How long does it take to get an ESA letter in California?

For California clients, AB 468 requires an established client-provider relationship of at least 30 days and a clinical evaluation before documentation may be provided.

Will my landlord accept my ESA letter?

Housing providers must consider reasonable accommodation requests for assistance animals when supported by reliable disability-related information. We provide individualized, clinically grounded documentation.

Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Letters

California ESA Evaluations — $140

Choose your ESA appointment online—no phone call or credit card needed to request a time. Please request at least 24 hours in advance. Your appointment is confirmed after we accept your request.

Meet with Ernesto Peraza, LMFT, for a 15-minute screening by California telehealth, in English or Spanish.

The $140 package includes the initial screening, all required ESA evaluation follow-ups, and a letter if clinically appropriate. No cancellation or no-show fees.

Payment is due at the evaluation by Zelle and is nonrefundable once the assessment is conducted. Documentation depends on clinical eligibility and applicable timing requirements.

Choose ESA Time — $140

Small tan dog — request an ESA evaluation

Call Now

Questions before booking? Call (818) 294-5733. English/Spanish.

Your ESA evaluation in 3 steps

1. Choose your first appointment

Request a dedicated 15-minute ESA screening with Ernesto Peraza. After your request is accepted and forms are sent, complete your intake and consent in the secure Client Portal.

2. Meet with Ernesto online

Discuss your needs and how your animal helps. Complete any required evaluation follow-ups, included in your $140 package. Sessions are available in English and Spanish.

3. Receive documentation if appropriate

Ernesto determines whether you qualify. A letter is provided only when clinically appropriate and applicable requirements are met.

California timing

California generally requires an established relationship of at least 30 days before emotional support dog documentation. An existing relationship may count; an exception applies for verified homelessness. Ernesto reviews your situation. This is not a same-day letter service.

Prepare for your first appointment

Complete your portal forms when received. Have your animal’s name and species, housing deadline, prior ESA documents, and treatment or medication list ready. Join from a private location in California.

Prepárese para su primera cita

Complete los formularios del portal cuando los reciba. Tenga a mano el nombre y la especie de su animal, su plazo de vivienda, documentos ESA anteriores y lista de tratamientos o medicamentos. Conéctese desde un lugar privado en California.

Request ESA

FAQ

ESA versus service animal

An emotional support animal provides comfort through its presence and does not require task training. A service dog is individually trained to perform tasks related to a person’s disability, such as interrupting a harmful behavior or retrieving an item. Comfort alone does not make an animal a service animal under the ADA.

An ESA letter may support a housing accommodation request. It does not grant access to stores, restaurants, or other public places under the ADA. Service dogs generally have public-access protections, subject to applicable rules. Housing and airline rules are separate.

What does the $140 package include?

One package covers the initial 15-minute telehealth screening with Ernesto Peraza, all follow-up visits required for the ESA evaluation, and a letter if clinically appropriate. Included follow-ups do not cost another $140. Ongoing therapy outside the evaluation is a separate service.

Payment is due at the evaluation by Zelle to (818) 294-5733, payable to Arbol de Vida Counseling Service. The fee is non-refundable once the clinical assessment has been conducted, whether or not a letter is issued. There are no ESA cancellation or no-show fees. A letter or housing approval is not guaranteed.

Will you contact my landlord or housing provider?

Booking an appointment, completing an intake, or signing the ESA consent does not authorize us to disclose information to your housing provider. If you request communication, we will discuss the purpose and obtain appropriate authorization before a disclosure that requires it.

A separate release identifies the recipient, the limited information to be shared, the purpose, and an expiration date or event. It explains how to revoke permission in writing; revocation does not undo disclosures already made in reliance on it. Your full therapy record is not automatically sent with an ESA letter. Legal exceptions to confidentiality still apply. Share sensitive information through the secure Client Portal, not website messages.

Do ESA letters expire?

There is no universal expiration date for all ESA documentation. ADVCS uses a 12-month reassessment period as a practice policy. Renewal evaluation costs $140 and does not guarantee another letter.

Can I request more than one ESA?

Possibly. We evaluate the disability-related need for each animal individually. Documentation, a housing accommodation, and any fee waiver are not guaranteed.

Important note

We do not sell ESA “registrations,” ID cards, or instant letters.
An ESA letter is based on an individualized clinical evaluation and an established client–provider relationship.
A request does not guarantee approval by a housing provider.