U.S. SERVICE ANIMAL GUIDANCE
Understand the rules behind the record.
A private certificate is optional documentation. It is not a federal service-dog license. Use the official guidance for the setting you will visit.
United States
Three distinctions to know
- Tasks, not the card
- Under the ADA, a service dog is trained to perform work or tasks related to a person’s disability. Providing comfort through presence alone is different.
- Public-access documentation
- The ADA does not require a service-dog certificate or professional training program. An online registration or certificate does not itself confer ADA rights.
- Airline requirements
- Air travel follows U.S. Department of Transportation rules. Airlines may require the applicable DOT forms. Check with the airline before travel.
Read the official sources
These links provide the rules and explanations from the responsible federal agencies.
ADA service animal overview
Definition, tasks, and public-access basics.
ADA questions and answers
Certification, registration, and owner training.
U.S. Department of Transportation
Service animals and airline documentation.
Plan before you fly
Ask your airline about its forms, deadlines, and route requirements. Our certificate and card are not DOT forms and do not guarantee airline acceptance.