- Price
- $149 for up to 2 dogs; $229 for up to 3
- Delivery
- Signed letter emailed within 24 hours after approval
- State law
- G.S. 168-4.2: public access and rental housing
- Where to complain
- North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings, Housing Discrimination Section
How North Carolina PSD Letter works
Book a telehealth evaluation and walk the clinician through your symptoms and your dog's trained tasks. If the clinician finds you qualify, your signed letter with their license type, number and state is emailed within 24 hours after approval.
Who it’s for, and who it isn’t
May be a fit
- North Carolinians with a mental health disability whose dog performs trained tasks
- Renters who need to show a landlord why their dog is necessary
- Handlers with up to 3 task-trained dogs
Usually not a fit
- Comfort-only dogs; those are emotional support animals
- Anyone treating the letter as a substitute for the state's optional tag or for actual training
- Anyone under 18
What’s included
- Telehealth evaluation with a licensed clinician
- Signed letter with the clinician's license type, number and state
- Up to 2 dogs for $149, or up to 3 for $229
- Letter emailed within 24 hours after approval
Possible side effects
- No medical side effects
- Disguising an animal as a service animal is a Class 3 misdemeanor in North Carolina
- You remain responsible for your dog's behavior and 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 enforcement guidance presumes housing requests for task-trained animals, including psychiatric service dogs, are reasonable. Under the ADA, businesses may ask only two questions and can't demand documentation. North Carolina's Chapter 168 adds state protection on top of the ADA.
North Carolina's service animal law
Under G.S. 168-4.2, someone with a disability may take a service animal trained for their disability into public places and keep it in a home they rent or lease. North Carolina offers a tag, but it is optional: evidence that the animal is trained, or in training, also works.
Trainers can bring an animal in training to those places too, provided its collar, leash, harness or cape shows that it is in training. Any damage is the trainer's responsibility.
Public places under the ADA
Businesses may ask only whether your dog is needed for a disability and which task it is trained to do. They can't ask to see a letter.
Penalties under G.S. 168-4.5
- Dressing up an animal to pass as a service animal, or as a service animal in training, is a Class 3 misdemeanor
- Denying a handler these rights is also a Class 3 misdemeanor
- So is charging a fee for having a service animal
If a North Carolina landlord refuses
File housing complaints with the Office of Administrative Hearings, through its Housing Discrimination Section, or with HUD.
Prescription treatments are available only to eligible patients after a clinical evaluation by an independently licensed clinician.
North Carolina PSD Letter: common questions
Do I need North Carolina's service animal tag?
No. The tag is optional. Showing that the animal is trained or in training also works.
Can a North Carolina landlord refuse my PSD?
G.S. 168-4.2 lets you keep a trained service animal in rented property, and HUD presumes task-trained dog requests are reasonable.
Can a business charge a fee for my service dog?
No. Charging a fee for a service animal is a Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 168-4.5.
Is a dog in training allowed in public?
Yes, with a trainer, if its collar, leash, harness or cape shows it is in training.
How much does the PSD letter cost?
$149 covers 1 or 2 dogs and $229 covers up to 3.
Sources
We cite government agencies, professional societies and peer-reviewed research. See our editorial policy.
- North Carolina service animal statutes, G.S. 168-4.2 and 168-4.5North Carolina General Assembly
- Housing discrimination complaints and civil rights informationNorth Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings, Housing Discrimination Section
- 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)