Emotional Support Animals vs. Service Animals in Hawaii

Emotional Support Animals vs. Service Animals in Hawaii: What’s the Difference?

In Hawaii, it’s not uncommon for residents and landlords to confuse emotional support animals (ESAs) with service animals. But these two designations serve very different purposes and fall under different laws—especially when it comes to housing, travel, and public access.

Whether you’re a pet owner, tenant, or property manager, understanding the difference between ESAs and service animals in Hawaii is crucial. Here’s everything you need to know.

🦮 What Is a Service Animal in Hawaii?

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is a dog (or in rare cases, a miniature horse) that is individually trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability. Examples of tasks include:

• Guiding the visually impaired
• Alerting a person before a seizure
• Pulling a wheelchair
• Interrupting harmful behavior in someone with PTSD

Service animals are legally allowed to accompany their owners in public places across Hawaii—restaurants, hotels, stores, and more.

🐶 What Is an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)?

Emotional Support Animals are not trained to perform specific tasks but instead offer comfort, companionship, and therapeutic benefits. They’re prescribed to people with mental or emotional conditions like:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• PTSD
• Phobias or panic disorders

To qualify for an ESA, Hawaii residents must receive an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional (LMHP). This letter gives you special housing protections under the Fair Housing Act (FHA).

🏠 Housing: Where the Laws Differ in Hawaii

Service animals: Covered under both ADA and FHA. Landlords in Hawaii must accept service animals, even in “no pet” housing.

ESAs: Covered under FHA only. Hawaiian landlords must also accept emotional support animals with proper documentation—but ESAs don’t have public access rights like service dogs.

Landlords cannot:

• Charge pet deposits or rent for an ESA
• Deny you housing due to your animal’s breed or size
• Ask about your diagnosis or medical history

✈️ Travel: Big Changes for ESAs

Service animals: Still allowed in airline cabins free of charge with proper documentation.

Emotional support animals: As of 2021, airlines are no longer required to accept ESAs under the Air Carrier Access Act. Most Hawaii-based airlines treat ESAs as regular pets, meaning they must travel in a carrier and may require additional fees.

If your ESA is critical for flying, you may want to speak to your provider about whether you qualify for a Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD), which still has airline protections.

🚫 Public Access: What’s Allowed in Hawaii

• Service dogs: Allowed in restaurants, grocery stores, beaches, and government buildings statewide.
• ESAs: NOT allowed in public places unless the business chooses to allow it.

Trying to pass off an ESA as a service dog in Hawaii is illegal and could result in fines.

✅ Quick Comparison Table

📩 Need an ESA Letter in Hawaii?

If you believe an emotional support animal could help with your mental health, you may qualify for a valid ESA letter. CertifyESA connects Hawaii residents with licensed professionals who can legally issue ESA letters for housing.