FAQ

Once your service dog has been fully trained to perform a task or job relating to your disability and can pass a public access test, you can certify your dog as a service dog. You, as the handler, are personally responsible for certifying that your dog has mastered all of the skills and training needed to qualify as a service animal.

Although getting a certification for a service dog is not required by law and is optional, many service dog handlers find having a certificate convenient when facing the public, especially handlers whose disabilities are not visible. A service dog certificate, vest, or ID can help communicate the dog’s purpose and avoid intrusive questions by members of the public. It’s important to note that these items do not by themselves confer or convey any rights to any person.

You are not legally required to register your service dog. However, proper registration can help eliminate any confusion that may occur in public places. You can register your service dog through an organization that addresses your disability, for example, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.

Another option is to register your service dog online. The registration process usually involves completing a form and paying a fee. Once your dog is registered, you will be provided with identification in the form of a vest for your service dog, a certificate, or ID badges. These items allow your service dog to do its job while you deal with fewer distractions and potentially avoid unpleasant encounters with the public. Only handlers with qualifying disabilities and fully-trained service dogs should register their dog and obtain service dog paraphernalia.

A service animal is a dog that has been individually trained to perform tasks relating to a physical or mental disability. Service dogs can help people with physical disabilities (for example, dogs that help the visually impaired) or psychiatric disabilities (for example, a dog that provides pressure therapy for owners in distress). Service dogs have special access rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Fair Housing Act (FHA), and Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). They are allowed to accompany their owners in the home, on flights in the cabin of planes, and in places where members of the public are generally allowed to go.

If you are at a public area or venue, staff members can verify your dog is a service animal by asking two questions:
1. is the dog a service dog required because of a disability?
2. what work or task has the service dog been trained to perform?
Under ADA rules, service dog owners do not have to provide specific details about their disability. In addition, third parties are not allowed to ask service dog owners to demonstrate the task the service dog has been trained to perform. Service dog owners have a right to privacy as well as a right to dignity.
If you plan to fly with your service dog, you will need to submit the DOT’s Service Animal Transportation Form to the airline before boarding the flight. The form requires the passenger to self-certify that they have a service dog trained to perform tasks relating to their disability and behave in public settings.

Service dog owners commonly use items like ID cards, registrations, certifications, and vests to signal to members of the public that their animal companion is a working animal. However, service animal paraphernalia is optional and not mandatory under ADA, FHA, and ACAA rules. You cannot be denied accommodation as a service dog owner just because you lack these items – they are for your personal convenience. ADA guidance specifically states that you do not need certification or registration documents for a service dog. Third parties can look at these items as one factor to determine whether a dog is a service dog, but they do not have to rely on them. Under ADA rules, service dog owners do not need to present any documents to confirm their dog is a service dog.
Under ACAA rules for boarding flights, the only documentation required is the U.S. Department of Transportation’s form for service animals on flights. Under guidelines from the U.S. Department of Transportation, airlines can look for indicators such as harnesses, ID cards, tags, and vests to help determine whether a dog is a service animal. Still, these items solely by themselves are not enough to qualify a dog as a service dog.
Being part of our registry cannot be used as a substitute for the appropriate qualification steps under the ADA, ACAA, FHA, and other assistance animal and disability laws. Our products and services are intended for use only by fully qualified assistance animal owners.

A psychiatric service dog is a type of service dog that has all of the same rights as a service dog that assists with physical disabilities. A psychiatric service dog also performs tasks for its handler but for mental and emotional health disabilities.

To qualify for a psychiatric service dog, the handler must have a mental or emotional health disability for purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or Air Carrier Access Act. A PSD letter is a signed letter from a licensed professional helps you determine whether you have a qualifying condition under the ADA and ACAA. A PSD letter by itself does not qualify your dog as a service animal – your dog must be fully trained to perform a task relating to a disability before you can represent that it is a service dog.

Yes, service dogs are allowed to board flights free of charge. U.S. airlines require the submission of a self-certifying D.O.T. form for service dogs and psychiatric service dogs. The service dog owner completes the form, who will certify that the dog is a trained service animal required for a disability. The airline may look at paraphernalia such as ID cards, tags, vests, and other accessories as one indicator a dog is a service animal. Still, the presence of these items is not dispositive. According to D.O.T. rules, the airline can require and rely on the D.O.T. self-certification form they will provide you.

A dog in training is not yet considered a service dog with rights under the ADA or ACAA. The service dog must be fully trained before being considered a service dog with full public access rights. Our products and services are only for use by qualified owners with fully trained service dogs. We will be happy to assist you once you have completed the process of fully training your dog as a service dog.

Service dogs are governed by the laws of your jurisdiction. Our products and services, including ID cards, certificates, registrations, and vests, can be used in international locations that recognize service animals and allow for service animal paraphernalia.

To qualify for an emotional support animal, you need a letter from a licensed healthcare professional. If you have an ESA letter, you can use accessories like ID cards and vests to signal that your animal is a qualified emotional support animal.

An ESA letter must come from a licensed healthcare professional. Under federal and state laws, a letter from a licensed professional is the only way to qualify for an emotional support animal. If you need an ESA letter, we recommend ESA Doctors, a leading online ESA service that can connect you to a healthcare professional licensed for your state.

Therapy animals are trained to provide comfort and support to others, often in group settings. Therapy dogs are not the same thing as service animals. A service animal is a dog that is trained to perform tasks relating to the handler’s disability.

There is no official certification program for therapy animals. To purchase a product or service for a therapy animal, you must be able to represent the following: (i) you are an experienced professional handler of therapy animals and have received appropriate training, (ii) your animal has been used in group settings for therapeutic purposes, (iii) your animal has been appropriately trained and vaccinated, (iv) you and your animal are healthy enough to engage with vulnerable and at-risk populations, (v) all measures will be taken to ensure your animal is treated humanely at all times and (v) you will adhere to all laws, rules, and guidelines that may apply to your therapy animal in the jurisdiction it is being used. None of our products or services are intended to certify or verify that your animal is suitable as a therapy animal. There are organizations that help with training therapy dogs, but that is not a service we offer, and we do not provide any referrals. 

Standard orders within the U.S. are processed within 3-4 business days and shipped via USPS first class mail which takes about 3-4 business days. Priority orders are processed within 1 business day and shipped via USPS Priority Mail which takes 1-3 business days. You can request a digital copy of your identification card for $12.99. If you did not opt for early access to your digital identification card when you placed your order and would like to do so, please contact us. Vests are shipped separately and may take a few additional days to get to you. We cannot guarantee exact delivery dates as that ultimately depends on USPS. If you need your order more urgently, please contact us for expedited shipping options. Please note there may be shipping delays during the holiday season (11/21-1/6).

Yes! We are happy to ship our ID cards and products internationally. International orders will be processed within 2 business days and shipped via first class mail without tracking. We are currently unable to ship clear ID holders and lanyards, and vests internationally. If you place an international order that includes the clear ID holder or vest, we will issue you a refund for those item(s). Please get in touch with us via our Contact Us page for a refund. Expect your international order to arrive within 3-8 weeks.

Please send us a message via our Contact Us page if you need another copy of an existing identification card. Replacement cards are available at a discounted price of $25, which includes shipping and handling.

Unfortunately, you cannot have multiple handlers or animals on a single identification card. Each identification card can only have one handler and one animal.

Since each card is custom-made for each customer, all orders are non-refundable. If you made an error when you submitted your order, please contact us immediately. We will do our best to make the adjustments for you free of charge if your order has not been processed yet. Unfortunately, if the order has already been processed, you will be required to pay a fee for the new card. Expedited Digital Access and Priority Orders are final since orders are processed immediately. Please take extra care to enter the correct information as you are responsible for selecting the desired card type, inputting the correct information, and uploading an accurate photo for your identification card. If you do not upload a photo, your identification card will not include a photo. If you want to add a photo to your card or make any additional adjustment after it prints, you will be required to pay a fee. Returns will not be accepted. If a vest is too small or big for your animal, we have a 14-day exchange policy (for a flat fee of $10). Exchanges and refunds for vests will not be accepted outside the 14-day window. Please see our Terms and Conditions for more details regarding returns.