Downtown Dallas skyline at dusk, seen from Reunion Tower

Dallas ESA Housing Letter

Local help for Dallas renters, and a Texas-licensed evaluation

$129 evaluation and letter

  • Reviewed by a Texas-licensed professional
  • Most evaluations reviewed within 48 hours
  • If you don't qualify, you won't be charged
Start my Texas evaluation Not sure yet? Take the Free Pre-Qualification

Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress

18,000+ ESA letters issued since 2016.

How it works

  1. Complete your online evaluation

    Tell us about your symptoms, how they affect daily life, and your animal. Choose Texas as your state.

  2. A Texas-licensed professional reviews it

    Most evaluations are reviewed within 48 hours. If they need more information, they'll ask.

  3. Download your letter as soon as you're approved

    It's in your free dashboard, ready to print or send to your landlord.

Renting in Dallas

  • 57.6% of occupied homes in Dallas are rented Texas: 37.4%
  • 307,300 renter households
  • $1,472 median gross rent a month Texas: $1,403

Rents in Dallas run above the state's: a median of $1,472 a month against $1,403 across Texas, and more than half of the city's homes are rented.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table DP04, 2020–2024: Dallas city, Texas.

Asking your Dallas landlord about an emotional support animal

  1. Ask in writing, through your landlord's portal if it has one, and keep your own copy of the request, your letter and every reply.
  2. Include your letter. It's from a mental health professional licensed in Texas, and it shows their license number, which your landlord can look up on BHEC's license verification. Your landlord can also confirm the letter itself with our Free Letter Verification for Landlords.
  3. Describe your animal accurately, as an emotional support animal, not a service animal.
  4. If you're turned down, ask for the reason in writing, and use the local help below.

What Texas and federal law say about ESAs, pet fees and exempt rentals, with sources: our Texas ESA housing letter guide and Texas ESA laws. An ESA letter is not a guarantee.

Where Dallas renters can get help

We're not affiliated with these organizations. Details are from their own websites (checked November 2026).

Your evaluation, from anywhere in the Dallas area

The evaluation is online. It's reviewed by a mental health professional licensed in Texas, so it's the same whether you rent in Dallas or nearby in Plano, Irving, Garland, Frisco, McKinney, Mesquite, Carrollton, Richardson. Most evaluations are reviewed within 48 hours, and you download your letter from your dashboard as soon as you're approved. If you don't qualify, you won't be charged.

  • Dallas
  • Plano
  • Irving
  • Garland
  • Frisco
  • McKinney
  • Mesquite
  • Carrollton
  • Richardson
Start my Texas evaluation

Dallas ESA letter questions

Does Dallas have its own fair housing office?

Yes. The City of Dallas Fair Housing Office investigates housing discrimination complaints within the Dallas city limits, and complaints are filed jointly with HUD. HUD lists it as one of its local Fair Housing Assistance Program agencies.

Does Dallas have its own fair housing law?

Yes. Dallas has a Fair Housing Ordinance, Chapter 20A of the Dallas City Code, which the Fair Housing Office links to from its website. The office handles complaints within the Dallas city limits; if you rent in Plano, Irving or another nearby city, you can file with the Texas Workforce Commission or HUD.

How do I file a fair housing complaint with the City of Dallas?

The Fair Housing Office's website has an online form and printable forms in English and Spanish, or you can call (214) 670-3247. There's no fee, and the office says to report an alleged violation within one year.

Ready to start?

$129 · Reviewed by a Texas-licensed professional · If you don't qualify, you won't be charged

Start my Texas evaluation Free Pre-Qualification

Questions first? Contact our support team.

This page is general information for Dallas renters, not legal advice. For the Texas rules and their sources, see our Texas guide.