The four animal types have very different legal protections. Pick the wrong one and your documentation won't do what you think it will.
Not sure? Take the quiz →All animal types shown. ✓ = included, — = not applicable.
* Registration is never legally required under the ADA, FHA, or ACAA for any animal type. ID products are optional tools that make real-world access smoother.
ADA · Public Access
You have a physical disability and your dog is trained to perform specific tasks that mitigate that disability.
Important: Must be a dog. Must be task-trained (not just well-behaved). Businesses may ask 2 questions — they cannot ask for ID or a vest.
Starting price
from $79
FHA · Housing Protection
A licensed mental health professional has determined that you have a disability that is alleviated by the presence of a support animal.
Important: ESAs lost in-cabin airline rights under DOT rules effective January 2021. No public access rights to stores, restaurants, or workplaces. A licensed LMHP letter (not just a certificate) is required for housing. To fly in-cabin, your dog can be trained as a PSD — which restores full travel rights.
Starting price
from $149/yr
FHA · ACAA · ADA
You have a psychiatric disability (PTSD, severe anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, etc.) and your dog is trained to perform specific tasks that mitigate that condition.
Important: The dog must be task-trained for a psychiatric disability — not just providing comfort. Airlines require documentation. A licensed LMHP letter is required for housing and airline rights.
Starting price
from $149/yr
Facility Visits · No Federal Rights
Your animal provides comfort and therapeutic benefit to others (not just you) in professional settings — hospitals, schools, assisted living, disaster relief.
Important: Therapy animals have NO federal rights under the ADA, FHA, or ACAA. Access depends entirely on each facility's policy. Registration does not grant access — it supports credibility with administrators.
Starting price
from $67
The line between “emotional support” and “task-trained service dog” comes down to whether your animal performs specific, disability-related work on cue. These guides walk through real examples and the legal definitions in plain English — useful before you commit to one direction.
Housing rights (FHA) →
What landlords can and can't require — for ESAs, service dogs, and PSDs.
Public access rights (ADA) →
Where service dogs and PSDs can go — and the ADA's two-question rule.
Airline travel rights (ACAA) →
In-cabin access for PSDs and trained service dogs after the 2021 DOT rule changes.
Side-by-side rights comparison →
How FHA, ADA, and ACAA stack against each other for each animal type.
Federal authority sources
Reading on PawPassRx: The ADA two questions explained · Do I need to register my service dog? · Can a landlord deny my ESA?
My dog helps with physical tasks (guide, alert, mobility)?
My dog or cat (or other animal) comforts me emotionally, but isn't task-trained?
My dog is task-trained specifically for a psychiatric disability (PTSD, severe anxiety, OCD)?
My animal visits hospitals, schools, or nursing homes to help others?
Still not sure?
Take the 3-question quiz →Legal reminder: No animal type requires registration under federal law. Registration, ID cards, and certificates are optional tools that make real-world access smoother — they do not create legal rights. ESA and PSD letters from licensed mental health professionals carry legal weight under the FHA and ACAA. Service dog registration is not required under the ADA. PawPassRx is a documentation service, not a law firm. For legal advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney.
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