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Nationwide Service Dog Training & Credential Verification
Resource Library
Housing law uses a broader category — “assistance animals” — and a different process than the ADA's public-access rules. It's important not to confuse the two.
For authoritative guidance, see the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assistance animal guidance at hud.gov, or consult a fair housing attorney about your specific situation.
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) requires housing providers to make reasonable accommodations for assistance animals, a category that includes both ADA-style service animals and emotional support animals that do not perform a specific trained task. Assistance animals under the FHA are not required to be dogs, and are not required to have any specific training.
Unlike the ADA's public-access rule, a housing provider may request reliable documentation of a disability-related need for an assistance animal when the disability or the need is not readily apparent — for example, a letter from a healthcare provider. Housing providers generally cannot request detailed medical records, require a specific certification, or demand that the animal have specialized training.
Once a reasonable accommodation is granted, housing providers generally may not charge pet fees or pet deposits for an assistance animal, and blanket “no pets” policies, breed restrictions, and weight limits typically do not apply to a legitimate assistance animal accommodation request.
ASDI-approved teams receive a live, trainer-reviewed credential that property managers can verify instantly. That clarity protects legitimate handlers from unnecessary friction, helps housing providers distinguish authentic teams from unverified claims, and gives both sides a professional path forward. Property managers can also partner with ASDI for free tenant verification and referral support.