Indiana ESA laws
Indiana gave emotional support animals their own chapter of state law in 2018: Indiana Code 22-9-7. It lets a landlord ask for written verification from a health service provider when your disability isn't readily apparent, and it forbids charging a fee to keep the animal. The same chapter makes faking a need, or writing a careless letter, a Class A infraction.
- Moving from another state? IC 22-9-7-10 accepts a letter from a provider licensed there if you have an ongoing treatment relationship with them.
- A provider who verifies a need without adequate professional knowledge, or charges only for the letter with no other service, commits a Class A infraction.
- Putting a vest, collar or sign on a pet to make it look like an ESA is also a Class A infraction under IC 22-9-7-12.
- Landlords may still enforce lease rules, ask you to sign a responsibilities addendum and bill you for damage the animal causes.
Your Indiana ESA letter, step by step
Book a time
Pick a phone or video slot online and answer a short questionnaire about how you are feeling and the animal you live with in Indiana.
Talk with a licensed clinician
A licensed clinician spends about 5–10 minutes with you and decides whether an emotional support animal is part of your care.
Get your signed letter
If the clinician approves, your letter is emailed to you as a PDF with their license details. If not, you are not charged.
Share it with your housing provider
Send the letter with a short reasonable accommodation request. Keep copies of everything you send and receive.
Indiana ESA letter cost
| Letter | Covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ESA letter | Up to 2 animals | $129 |
| ESA letter | 3 or more animals | $199 |
Booking is free and you're charged only if your letter is approved.
What an ESA letter covers
Rentals and other housing
A letter supports a reasonable accommodation request, so a housing provider considers an exception to no-pet rules or pet fees for your animal.
Not flights or stores
Airlines treat emotional support animals as pets, and stores or restaurants do not have to admit them. Only trained service dogs have those rights.
Any common species
Dogs and cats are most common, but the letter is about your need for the animal, not its breed or training.
Reasonable limits apply
A provider can still refuse an animal that poses a direct threat or causes serious damage.
What to do if a landlord in Indiana denies your ESA
Ask the housing provider to put the refusal and its reason in writing. You can then contact the Indiana Civil Rights Commission or file a complaint with HUD. Many renters settle the issue at this stage simply by asking for a written decision.
Have a dog trained to do specific tasks for a psychiatric condition? See the Indiana psychiatric service dog letter.