- Price
- $149 for up to 2 dogs; $229 for up to 3
- Delivery
- Signed letter emailed within 24 hours after approval
- State law
- ADA covers PSDs; R.C. 955.43 names other disabilities
- Where to complain
- Ohio Civil Rights Commission
How Ohio PSD Letter works
Book a telehealth evaluation and explain your symptoms and the tasks your dog does for you. If the clinician finds you qualify, your signed letter with their license type, number and state is emailed within 24 hours after approval. If you don't qualify, no letter is issued.
Who it’s for, and who it isn’t
May be a fit
- Ohioans with a mental health disability whose dog performs trained tasks
- Renters who need to document that need for a landlord
- Handlers with up to 3 trained dogs
Usually not a fit
- Dogs that offer comfort without trained tasks; that is an ESA
- Anyone expecting the letter to replace 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
- Ohio's state statute doesn't name psychiatric disabilities, so public access for a PSD rests on the ADA
- You are responsible for your dog's conduct 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 enforcement guidance presumes housing requests for task-trained animals, psychiatric service dogs included, are reasonable. The ADA, which applies in Ohio however R.C. 955.43 is worded, lets businesses ask only two questions and bars documentation demands.
Ohio's assistance dog statute
Under R.C. 955.43, handlers with a mobility impairment and those who are blind, deaf or hard of hearing have equal access with their assistance dog to lodging, schools, public transit and other public places. Trainers working with an assistance dog are included, and a dog in training has to carry insurance through the nonprofit agency that trains it.
The current text took effect March 20, 2026, under House Bill 247, which rewrote much of Ohio's dog law.
Public places under the ADA
Because the ADA applies in Ohio, a psychiatric service dog has public access even though the state statute lists other disabilities. Staff may only ask if the dog is needed for a disability and which task it performs, and they can't demand documentation.
On common carriers the dog must be leashed and may not take up a seat.
Penalties in Ohio
- Recklessly refusing access to a covered handler is a fourth-degree misdemeanor under 955.43
- Charging any fee for the dog is also a fourth-degree misdemeanor
If an Ohio landlord refuses
Housing discrimination charges go to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, or to HUD.
Prescription treatments are available only to eligible patients after a clinical evaluation by an independently licensed clinician.
Ohio PSD Letter: common questions
Does Ohio law cover psychiatric service dogs?
R.C. 955.43 names blindness, deafness or hearing loss and mobility impairments. Psychiatric service dogs are protected in Ohio through the ADA.
Can my PSD sit on a seat on Ohio public transit?
No. On common carriers the dog must be leashed and may not occupy a seat.
When did Ohio's current assistance dog law take effect?
March 20, 2026, as part of House Bill 247.
Do I need the letter to enter shops?
No. Under the ADA businesses can't require documentation.
How much is the PSD letter?
$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.
- Ohio Revised Code 955.43Ohio Laws (Legislative Service Commission)
- Housing discrimination complaints and civil rights informationOhio 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)