ESA letters in Oregon, done right.
A legitimate emotional support animal letter for Oregon housing — from a real telehealth assessment with an Oregon-licensed therapist, not an instant-letter form.
Reviewed by Tera Pareja, LPC (Oregon license C10756 — verify it here) — updated July 27, 2026
Your rights as an Oregon renter
Oregon renters with an emotional support animal are protected by two overlapping laws:
- The federal Fair Housing Act requires housing providers to consider reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities — including living with an assistance animal in a "no pets" building. HUD's assistance-animal guidance describes exactly what documentation supports that request.
- Oregon's own statute, ORS 659A.145, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in real property transactions — including refusing to make reasonable accommodations in rules and policies. This gives Oregonians a state-level path in addition to the federal one: complaints can go to the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Civil Rights Division, not only HUD.
No pet rent, no pet deposit. Under HUD's guidance, an approved emotional support animal is not a pet — Oregon landlords may not charge pet fees, pet rent, or pet deposits for it. You're still responsible for any actual damage your animal causes, like any tenant.
What a valid Oregon ESA letter requires
Oregon doesn't issue ESA "certificates" or "registrations" — no state does, and sites selling them are selling paper with no legal standing. What housing providers can reasonably expect is a letter from a licensed professional with reliable, personal knowledge of your condition. Every letter I write includes:
- My Oregon LPC license number (C10756) — verifiable in the state board's public lookup
- My NPI (1609257328) and signature, on letterhead, dated
- The Fair Housing reasonable-accommodation language reviewers look for
- Free landlord verification — calls and written requests answered at no charge, without ever sharing your diagnosis or records
How to get an ESA letter in Oregon
To get a legitimate ESA letter in Oregon, you need one thing: a real assessment with a mental health professional licensed in Oregon — not a certificate, registration, or ID card, none of which exist in law. The path looks like this: book a session with an Oregon-licensed clinician (I'm Tera Pareja, LPC C10756 — verifiable in the state board's lookup), complete a 45-minute telehealth evaluation covering your mental health and the role your animal plays, and, if an emotional support animal is clinically appropriate, receive a signed letter on letterhead with the license number, NPI, and Fair Housing Act language your landlord's reviewer expects. With me that costs $99 flat, most Oregonians are seen the same week, and the letter arrives within two business days. You then send it to your landlord with a short written accommodation request — and Oregon law (ORS 659A.145) backs you if they refuse.
Book online
Pick a time that works. Most Oregon clients are seen within the same week — evenings included.
Talk by phone
A real 45-minute clinical assessment, from anywhere in Oregon — Portland, Eugene, Salem, Bend, Medford, the coast.
Get your letter
If an ESA is clinically appropriate, your signed letter arrives within 2 business days. If it isn't, you aren't charged for one.
ESA letters in Portland
To get an ESA letter in Portland, you book a telehealth assessment with an Oregon-licensed clinician, complete a real 45-minute evaluation, and — if an emotional support animal is clinically appropriate — receive a signed letter your landlord can verify: license number, NPI, letterhead, and the Fair Housing Act language reviewers expect. I'm based in the Portland metro myself, sessions are entirely by phone, and most Portland clients are seen within the same week for $99 flat.
Portland's rental market leans hard on pet rent, pet deposits, and pet screening fees — and that's exactly where an approved ESA accommodation matters most: under HUD's guidance an assistance animal is not a pet, so none of those charges apply to it. Your legal protections come from the federal Fair Housing Act and ORS 659A.145, and the city adds practical support — Portland's Rental Services Office publishes renter-rights information and runs a helpline for tenants in the city. I see clients across the whole metro: downtown, the eastside, Gresham, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, and Clackamas.
Oregon renter resources
A strong letter usually settles the question, but Oregon has real support if you hit friction. These organizations complement — and can go far beyond — anything a letter provider offers:
- Fair Housing Council of Oregon — statewide fair-housing education, advice lines, and help preparing a complaint.
- BOLI Civil Rights Division — the state agency that investigates housing discrimination complaints under ORS chapter 659A.
- Community Alliance of Tenants — Oregon's statewide tenant-rights organization, with a renter hotline.
- OregonLawHelp — free, plain-language legal information for Oregon renters.
Let's find a time.
Booking takes about a minute and you'll get an instant confirmation — no intake packet, no waiting room. Prefer to ask a question before you schedule? Email tera@halcyoncounseling.org or call 971-248-0144.
Oregon ESA letter FAQ
No. Under HUD's Fair Housing Act guidance, an assistance animal is not a pet — housing providers may not charge pet deposits, pet rent, or pet fees for an emotional support animal approved as a reasonable accommodation. You remain responsible for any actual damage your animal causes.
Two layers protect Oregon renters: the federal Fair Housing Act, and Oregon's own disability-discrimination statute, ORS 659A.145, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in real property transactions — including refusing reasonable accommodations. Housing discrimination complaints in Oregon can go to the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Civil Rights Division as well as HUD.
A licensed health professional with reliable, personal knowledge of your condition — for most renters, a mental health professional licensed in Oregon, such as a Licensed Professional Counselor. I hold Oregon LPC license C10756, and you can verify it in the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists public lookup.
Start by asking for the landlord's refusal in writing — many disputes end once a landlord actually reviews HUD's guidance. If it doesn't, you can file a complaint with BOLI's Civil Rights Division or with HUD; both accept online filings, and each website explains the process and deadlines. The Fair Housing Council of Oregon can help you through it, and I handle landlord verification for my clients at no charge.
Yes — sessions are entirely by telehealth, so it doesn't matter where in Oregon you live. Clients meet with me from Portland, Eugene, Salem, Bend, Medford, and everywhere in between.
The same way as anywhere in Oregon — through a real assessment with an Oregon-licensed clinician. Sessions are by telehealth, so there's no office to visit anywhere in the metro: book online, talk by phone for 45 minutes, and if an emotional support animal is clinically appropriate your signed letter arrives within two business days. It's $99 flat, and Portland-area clients are usually seen within the same week.
Pet rent, pet deposits, and pet screening fees are common in Portland buildings, but none of them can be applied to an approved emotional support animal — under HUD's Fair Housing Act guidance an assistance animal is not a pet. Once your accommodation request is approved, those charges don't apply to your ESA; you remain responsible for any actual damage your animal causes.
Ready to start? Same-week telehealth appointments for Oregon.
$99 flat — assessment + letter included. No letter, no charge.
Live in Washington instead? See ESA letters in Washington. Student at OSU, UO, or PSU? Dorms are covered too — see ESA letters for college students. Not sure where to start? Read the full guide: How to get an ESA letter.