Hot Springs ESA Letters and Psychiatric Service Dog Letters
Hot Springs, the Garland County seat with 37,930 residents in 2020, grew up around the thermal waters that Congress set aside in 1832. Start the free screening, and an Arkansas-licensed clinician decides if an emotional support animal letter or a psychiatric service dog letter fits.
Hot Springs Pet License
Dogs and cats over 3 months, licensed within 30 days.
Hot Springs License Planner: Yearly or Lifetime
Enter your pets and how long you plan to stay. The planner compares $10 yearly licenses with the $20 lifetime license for neutered animals vaccinated every year.
- Enter your pets and years, then select Compare Licenses.
The Oldest Federal Reserve in the Country
Native peoples gathered in this valley for the springs long before settlers came. The Quapaw ceded the land in 1818, Congress created the Hot Springs Reservation in 1832, and the city incorporated on January 10, 1851. The reservation became Hot Springs National Park in 1921, and its heart is Bathhouse Row: eight historic bathhouses and their gardens along Central Avenue. The city has been home to Major League Baseball spring training and Oaklawn Park horse racing, and it was President Bill Clinton's childhood home.
Hot Springs ESA and Psychiatric Service Dog Letter Pricing
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 law (Ark. Code 20-14-1003): before a provider documents your need for an emotional support dog, you need at least 30 days as a client, unless you are verified as homeless.
How Hot Springs Residents Get a Letter
Screening
Share a few details on your health, your animal and where you live in Garland County.
Evaluation
An Arkansas-licensed clinician reviews them and meets you by video when appropriate.
Letter
If you qualify, choose a plan and the letter is emailed; if you do not, you owe nothing.
Letters Hot Springs Clients Order
ESA housing letter
For a request to a Hot Springs landlord or association.
Two or more animals
Lists each animal the clinician supports on one page.
Psychiatric service dog letter
For a dog trained in tasks, such as creating space for you in a crowd.
Card and certificate
A summary included in some bundles, under the notice shown below.
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.
Bathhouse Row, Central Avenue and the Festivals
Central Avenue
Downtown is preserved as a historic district on the National Register.
Art Deco
Dozens of historic hotels and motor courts from the Great Depression era.
Festivals
The Hot Springs Music Festival and the Documentary Film Festival.
Oaklawn Park
Horse racing that traces its beginnings to Hot Springs.
City and State Rules in Hot Springs
Tags at all times
Licensed dogs and cats wear their tags at all times.
State rabies rule
Dogs and cats 4 months or older are vaccinated; animals moved into Arkansas unvaccinated get the shot within 30 days.
Housing
Act 268 leaves fair housing rights unchanged; send any ESA request in writing with your letter.
Hot Springs Questions on the Bathhouse Tiles
Do I need a pet license in Hot Springs?
Yes. Dogs and cats over three months must be licensed within 30 days of getting the animal or moving to the city, and the tag must be worn at all times.
How much is a Hot Springs pet license?
$10 a year for each neutered or restrained dog or cat. A neutered animal can instead get a $20 lifetime license if it is vaccinated every year.
When does the lifetime license pay off?
After two years. Two yearly licenses cost $20, the same as the lifetime license, and each year after that the lifetime license saves $10.
Where is Hot Springs Animal Services?
At 319 Davidson Drive, phone (501) 262-2091, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Is the city's 30-day window the same as Arkansas's 30-day rule for dog letters?
No, they are separate. The city's 30 days are for licensing a new pet. The state's 30 days are the client-provider relationship a provider needs before documenting your need for an emotional support dog.
Can my ESA come into a Hot Springs restaurant or shop?
Not by right. An emotional support animal has no public access rights in Arkansas, and anyone selling an ESA vest or tag must tell you so. Trained service animals are the ones with access rights.
Elsewhere in Arkansas
General information for Hot Springs residents, current as of October 2026, and not legal advice. License fees and rules are set by the city and can change; Hot Springs Animal Services can confirm them. Screening does not guarantee a letter. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Ease Into Your Hot Springs Screening
From Bathhouse Row to the Ouachita foothills, a clinician licensed in Arkansas can understand how your animal helps you.
