Arkansas ESA and Psychiatric Service Dog Letter Guides
Arkansas wrote its own rules for emotional support dogs in 2023, from what sellers must disclose to how long a provider must know you before documenting the need. Every Arkansas city and topic page is linked below; to start, take the free screening and a clinician licensed in Arkansas reviews it.
Arkansas Key Facts
Arkansas Pages by Region and Topic
Central Arkansas
Northwest and the River Valley
Northeast Arkansas
Conditions and topics
Arkansas City Pet Rule Finder
Pick a city and describe your pet to see the local licensing or registration rule on top of the statewide rabies requirement.
- Choose a city and pet, then select Show the Rules.
Simple, Transparent Pricing Across Arkansas
Clear pricing for emotional support animal and psychiatric service dog letters written by a licensed mental health professional. Your screening is free, and you pay only if a clinician supports a letter and you decide to continue.
ESA Housing Letter For One Pet
Best option for most renters with one emotional support animal
- Free online screening with a licensed psychotherapist
- Telehealth evaluation when clinically indicated
- Letter written for ESA housing requests
- Digital delivery after approval
- Follow up clarification for landlords included
ESA Housing Letter For Multiple Pets
For people who have more than one emotional support animal in the home
- Free clinical screening that covers up to three ESA dogs or cats
- All approved animals listed together on a single ESA housing letter
- Letter tailored for apartments and rental homes
- Digital delivery after approval
- Support for landlord questions about pet deposits and rent
Psychiatric Service Dog Evaluation
For people who may qualify for a task-trained psychiatric service dog
- Free initial screening with a licensed psychotherapist
- Telehealth evaluation focused on symptoms and the tasks the dog is trained to do
- Letter describing the disability-related need and task support
- Clinically grounded documentation, not a generic certificate
- Follow up clarification for housing providers included
Bundle Packages
Save more with combined document bundles
ESA Letter + Certificate Bundle
ESA letter and certificate in one package
- ESA letter from a licensed professional
- ESA certificate with QR code verification
- Digital delivery after approval
- Valid for 1 year with renewal reminders
PSD Letter + Certificate + ID Card
Complete PSD documentation: letter, certificate and ID card
- PSD letter from a licensed professional
- PSD certificate with QR code verification
- PSD ID card with photo and barcode
- Digital delivery after approval
Arkansas timing rule (Ark. Code 20-14-1003): documentation for an emotional support dog can be provided only after a client-provider relationship of at least 30 days, except for people verified as homeless. A provider has to respect that timeline, so a letter for a dog cannot be issued before it is met.
Arkansas notice (Ark. Code 20-14-1002): A certificate, identification card or tag does not entitle an emotional support animal to the rights and privileges accorded by law to a service dog. Misrepresenting an animal as a service animal may subject an individual to a civil penalty under Ark. Code 20-14-310.
What Each Part of Act 268 Requires
Notices from sellers
Anyone selling or providing an emotional support dog, or ESA certificates, IDs, tags, vests, leashes or harnesses, must give written notice that these carry no service-animal rights.
Rules for providers
A provider documenting an emotional support dog must hold an active license in the jurisdiction, state it in the letter, know the client 30 days first, evaluate at least yearly and warn about the penalty.
Penalties
Civil penalties of $500, $1,000 and then $2,500, brought by the Attorney General, a prosecuting attorney, or a county or city attorney.
Fair Housing for Arkansans With Assistance Animals
The state commission
The Arkansas Fair Housing Commission, now reached through the Department of Inspector General, works with HUD and lets people request an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation.
Rights left untouched
Act 268 states that it does not change federal or state rights to reasonable accommodation and equal access to housing.
The 2026 federal shift
HUD no longer presumes untrained ESA requests reasonable, which makes credible documentation from a properly licensed provider more important.
Rabies Rules Across Arkansas
The state's rabies control rules, in effect since November 28, 2024, set one schedule for every dog and cat in Arkansas. A landlord can ask for proof that an animal meets it, so keep the certificate with your letter.
Veterans, Students and Seniors in Arkansas
VA care
- John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital, 4300 West Seventh Street, Little Rock
- Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center, 2200 Fort Roots Drive, North Little Rock
- Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, 1100 N. College Avenue, Fayetteville
Campus housing
- The University of Central Arkansas reviews ESA requests case by case through its accessibility office.
- UCA says an ESA certificate is not accepted as documentation.
Area Agencies on Aging
- Eight regional agencies, from Northwest Arkansas in Harrison to Southwest Arkansas in Magnolia.
- Others serve Batesville, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff, North Little Rock, Hot Springs and Fort Smith.
Arkansas Questions, Pinned on the Map
Do I need 30 days with an Arkansas clinician before an ESA letter for a dog?
For an emotional support dog, Ark. Code 20-14-1003 says a provider may document the need only after a client-provider relationship of at least 30 days, unless you are verified as homeless.
What must a seller of ESA certificates or vests tell an Arkansas buyer?
Act 268 requires a written notice, in bold type of at least 12 points, that the dog lacks service-animal training, is not entitled to service-animal rights, and that misrepresenting an animal as a service animal can bring a civil penalty.
What are the penalties under Arkansas Act 268?
Knowingly and fraudulently representing an emotional support dog as entitled to service-animal rights, or breaking the notice rules, carries civil penalties of $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second and $2,500 for a third or later.
When must Arkansas dogs and cats get a rabies shot?
Arkansas rules require dogs and cats four months or older to be vaccinated and then revaccinated during the twelfth month after the first shot; animals brought into the state must be vaccinated within 30 days.
Which Arkansas cities have their own pet rules?
Many do. Little Rock licenses dogs and cats from four months, Conway gives new arrivals 30 days to license, Hot Springs offers a lifetime license for neutered pets and Springdale requires microchip registration.
Does Act 268 change my fair housing rights in Arkansas?
No. The act says it does not change federal or state rights to a reasonable accommodation and equal access to housing; it regulates how emotional support dog documentation and products are provided and sold.
Neighboring State Guides
General information for Arkansas residents, current as of October 2026, and not legal advice. It summarizes Act 268 of 2023, the state rabies rules and city ordinances, which agencies and courts apply and which can change; confirm local rules with your city. Screening does not guarantee a letter. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Start an Arkansas Screening the Right Way
From the Ozarks to the Delta, a clinician licensed in Arkansas reviews your situation under the state's own rules, including its 30-day timeline for dogs.
