North Dakota ESA laws
North Dakota spells out its own rules for assistance animal requests in rentals. Under N.D.C.C. 47-16-07.5, a landlord with a no-pets policy may ask for reliable documentation that confirms your disability and ties it to the animal, unless your need is already obvious or known. The statute also says who can write that documentation, and the next section sets penalties for fraud.
- Documentation can come from a physician or other medical professional, provided that provider is not operating in North Dakota solely to produce service or assistance animal paperwork.
- Knowingly making a false disability claim, or handing over fraudulent documentation, to get a housing accommodation is an infraction under N.D.C.C. 47-16-07.6.
- After a guilty plea or conviction, the landlord may evict and may collect a damage fee of up to $1,000 if fraudulent documentation was used.
- Section 47-16-07.1 keeps pet deposits off a companion animal that a tenant with a disability needs as a reasonable accommodation.
- Housing discrimination complaints go to the Department of Labor and Human Rights within one year of the last date of harm.
Source: N.D. Century Code chapter 47-16 (sections 47-16-07.5 and 47-16-07.6)
Your North Dakota 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 North Dakota.
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.
North Dakota 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 North Dakota denies your ESA
Ask the housing provider to put the refusal and its reason in writing. You can then contact the North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights 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 North Dakota psychiatric service dog letter.