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Nationwide Service Dog Training & Credential Verification
Resource Library
The ADA sets a federal floor, but many states add their own service animal statutes — and the details differ significantly from state to state.
Always confirm current requirements with your state attorney general's office or a local attorney — state laws change and this page cannot cover every jurisdiction.
State and local service animal laws cannot provide fewer protections than the ADA, but many states extend access rights beyond the ADA's minimum — for example, covering service animals in training, or extending protections to a broader range of public spaces.
A majority of states have enacted laws that make it a civil infraction or misdemeanor to knowingly misrepresent a pet as a service animal, often through fines. What counts as “misrepresentation,” and the penalty for it, differs by state — some target the act of falsely claiming service animal status to gain access, others focus on misuse of service animal identification (vests, tags, or cards).
Some states grant public access rights to dogs that are actively being trained as service animals, even before training is complete, typically when accompanied by an approved trainer. This is a state-law concept, not a federal ADA requirement, so protections and eligibility criteria differ by state.
Because requirements genuinely differ across states, ASDI does not claim that any credential satisfies a specific state law. If you need to understand your rights or obligations in a particular state, we recommend reviewing that state's statutes directly or speaking with a local disability rights attorney.