- Maryland Commission on Civil RightsMaryland Commission on Civil Rights
- 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)