Colorado ESA Letter : How to Get It and ESA Laws in Colorado

An ESA letter in Colorado is an official document confirming the owner’s need for an emotional support animal and the animal’s ESA status.  

Colorado residents with ESAs are allowed in all housing situations, even if the property has a no pets policy. Landlords are obligated to ensure reasonable accommodation to ESAs under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). 

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) no longer classifies ESAs as service animals, and the option to travel on airplanes is at the discretion of the airline.

Colorado Emotional support animal laws do not permit ESAs in public and work environments unless they have pet-friendly policies. Property owners and employers, however, are sometimes willing to allow an emotional support animal if the owner shows a valid Colorado ESA letter.  

An emotional support animal letter in Colorado prevents third parties from discriminating against owners with mental or emotional disabilities.

Is ESA Registration in Colorado Required?

No, ESA registration in Colorado is not required. The main requirement for an emotional support animal is the ESA letter. The letter is an official document with legal value that protects the ESA’s and its owner’s rights. 

An official emotional support animal registration Colorado database does not exist. Federal and Colorado-enacted laws do not require registration. Sites and organizations in the country market ESA registration, but the ESA registration Colorado does not have legal value and does not protect the animal’s rights. 

What are the Specific Emotional Support Animal Laws in Colorado?

Colorado regulates emotional support animals through federal housing protections combined with state-specific legislation governing service animal misrepresentation. Governor John Hickenlooper signed House Bill 16-1426 into law on June 10, 2016, which became effective January 1, 2017, creating two distinct criminal offenses under Colorado Revised Statutes Title 18, Article 13. Colorado distinguishes between service animal misrepresentation in public accommodations (§ 18-13-107.7) and assistance animal misrepresentation in housing contexts (§ 18-13-107.3), both classified as class 2 petty offenses with escalating fine structures. Colorado’s legislation requires individuals to receive prior written or verbal warnings before facing criminal penalties, establishing a graduated enforcement approach designed to educate violators before imposing financial consequences.

• Colorado ESA Housing Laws: The Fair Housing Act protects ESAs in Colorado housing, requiring landlords to provide reasonable accommodations for tenants with valid ESA letters from licensed healthcare providers. Colorado has no state-specific ESA housing legislation beyond federal FHA requirements, meaning Colorado tenants with emotional support animals rely exclusively on federal protections. Under the FHA, landlords cannot charge pet fees, pet deposits, or monthly pet rent for properly documented emotional support animals, as these animals are considered medical necessities rather than pets. Colorado landlords cannot deny housing based on breed, size, or weight restrictions when tenants provide legitimate ESA documentation. Housing providers may deny ESA requests when animals pose direct threats to health or safety of other residents, cause substantial property damage beyond normal wear and tear, or create undue financial hardships for landlords. Colorado does not require healthcare providers to maintain minimum client-provider relationships before issuing ESA letters, unlike states such as California, Arkansas, and Louisiana that mandate 30-day therapeutic relationships. Exemptions from FHA coverage include owner-occupied buildings with fewer than four units, single-family homes rented by owners without real estate brokers (provided owners own three or fewer properties), and religious organization housing for members.
  
• Colorado ESA Employment Laws: Colorado does not mandate workplace accommodations for emotional support animals. The Americans with Disabilities Act covers only service dogs trained to perform specific disability-related tasks in employment contexts. Colorado employers with five or more employees must ensure service animals can accompany employees to work under ADA requirements, but emotional support animals lack similar workplace protections. Employers may voluntarily permit emotional support animals in workplaces at their discretion but face no legal obligation to accommodate ESAs under state or federal law. Many pet-friendly Colorado workplaces recognize the therapeutic value of animals and voluntarily allow well-behaved, house-trained emotional support animals on premises, though such accommodations remain employer prerogatives rather than legal requirements.
  
• Colorado ESA Laws for Public Places: Emotional support animals have no public access rights in Colorado under state or federal law. Colorado Revised Statutes § 24-34-803 protects service animals (dogs and miniature horses trained to perform work or tasks for individuals with disabilities) in public accommodations but explicitly excludes emotional support animals from these protections. Public establishments including restaurants, stores, hotels, theaters, shopping centers, and transportation facilities can legally refuse entry to emotional support animals while remaining required to accommodate properly trained service animals. Business owners may ask only two questions when service animal status is unclear: (1) Is the animal required because of a disability? and (2) What work or task has the animal been trained to perform? Colorado residents with ESAs must contact establishments in advance to determine pet policies, as ESAs receive no automatic admission rights to businesses or public spaces.
  
• Colorado ESA Travel Laws: Following 2021 amendments to the Air Carrier Access Act, airlines no longer classify ESAs as service animals for air travel purposes. Colorado residents traveling by air must comply with individual airline pet policies, which typically require approved carriers, impose size and breed restrictions, and charge pet fees ranging from $75 to $200 each way. Only psychiatric service dogs trained to perform specific tasks related to mental health disabilities retain cabin access protections under current federal aviation regulations. Ground transportation providers including buses, trains, and ride-sharing services may enforce their own pet policies and legally refuse emotional support animals, as these animals lack guaranteed transportation access rights under Colorado or federal law.
  
• Misrepresenting Service Animals in Colorado: Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-13-107.7, enacted through House Bill 16-1426 (effective January 1, 2017), criminalizes intentional misrepresentation of service animals in public accommodations. A person commits this offense when: (a) the person intentionally misrepresents an animal in his or her possession as a service animal or service-animal-in-training for purposes of obtaining rights or privileges set forth in Colorado Revised Statutes § 24-34-803; (b) the person was previously given written or verbal warning that intentionally misrepresenting service animals is illegal; and (c) the person knows the animal in question is not a service animal or service-animal-in-training. This offense constitutes a class 2 petty offense punishable by fines of $25 for first offenses, $50 to $200 for second offenses, and $100 to $500 for third or subsequent offenses. Persons convicted may petition courts to seal conviction records if no offenses occurred in the three years prior to petitioning. The statute’s warning requirement ensures individuals receive education about the law before facing criminal penalties, reflecting Colorado’s graduated enforcement philosophy.
  
• Fraudulent Assistance Animal Claims in Colorado: Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-13-107.3, also enacted through House Bill 16-1426 (effective January 1, 2017), addresses intentional misrepresentation of entitlement to assistance animals in housing contexts. A person commits this civil infraction when: (a) the person intentionally misrepresents entitlement to an animal in his or her possession as an assistance animal for purposes of obtaining reasonable accommodation rights under state or federal housing law; (b) the person was previously given written or verbal warning that intentionally misrepresenting assistance animals is illegal; and (c) the person knows the animal is not an assistance animal. Violators face identical penalty structures as public accommodation violations: $25 for first offenses, $50 to $200 for second offenses, and $100 to $500 for third or subsequent offenses. Colorado’s dual-statute approach recognizes different contexts for service animal and assistance animal misrepresentation, applying appropriate terminology and legal frameworks to public access versus housing situations. The requirement for prior warnings in both statutes emphasizes education over punishment, allowing first-time violators opportunities to correct behavior before incurring financial penalties.

How to Get an ESA Letter in Colorado?

The instructions on how to get an ESA letter in Colorado are given below. 

1. Consult a Licensed Health Professional. Schedule an evaluation with a qualified LMHP, or other health care provider authorized to practice in Colorado. This professional assesses whether an ESA benefits the individual’s mental or emotional health.
2. Get a Legitimate ESA Letter. If approved, the licensed professional issues an ESA letter that a Colorado resident uses to secure housing accommodations under federal and Colorado emotional support animal laws.
3. Understand the Rights. Be familiar with the protections provided by the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and ensure the landlord accepts the ESA letter without imposing extra fees or unfair restrictions.
4. Avoid Fake Registrations. Unlike misleading online alternatives or unofficial “registrations,” an ESA letter is the only legally recognized documentation an owner needs for their ESA in Colorado.
5. Renew Annually. ESA letters typically require renewal yearly, so stay updated with the documentation to maintain the right

“Who can write an ESA letter in Colorado” is a top concern for prospective ESA owners. The answer is a licensed professional, like therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric mental health nurses, and clinical social workers, who are currently licensed in the state. 

Is Getting an ESA Letter Online Legal in Colorado?

Yes, getting an ESA letter online is legal in Colorado. Licensed mental health professionals (LMHPs), or other health care providers in the state are allowed to write ESA letters after an in-person or online consultation. 

The LMHP issues a signed ESA letter if an emotional support animal is expected to help with the candidate’s emotional and mental health disability. ESA letters are given in an electronic, printable PDF version or sent in a hard copy to the candidate’s address.  

Be mindful when choosing an online ESA service because many sites are scams. Scam ESA websites usually advertise services like free registration and quick turnaround without requiring candidates to have a consultation with a LMHP. 

Get your Colorado ESA letter through CertaPet. CertaPet intermediates the process and connects ESA candidates with LMHPs in the state. 

First, complete an online questionnaire to check ESA qualifications. Second, get contacted by a mental health professional licensed in Colorado within two business days. Third, receive the electronic version of the ESA letter Colorado immediately or have a hard copy sent to the home address within two to three business days. 

Do ESA Letters in Colorado need to be Renewed Annually?

Yes, ESA letters in Colorado need to be renewed annually. Annual renewal is recommended to keep the ESA letters legally valid. A current ESA letter is necessary to keep the ESA’s rights protected under the Fair Housing Act. 

The process of renewing ESA letters is straightforward, especially if using an online service. An ESA owner has the right to update the letter through the account one month before the current ESA letter expires.  

How to Avoid Online Scams in ESA Letters in Colorado?

The instructions on how to avoid online scams in ESA letters in Colorado are given below. 

1. Find a Legit Online ESA Service. Work with a legitimate platform to avoid scams. Read reviews from other ESA owners to ensure the online service is trustworthy and gives valid ESA letters. 
2. Check the ESA Letter’s Author and Signature. A mental health professional licensed in Colorado writes and signs the ESA letter. Some states require that the candidate and LMHP have a minimum 30-day relationship, but Colorado does not. 
3. Inspect the Letterhead and Credentials. Legitimate ESA letters must be written on the LMHP’s official letterhead. A valid ESA letter clearly displays the LMHP’s credentials and contact information. 
4. Read the ESA Letter. The ESA letter states the person’s need for an emotional support animal but does not disclose the diagnosis because the information is private. The LMHP writes in the letter that the ESA is recommended to stay with the owner. 
5. Avoid Services with Unreasonable Offers: Scam companies boast irrationally easy services such as immediate ESA letter turnaround, getting approved without talking to an LMHP, and free paraphernalia such as ESA badges and ID tags. 

Ivana Crnec, DVM Veterinarian

Ivana Crnec got her veterinary degree at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Bitola. She then continued her education at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb, Croatia, where she specialized in domestic carnivores.

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