Renting with an ESA in Austin
Austin's rental market churns constantly: students around the University of Texas, newcomers in mid-rises along East Riverside and near the Domain and longtime tenants in older fourplexes in Hyde Park. With so much turnover, many people end up asking for an accommodation on a lease they signed only weeks earlier. City ordinance adds protections such as student status and source of income, and the city's civil rights division takes housing complaints directly. Large complexes often use third-party verification services, which may contact your provider.
Neighborhoods we often hear from
- Hyde Park
- East Austin
- West Campus
- Mueller
- South Congress
- North Loop
Local help: City of Austin Civil Rights Division
Texas ESA laws for Austin renters
Texas has no statute written just for emotional support animals, so an ESA request in a Texas rental is a reasonable accommodation request under fair housing law. The Texas Workforce Commission's Civil Rights Division enforces fair housing in the state and looks at whether a landlord refused a change to a rule or policy that a tenant with a disability needed.
- Housing discrimination complaints have to reach the TWC Civil Rights Division within one year of the date the discrimination happened.
- You can file with TWC or with HUD, but not with both, so choose one route before you submit an inquiry form.
- TWC's housing process covers property located in Texas, and in most cases the owner must have more than three properties.
Your Austin 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 Austin.
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.
Austin 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.