Colorado Psychiatric Service Dog Letter — Get an Appointment Today
Colorado gives service dog handlers some of the strongest protections in the West, including a $3,500 statutory fine for unlawful denials. A PSD letter from a clinician licensed in Colorado documents your disability-related need for landlords, employers and campuses, and you only pay if you are approved.
- Colorado-licensed clinicians
- Pay only after approval
- Secure video visit statewide
- License number and type on every letter
Open 7 days a week · Same-day appointments · No approval, no charge
Why Colorado Is One of the Strongest States for Service Dog Handlers
Colorado writes service animal rights into its own civil rights law and attaches real money to violations.
Colorado Psychiatric Service Dog Laws Explained
Most of Colorado's protections live in Part 8 of the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, which goes well beyond the ADA.
Access Almost Everywhere
Employment sites, housing, public accommodations, public transportation, government programs and any other place open to the public must admit your service animal, with no added fee.
Dogs in Training Protected
Trainers, and people with disabilities accompanied by a dog in training, have the same access rights. The federal ADA does not cover dogs in training, so this is a Colorado advantage.
Strong Workplace Rights
Employers must let you keep your service animal with you at work, cannot refuse to hire or fire you for using one, and must make reasonable accommodations unless it causes undue hardship.
Penalties for Denial
Denying or interfering with service animal rights is a petty offense, and you can sue for actual damages or a $3,500 statutory fine per violation, plus attorney fees.
Harming a Service Animal
Interfering with, injuring or harming a service animal, or letting another dog do so, is a class 2 misdemeanor, with treble damages owed to the owner.
Misrepresentation
Knowingly passing off an animal as a service animal after being warned it is illegal is a class 2 petty offense: $25 the first time, rising to $100–$500 for repeat offenses.
HB26-1045: Colorado Locks In Housing Protections
In 2026 HUD narrowed federal enforcement to trained service animals. Colorado responded within days.
HB26-1045, signed on May 28, 2026 and effective August 12, 2026, defines both service animals and emotional support animals as assistance animals under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. Allowing an assistance animal is presumed to be a reasonable accommodation once the landlord has had a chance to go through an interactive process with you.
What a Colorado landlord may and may not do
- Ask for reasonable documentation only when your disability or need for the animal is not obvious
- Consider documented, specific behavior by your animal that poses a direct threat or causes substantial property damage
- Not deny housing simply because you have an assistance animal
- Not treat a service dog as a pet for pet rent or deposits
Colorado's standard for clinicians
Since 2017 (HB16-1426), Colorado law expects a licensed professional who documents a need for an assistance animal to be familiar with the patient and the disability and qualified to make the finding. A written finding made this way is also a legal defense against a misrepresentation charge. That is why every Healify letter follows a live evaluation.
Psychiatric Service Dog vs. Emotional Support Animal in Colorado
Both count as assistance animals in Colorado housing. Only a trained psychiatric service dog has rights in public places and at work.
| Feature | Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) | Emotional Support Animal (ESA) |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado law | C.R.S. § 24-34-803 and CADA housing rules | CADA housing rules (HB26-1045) |
| Training | Trained, or in training, for disability tasks | Not required |
| Stores, restaurants, transit | ✓ Yes Protected | ✕ No Not protected |
| Workplace | ✓ Yes With you at all times | Case-by-case accommodation |
| Rental housing | ✓ Yes Assistance animal | ✓ Yes Assistance animal |
| Flights | ✓ Yes In cabin with DOT form | ✕ No Generally treated as pets |
Working a PSD in the Colorado Outdoors
Your access rights cover public places, but the high country brings its own planning.
Altitude and hydration
Dogs feel thin, dry air too. Carry extra water above 8,000 feet and watch for heavy panting or fatigue.
Trails and wildlife
Rules for dogs differ on national forest, state park and open-space land. Check before you go, and keep your dog close in moose and mountain lion country.
Snow, ice and mag chloride
De-icers on Front Range sidewalks can irritate paw pads. Booties or a rinse after walks keeps your dog working.
Who Qualifies for a Psychiatric Service Dog in Colorado
Colorado follows the ADA's definition of disability: a mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as sleeping, concentrating, working or interacting with others.
Your dog must be trained, or in training, to perform tasks tied to that disability. Examples include interrupting panic attacks, waking you from nightmares, retrieving medication or guiding you out of crowded spaces.
Conditions our clinicians frequently evaluate
- PTSD, including for veterans and service members at Fort Carson, Peterson and Buckley Space Force Bases and the Air Force Academy
- Panic disorder and generalized anxiety
- Major depressive disorder, including seasonal patterns
- Bipolar disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Autism spectrum disorder
- ADHD
- Agoraphobia
Getting Your Colorado PSD Letter
Four steps, completed online from anywhere in Colorado.
Book your visit
Choose a same-day or future appointment online, any day of the week.
Tell us what you need
A secure intake covers your symptoms, history and the tasks your dog performs or is learning.
Live evaluation
A clinician licensed in Colorado meets with you by video. Colorado expects a real, informed clinical assessment, and that is what you get.
Signed letter by email
If a psychiatric service dog is clinically appropriate, your letter arrives as a signed PDF. If not, you are not charged.
Colorado PSD Letter Pricing
Simple, transparent pricing. You only pay after a licensed clinician approves your letter.
PSD Letter
For psychiatric service dogs · up to 2 dogs
- Covers up to 2 psychiatric service dogs
- Evaluation by a licensed clinician
- Signed letter with verifiable license details
- Valid for housing & reasonable accommodation requests
PSD Letter · Up to 3 Dogs
For psychiatric service dogs · up to 3 dogs
- Covers up to 3 psychiatric service dogs
- Evaluation by a licensed clinician
- Signed letter with verifiable license details
- Valid for housing & reasonable accommodation requests
Public access under the ADA and Colorado law depends on your dog's individual task training, not on the letter itself.
How Healify Evaluates Colorado PSD Requests
Responsible documentation protects you and every legitimate service dog handler.
A live clinician, every time
No instant or auto-approved letters. A licensed professional reviews your history and speaks with you before any decision is made.
Licensed for Colorado
Your letter is signed by a clinician licensed in Colorado, with license details a landlord or employer can verify.
Honest outcomes
If a psychiatric service dog isn't clinically appropriate, we tell you and you pay nothing.
Private by design
HIPAA-secure visits. Your diagnosis is never printed on the letter.
Meet Our Clinical Team
Every evaluation is completed by a real, licensed clinician — never an automated form. Our team brings years of psychotherapy and medical experience to animal-assisted mental health care.
Amelia Skaggs
Licensed Clinical Social WorkerLCSW licensed in 30+ states with extensive psychotherapy experience. Pet owner and advocate for animal-assisted mental health treatment.
Steven Salas
Licensed Independent Clinical Social WorkerLicensed therapist with 13 years of healthcare experience serving individuals, couples, and families with flexible, goal-focused care.
Andrew Patel, MD
Family Medicine PhysicianBoard-certified family medicine physician with experience providing evidence-based, patient-focused care across inpatient, urgent care, outpatient, and telemedicine settings.
Where Your PSD Can Go in Colorado
Colorado law covers public transportation and any place open to the public. That includes RTD buses, light rail and the A Line to Denver International Airport, Mountain Metro in Colorado Springs, Transfort in Fort Collins and Bustang between cities. Restaurants, breweries, hotels, stadiums and ski-town shops are all covered.
A business may ask you to remove your dog only if it is out of control and you don't correct it, or it is not housebroken. You are liable for any damage your dog causes.
Flying from DEN, COS and GJT
Airlines must carry trained service dogs in the cabin. Most require the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form before departure.
RTD, Mountain Metro & Bustang
Buses, light rail and commuter rail across the Front Range.
DEN, COS & GJT
In-cabin travel with the DOT form.
CU, CSU, DU & Metro State
Housing requests through campus disability services.
Rentals
Assistance animals in housing under CADA, with no pet rent for service dogs.
If You Are Refused Access in Colorado
Record the date, place, names and what was said. Then act quickly, because some deadlines are short.
Colorado Civil Rights Division
Investigates discrimination in public accommodations, housing and employment. Public accommodation complaints have a short filing window, so file as soon as possible.
Sue for the statutory fine
Under C.R.S. § 24-34-802 you can seek actual damages or a $3,500 fine per violation, plus attorney fees and costs.
Report harm to your dog
Harming or interfering with a service animal is a class 2 misdemeanor. Call local police and keep veterinary records.
PSD Letters Across Colorado
Telehealth visits for every Colorado county, from the Front Range to the Western Slope.
- Denver
- Colorado Springs
- Aurora
- Fort Collins
- Lakewood
- Thornton
- Arvada
- Westminster
- Pueblo
- Greeley
- Centennial
- Boulder
- Longmont
- Loveland
- Castle Rock
- Broomfield
- Grand Junction
- Commerce City
- Parker
- Littleton
- Durango
- Steamboat Springs
- Aspen
- Vail
Colorado PSD Letter FAQs
Are service dogs in training protected in Colorado?
Yes. C.R.S. § 24-34-803 gives trainers, and people with disabilities accompanied by a dog in training, the same access rights as fully trained service dog handlers, with no added fees.
What can I recover if a Colorado business denies my service dog?
You can sue for actual damages or a statutory fine of $3,500 per violation, plus attorney fees and costs. Small businesses that fix a violation within 30 days may get the fine reduced by half.
Can my Colorado employer make my service dog stay home?
Colorado law requires employers to let an employee with a disability keep a service animal with them at all times at work, unless the accommodation would cause undue hardship.
What changed with HB26-1045?
HB26-1045, effective August 12, 2026, defines both service animals and emotional support animals as assistance animals in Colorado housing law and presumes that allowing one is a reasonable accommodation, even though federal HUD enforcement narrowed in 2026.
Is faking a service dog illegal in Colorado?
Yes. Under C.R.S. § 18-13-107.7, knowingly misrepresenting an animal as a service animal after being warned that it is illegal is a class 2 petty offense, with fines from $25 for a first offense up to $500 for repeat offenses.
Do I have to pay a dog license fee for my service dog in Colorado?
No. A service animal owned by a person with a disability is exempt from state and local licensing fees that would otherwise apply to a similar animal.
Can I bring my PSD on RTD light rail and to Denver International Airport?
Yes. Public transportation and airports are covered by the ADA and Colorado law. Keep your dog leashed or harnessed and under control.
Is an online PSD letter valid in Colorado?
Yes, when it comes from a clinician licensed in Colorado who is familiar with your condition after a real evaluation. Instant letters and online registries are not reliable documentation.
Sources for Colorado PSD Laws
Every legal statement on this page is checked against the primary sources below.
- C.R.S. § 24-34-803 — Rights of individuals with service animalsColorado Revised Statutes
- C.R.S. § 24-34-804 — Service animals; violations and penaltiesColorado Revised Statutes
- C.R.S. § 24-34-802 — Civil remedies and the $3,500 statutory fineColorado Revised Statutes
- HB16-1426 — Assistance animal findings and misrepresentation offensesColorado General Assembly via LegiScan
- HB26-1045 — Disabilities Housing ProtectionsColorado General Assembly
- Disability Law Colorado — Requirements for Service and Assistance AnimalsDisability Law Colorado
- ADA.gov — Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADAU.S. Department of Justice
- U.S. DOT — Service Animals on flightsU.S. Department of Transportation
Medically reviewed by Amelia Skaggs, LCSW · Last updated November 6, 2026 · Next scheduled review: May 2027
Get Your Colorado Psychiatric Service Dog Letter Online
Talk with a licensed clinician today. Private, secure, and you pay only if you are approved.
This page is for educational purposes and is not legal advice. Laws change; consult an attorney about your situation. A PSD letter does not make an untrained dog a service dog. Letters are issued only at the discretion of licensed clinicians after a clinical evaluation.