HOA Assistance Animal Request Letter
Ask your HOA to allow an assistance animal despite a pet rule with this reasonable accommodation request under the Fair Housing Act. The highlighted fields cover the animal, the rule and your supporting documentation. Type your details into the highlighted fields, then copy the letter or download it as a Word file at no cost.
[Date]
[Name of Homeowners Association]
Attn: Board of Directors
[Association Address]
Re: Reasonable accommodation request for an assistance animal, [Your Property Address]
Dear Board Members,
I live at [Your Property Address]. I am requesting a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act to keep an assistance animal, [Animal Description, for example "a dog named NAME"], in my home despite [Rule Cited, for example "the association's pet restriction"].
I have a disability as defined by the Fair Housing Act, and the animal [Animal Role, for example "provides support that alleviates the effects of my disability"]. [Supporting Information, for example "A letter from my health care provider is attached."]
I will keep the animal under control and clean up after it in common areas. I ask that the association confirm in writing that the accommodation is granted. If you need additional information, please tell me what you need and why by [Response Date].
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Property Address]
[Phone or Email]
[Signature]
What this letter does
An HOA assistance animal request letter asks the association for a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act so that a person with a disability can keep an animal that helps them, even where the community restricts pets. The law treats this as a request for an accommodation, not as a pet application, so the process and questions differ. An owner who receives a notice about an animal can answer with a violation response letter, and the pet-related notices boards send are the dog barking letter and the dog waste letter.
What to include
- Who you are and where you live.
- That you have a disability and that the animal helps with it. You do not need to give a diagnosis in the letter.
- A description of the animal.
- Supporting information, when the disability or the need is not obvious. This is usually a letter from a health care professional who knows you.
- A commitment to responsible care in common areas.
- A date for a written reply.
Documentation
HUD guidance issued in 2020 (Notice FHEO-2020-01) says housing providers may ask for reliable information when the disability or the need is not obvious, and that online certificates or registrations sold to anyone who pays a fee are not, on their own, enough to establish a disability-related need. Check hud.gov for the current version of that guidance before you rely on it.
For boards
Boards should treat the request as an accommodation request, not a pet application. Avoid applying breed, size or weight limits automatically, avoid asking about the nature of the disability, and get advice from an attorney before denying a request. Your fair housing obligations are separate from your pet rules. A pet rule does not work like a variance: are HOA rules legally binding explains the limits on what governing documents can enforce, and the variance request letter covers exceptions that are not accommodations.
If you are denied
Ask for the reasons in writing and consider seeking advice from a fair housing organization or attorney. You can also file a complaint with HUD or your state fair housing agency. The refusal arrives as an HOA denial letter. Can you appeal an HOA decision and the HOA dispute letter cover challenges alongside a fair housing complaint.
Common questions
Is an emotional support animal the same as a service dog?
Not in the same legal sense. Housing law and disability law define them differently, and the rules about which animals must be accommodated and what documents can be asked for differ. Use the right category in your letter.
Can an HOA charge a pet fee for an assistance animal?
Rules differ, and the question is for an attorney or the fair housing agency. Do not assume pet fees apply.
This page gives general information and sample wording. It is not legal advice, and requirements differ by state and by association.