What VA does
- Veterinary insurance, hardware and travel for a prescribed guide or service dog.
- A mental health mobility pathway decided by a VA team.
- The PAWS Act training pilot at West Palm Beach and four other sites.
Florida · VA care statewide · Section 760.27
ESA and Psychiatric Service Dog Letters for Florida Veterans
Florida veterans are treated at VA medical centers from Bay Pines and Tampa to Gainesville, Orlando, Miami and West Palm Beach, and the West Palm Beach center is one of five PAWS Act service dog sites. A housing letter for an emotional support animal sits outside VA, so begin with the free screening and a clinician licensed in Florida decides whether one is supported.
No cost to screen
FL-licensed clinicians
Around VA visits
VA Medical Centers on This Page
Bay PinesC.W. Bill Young VAMC
TampaJames A. Haley Veterans' Hospital
OrlandoOrlando VA Medical Center
MiamiBruce W. Carter VAMC
GainesvilleMalcom Randall VAMC
West Palm BeachWest Palm Beach VAMC
Where VA Care Ends and a Housing Letter Begins
VA treats the condition; it does not hand out dogs. Its service dog benefit pays toward care and gear for dogs that are prescribed and come from accredited agencies, and its grounds are closed to emotional support animals. A Florida ESA request travels a different road, through section 760.27 and your housing provider.
What VA does not do
- Provide the service dog itself.
- Admit emotional support animals to its facility grounds.
- Cover emotional support animals under its service dog benefit.
Florida VA Center Finder and PCS Lease Date
Pick your region to see the VA medical center listed on this page for it. If you are an active servicemember ending a lease under section 83.682, add the date your landlord received your notice.
- Choose a region, then select Find My Center.
ESA and PSD Pricing for Florida Veterans
Clear pricing for emotional support animal and psychiatric service dog letters written by a licensed mental health professional. Your screening is free, and you pay only if a clinician supports a letter and you decide to continue.
ESA Housing Letter For One Pet
$149
Best option for most renters with one emotional support animal
- Free online screening with a licensed psychotherapist
- Telehealth evaluation when clinically indicated
- Letter written for ESA housing requests
- Digital delivery within 24-48 hours after payment
- Follow up clarification for landlords included
Most Popular
ESA Housing Letter For Multiple Pets
$159
For people who have more than one emotional support animal in the home
- Free clinical screening that covers up to three ESA dogs or cats
- All approved animals listed together on a single ESA housing letter
- Letter tailored for apartments and rental homes
- Digital delivery within 24-48 hours after payment
- Support for landlord questions about pet deposits and rent
Psychiatric Service Dog Evaluation
$199
For people who may qualify for a task-trained psychiatric service dog
- Free initial screening with a licensed psychotherapist
- Telehealth evaluation focused on symptoms and the tasks the dog is trained to do
- Letter describing the disability-related need and task support
- Clinically grounded documentation, not a generic certificate
- Follow up clarification for housing providers included
Bundle Packages
Save more with combined document bundles
BUNDLE
ESA Letter + Certificate Bundle
$199
ESA letter and certificate in one package
- ESA letter from a licensed professional
- ESA certificate with QR code verification
- Digital delivery within 24-48 hours after payment
- Valid for 1 year with renewal reminders
BEST VALUE
PSD Letter + Certificate + ID Card
$225
Complete PSD documentation: letter, certificate and ID card
- PSD letter from a licensed professional
- PSD certificate with QR code verification
- PSD ID card with photo and barcode
- Digital delivery within 24-48 hours after payment
Clinically reviewed
Secure payment
24-48 hr delivery
No hidden fees
American Service Animals does not sell ESA registrations. All letters are based on real clinical evaluations.
Section 760.27 and a Veteran's Housing Request
Three slices from the same Florida statute.
Your records stay yours
A provider may ask for reliable information when a disability is not apparent, but not for a diagnosis, its severity or medical records, VA or otherwise.
Who can document it
A Florida health care practitioner, a telehealth provider registered under section 456.47, or an out-of-state provider who has seen you in person at least once.
Registrations fall short
An online registration, ID card, patch or certificate is not, by itself, enough, and no extra charge may be made for the ESA; you pay for damage.
PSD or ESA After Service
| Question | Psychiatric service dog | Emotional support animal |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Individually trained for tasks | None required |
| Example | Waking you from a nightmare | Calming company at home |
| Florida law | Section 413.08 public access | Section 760.27 housing |
| VA grounds | Must be admitted | Not allowed |
| Federal posture | HUD still pursues trained-animal cases | HUD no longer presumes requests reasonable |
Servicemembers Who Rent in Florida
Four cards from the lease-break statute, one rule on each.
PCS orders
Permanent change of station to a place 35 or more miles away can end a lease under section 83.682.
Long TDY
Temporary duty of 60 or more days, 35 or more miles away, qualifies too.
30-day timing
The termination takes effect at least 30 days after the landlord receives notice, with rent prorated.
Cannot be waived
Release from active duty and a move into government quarters are also covered, and a lease cannot sign the right away.
Florida Penalties for Faking It
False ESA information
Falsifying information or giving fraudulent information to get ESA documentation is a second-degree misdemeanor with 30 hours of community service.
A pet passed off as a service dog
Knowingly misrepresenting a service animal is also a second-degree misdemeanor with 30 hours of community service, as is denying lawful access.
Help for Florida Veterans and Their Animals
Veterans Crisis Line
Dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255.
Vet Center Call Center
877-927-8387 for readjustment counseling.
Pets for Patriots
Pets for Patriots, a national nonprofit, works with animal shelters and veterinarians to help veterans adopt a companion animal.
Florida Commission on Human Relations
Housing complaints within one year, (850) 488-7082.
Florida Veterans Questions, Taken Below the Surface
Six questions, one for each mask on the reef.
Can a Florida landlord ask for my VA medical records?
No. Section 760.27 lets a housing provider ask for reliable information about a disability that is not apparent, but not for a diagnosis, its severity or medical records.
Does a Florida ESA letter have to come from a Florida clinician?
Section 760.27 accepts information from a Florida health care practitioner, a telehealth provider registered under section 456.47, or an out-of-state provider who has given you in-person care at least once.
Where is the VA medical center near St. Petersburg?
The C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center is at 10000 Bay Pines Boulevard in Bay Pines, and its main campus has a Fisher House and a free shuttle between the parking lots.
Is a Florida VA site part of the PAWS Act pilot?
Yes. The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center at 7305 North Military Trail is one of five PAWS Act pilot sites where veterans with PTSD train future service dogs.
Can a servicemember break a Florida lease after PCS orders?
Section 83.682 lets a servicemember end a lease after permanent change of station orders to a place 35 or more miles away; termination takes effect at least 30 days after the landlord receives notice, and the protection cannot be waived.
What happens if someone fakes an ESA or a service dog in Florida?
Giving false information to get ESA documentation and misrepresenting a service animal are each second-degree misdemeanors in Florida, with 30 hours of community service, under sections 817.265 and 413.08.
More Florida Pages for Veterans
Five chairs set out on the sand, each saved for another Florida page.
Your Florida Screening, On Your Schedule
Between VA appointments and everything else, the screening takes a few minutes, and a clinician licensed in Florida reviews it before any decision.
Fee when approved
Quiet process
To the Keys
