Plan the journey.
Check each permission separately.

1. Identify the setting and the rules

Start with the question you need answered: access to a public place, accommodation on a flight, admission to a training program, or entry into a country. Keep those decisions separate in the journey plan.

This guide concerns U.S. federal law. ADA Title II covers state and local government programs and services; Title III covers qualifying private businesses and organizations serving the public. Employment is a different context, primarily governed by Title I and overseen by the EEOC. Religious organizations are exempt from Title III, although other laws may apply.

The ADA’s definition includes physical or mental impairments that substantially limit major life activities. That standard is interpreted broadly, but not every condition meets it. A diagnosis or a wish to feel calmer does not, by itself, establish that a particular dog qualifies as a service animal. This guide cannot determine an individual’s eligibility.

The Fair Housing Act applies to many residential settings and can overlap with the ADA. Do not automatically transfer restaurant-entry rules to a rental home or workplace. Identify the setting and applicable law first.

Use the sections below to build a checklist, then check the current official instructions for the actual place and itinerary. This reference does not assess an individual’s disability, diagnose a condition, issue credentials or promise acceptance.

Official sources: DOJ legal framework.

2. What trained assistance can include

Under DOJ public-access rules, a service animal is a dog individually trained to perform disability-related work or tasks. Any breed or size can qualify. Psychiatric service dogs can meet this definition. Emotional support, companionship, or comfort alone does not establish the required trained task.

DOJ examples include retrieving an object for a wheelchair user, reminding someone to take medication, giving a trained warning of an approaching panic attack, or responding to a seizure to help keep someone safe. The distinction is the trained action addressing the person’s disability. These examples do not promise that every dog can reliably perform every task.

The regulations also describe guiding, alerting to sounds or allergens, retrieving a phone or medication, assisting balance, and interrupting disability-related impulsive or destructive behavior. The list is not exhaustive. Crime deterrence from a dog’s presence, or aggressive protection training, does not establish service-animal status.

Describe genuine work the dog has learned to perform. A useful description explains the trained action and the assistance it provides; it should never be invented to obtain access or avoid ordinary pet restrictions.

Official sources: DOJ overview · ADA Title III.

3. Owner-training, records and certificates

People with disabilities may train their own dogs; professional training is optional. The ADA does not grant public-access rights to dogs still in training; state or local laws may be broader. Vests and identifying tags are optional.

DOJ acknowledges that individuals and organizations sell online certificates and registrations. These confer no ADA rights and DOJ does not recognize them as service-animal proof. ADA access requires neither certification nor a special registry.

Ordinary local dog licensing, registration, and vaccination requirements still apply. A mandatory service-animal registry cannot be an access condition; voluntary programs are permitted. Breed alone does not justify exclusion.

A school’s completion record can document its own training. Before paying for any credential, ask who issues it, what assessment it records, and which specific authority or carrier recognizes it. Keep the answers separate from marketing claims about worldwide recognition.

Official sources: DOJ questions and answers.

4. Access to public places

When the dog’s function is not obvious, staff may ask whether it is needed because of a disability and which work or task it has been trained to perform. They may not demand a diagnosis, medical evidence, an identification card, training records or a demonstration. Fear or allergies alone are insufficient grounds for refusal; both people’s needs should be considered.

Service dogs generally accompany their handlers in restaurants, stores, hotels, schools, and hospitals despite no-pet policies. Limited exceptions can include operating rooms or burn units where the animal would compromise a sterile environment.

Miniature horses

The service-animal definition covers dogs. Individually trained miniature horses have a separate reasonable-modification provision. Assessment considers housebreaking, handler control, whether the facility accommodates the animal’s type, size, and weight, and legitimate safety requirements. This does not create a general access right for every animal species.

For a specific access problem, record the setting and what happened before choosing the appropriate official help channel. The DOJ complaint starting point distinguishes public access from employment, housing and aviation complaints.

Official sources: DOJ access requirements · DOJ overview · DOJ: File a Complaint.

5. Handler duties and lawful limits

In state and local government settings, the dog must be housebroken and the handler must keep it under control. A harness, leash, or tether is normally required. If disability prevents its use, or it interferes with safe, effective work, another effective method of control is necessary. The government entity need not provide care or supervision.

Access extends to areas open to relevant visitors or program participants. Service-animal surcharges are prohibited, even where pet fees apply. Actual damage may be charged under the same rules applied to others. A lawful exclusion of the animal must preserve the person’s opportunity to participate without it.

For covered private establishments, a dog may be removed if it is not housebroken, or is uncontrolled and the handler takes no effective action. Direct-threat decisions require an individualized, objective assessment; a fundamental alteration of the service can also justify limits. After a proper removal, the person must have an opportunity to obtain the service without the dog. Special surcharges are prohibited; ordinary damage charges may apply. Control, leash exceptions, and responsibility for care follow the same principles described above. Title III also excludes qualifying private clubs.

Hotels and restaurants

Therapy-animal labels alone do not establish service-animal status. An isolated bark does not automatically mean loss of control. Hotels cannot restrict guests with service dogs to pet-friendly rooms or charge for ordinary shed-hair cleanup. Dogs must not be left alone in hotel rooms. Restaurants need not seat or feed dogs at the table.

Official sources: ADA Title II · ADA Title III · DOJ questions and answers.

6. Understanding ADI accreditation

Assistance Dogs International (ADI) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its accreditation is for nonprofit assistance-dog organizations; individuals and for-profit businesses cannot become members. An initial accreditation assessment requires at least two years as an approved Candidate and at least ten placed assistance-dog teams.

Accreditation examines the program’s management, ethical treatment of clients, humane methods, canine health, facilities, screening and matching. Review includes advance records, observation and interviews during a multi-day visit. Members undergo reaccreditation every five years.

How a school progresses

Candidate status is a development stage, not completed accreditation. Published entry criteria include at least five assistance-dog teams that have worked successfully for a year under the program. Candidates may apply for assessment after two years in good standing and are expected to complete accreditation within five years.

The candidate application includes evidence of nonprofit status, financial and business material, client documentation, training records and references. These are organizational requirements, not a shopping list for an individual dog certificate.

After document review and on-site assessment, the assessor makes a recommendation to the Accreditation Review Committee, which decides the outcome.

There is a nonrefundable assessment fee, and the school pays the assessor’s hotel costs. Payment does not assure success: possible outcomes include more-document requests, time to address noncompliance, another visit or denial. Obtain the current fee structure directly from ADI.

A route for some owner-trained teams

ADI distinguishes an accredited organization from a certified dog-and-handler team. An owner-trained team must work with an accredited member for at least six months and meet the requirements applied to program-trained teams. Six months is a minimum participation period, not a guaranteed completion date or a client waiting-time estimate.

Use the official member directory to filter by country, assistance type and client group. Its owner-and-personal-dog filter identifies programs willing to consider that route. Treat that wording as an invitation to ask about eligibility, rather than a promise of admission.

Official sources: ADI: Can my program become accredited? · ADI: What is Accreditation? · ADI: Candidate Program · ADI: Candidate Application Process · ADI: Accreditation Process Description · ADI: Accreditation Frequently Asked Questions · ADI: ADI Terms & Definitions · ADI: Member Search.

7. Understanding IGDF membership

The International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) focuses on guide-dog organizations serving blind and partially sighted people. It accredits organizations, not individual dogs or professionals. A prospective client applies to a member school under that school’s own procedure.

IGDF itself is a registered charity in England and Wales, number 1062441. The Charity Commission describes its standards-setting and assessment role.

Do not assume ADI’s nonprofit-only membership rule also governs IGDF. IGDF’s membership form includes for-profit entities among its legal-status examples and asks about client charges and distribution of surplus. The federation’s own charity status does not establish that every member has the same legal structure.

What is assessed

The public 2026 standards summary, effective January 1, 2026, covers organizational management and continuity, staff education, client services, dog supply, training and behavior, health and welfare, and facilities. Client provisions include screening, matching, individualized instruction and lifetime follow-up or team support.

IGDF warns that a new organization can take years to meet its standards. Accredited members are reassessed every five years. The public summary is the appropriate open reference; the complete standards are access-restricted.

Full membership requires a legal entity, at least ten qualified guide-dog teams and successful assessment and approval. The training work extends beyond puppy raising to advanced preparation, matching and client instruction. Organizations pay application, assessment and annual membership fees; these are separate from a recipient’s costs.

Applicant, Enquiring and Affiliate organizations are not accredited Full Members. A developing school’s involvement in the network must not be described as completed accreditation.

Check the school in the official provider directory, including the separate category lists and notices of suspended, terminated or withdrawn membership. A logo on a school’s own website is not enough for this check.

Official sources: IGDF: Frequently Asked Questions · IGDF: International Guide Dog Federation — Charity Commission record · IGDF: Membership application form · IGDF: Summary of Standards 2026 · IGDF: IGDF Standards · IGDF: Becoming a Member · IGDF: Applicant, Affiliate and Enquiring Organisations · IGDF: Closest Guide Dog Providers.

8. Program admission, costs and usable evidence

ADI does not itself provide, train, register or certify individual dogs. Member programs vary in geography and services. Some consider an existing owner-and-dog team, but do not provide test-only certification without working through the program. Members set their own client charges, which can include applications, training, travel and related costs. Nonprofit status does not mean every placement or service is free.

For guide-dog applicants, IGDF describes an individual assessment of mobility and orientation skills, practical needs, and ability to work with and care for a dog. Residual vision does not automatically rule someone out. Many schools fundraise for placement and training; food, veterinary care and other ongoing costs can remain with the client. Ask the serving school for its actual terms.

Questions to ask a program

• What is your exact legal name and current directory status?
• Which assistance needs, client locations and dog profiles do you accept?
• Are applications open, and can you work with my existing dog?
• What are the separate waits for assessment, admission and matching?
• What training, team assessment and ongoing support are included?
• What are all mandatory costs, travel expenses and withdrawal or unsuccessful-completion terms?
• What record is issued, and which specific travel rule recognizes it?

A paid training program is not inherently improper. Be cautious about promises that a purchased card, registration or instant assessment will guarantee acceptance everywhere. Obtain the written terms and the actual recognition rule before committing.

ADI emphasizes that countries and airlines set their own access requirements; ADI does not decide whether an individual team may travel. Organizational accreditation can be relevant evidence, but is not a universal travel permission.

Official sources: ADI: Looking for an Assistance Dog · IGDF: Would a Guide Dog Help Me? · ADI: Travel and Public Access.

9. Flights covered by U.S. rules

The Air Carrier Access Act and 14 CFR Part 382 govern air travel. It generally covers U.S. carriers’ operations and foreign-carrier flights to or from the United States. Foreign connections are not automatically covered; check codeshares.

DOT treats psychiatric service dogs under the same task-training framework as other service dogs; an additional mental-health professional’s letter is not required for that category. Comfort from an animal’s presence does not establish task training. Emotional-support animals may travel under a carrier’s pet rules if accepted. A therapy label alone does not establish assistance to the passenger.

Other species and dogs still in training do not qualify under Part 382. Airline staff may ask about disability-related need and trained work, but not require disclosure of the disability’s nature or extent or a task demonstration.

For covered flights, DOT rejected a mandatory accredited-school training or assessment requirement and a compulsory certificate from a particular organization. Actual task training and suitable behavior still matter. Check other countries and onward flights separately.

Official sources: 14 CFR Part 382 · DOT rule FAQs · DOT final rule.

10. The two DOT forms and submission

Air Transportation Form

An airline may require the DOT form addressing the handler, the dog’s health, disability-task training and behavior. Do not send it to DOT. Airlines may collect it once per trip, including a round trip on one ticket; less-frequent collection is possible with permission to retain it. Additional service-animal documentation is restricted, with exceptions for applicable U.S. agency, territorial or foreign requirements.

A handler who trained the dog may enter their own trainer details. The handler signs and dates the form; a veterinarian’s signature is not required.

Official air-form download page. Use its current download or the airline’s accessible web alternative; DOT recommends Adobe Acrobat Reader if the fillable PDF does not work correctly in a browser.

Relief Attestation

An airline may request relief attestation for a flight segment scheduled for eight hours or longer. Do not combine flight and connection durations.

The relief form asks for the flight and dog details, an attestation that relief will not be needed or can occur without a sanitation problem, an explanation, and the handler’s signature and date. Complete it truthfully. The displayed OMB expiry, September 30, 2027, is the template’s approval date limit, not a personal permission to fly until then.

Official relief-form download page. The current posted forms were revised in September 2024; download again for a new trip rather than relying on an old saved template.

Notice and timing

For reservations made more than 48 hours before the itinerary’s first originally scheduled departure, an airline may require forms up to 48 hours ahead. For bookings made less than 48 hours ahead, forms may be supplied at the departure gate. If notice is missed, reasonable accommodation efforts are required without delaying the flight. Forms must be completed no earlier than ticket purchase.

Use the operating airline’s official submission channel, retain its response and carry an accessible copy. A submission receipt should not be treated as guaranteed boarding.

Official sources: DOT documentation notice · Current air form PDF · DOT air-form page · 14 CFR Part 382 · Current relief form PDF · DOT relief-form page.

11. Cabin arrangements and resolving problems

Airlines may limit a passenger to two service dogs and require a harness, leash or tether in their controlled airport areas and onboard. Service-dog travel alone cannot force an otherwise online-eligible passenger to check in in person. Breed alone is not a valid substitute for individual assessment.

The dog must fit safely on the passenger’s lap, where its size permits, or within the passenger’s foot space without taking another passenger’s space. If it cannot fit, the airline must offer a suitable available seat in the same class. When no safe cabin solution is available, the rule provides for offering free hold transport or a later flight, subject to safety and availability. These are alternatives, not a promise of a suitable space on the chosen departure. Covered service-animal transport has no ordinary pet fee; damage can be charged on the same basis as comparable passenger damage.

The airline must provide written refusal reasons at the airport or within ten calendar days.

An airline may refuse for a direct safety or health threat, serious disruption, applicable safety or health violations, or missing lawfully requested current forms. Assessments must be individual and objective; feasible mitigation matters. Ask for the airline’s Complaint Resolution Official (CRO), who may be available by phone. Document the flight, time and reason. For carriers operating aircraft with at least 19 passenger seats, send a written disability complaint within 45 days of the incident; a substantive written response to a timely complaint is required within 30 days of receipt. A DOT complaint should be made within six months.

Use the official DOT complaint route when appropriate.

Official sources: DOT rule summary · DOT final rule · DOT passenger rights · DOT complaint portal.

12. Entering or returning to the United States

CDC import requirements also apply to service dogs. Select the pathway using every country where the dog has been during the preceding six months and its vaccination history, rather than just the last departure airport. Across the pathways, the dog must appear healthy, be at least six months old and have a microchip readable by a universal scanner. An unvaccinated dog with recent high-risk-country history is not eligible for entry.

Check the current CDC high-risk country list; do not rely on an old itinerary’s classification.

A. Only rabies-free or low-risk countries in the past six months

The CDC requirement for this pathway is the CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Entry is possible through any airport, seaport or land crossing. A separate, free receipt is needed for each dog. It can cover repeated entries for six months from issuance, from the same departure country while the dog remains in the qualifying risk category. Reassess it if the departure country changes or the dog visits a high-risk country. CDC’s description of a single required form applies to this CDC pathway, not all airline, state or other entry paperwork.

B. High-risk-country history with qualifying U.S. vaccination

Carry the CDC receipt and a printed Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination. A USDA-accredited veterinarian completes the certification and USDA must endorse it before the dog leaves the United States. The microchip must precede the relevant vaccination. A routine vaccination record is not equivalent. The veterinary certification lasts for the qualifying vaccine’s validity; the receipt is for one entry on the stated date. A USDA export health certificate issued after July 31, 2025 cannot replace this certification. CDC describes a conditional exception for certain older certificates. Without qualifying evidence, the foreign-vaccinated pathway may apply.

C. High-risk-country history using the foreign-vaccinated pathway

Plan the CDC receipt, a printed Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip endorsed by an official government veterinarian, and an advance reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility (ACF). The microchip must precede the rabies vaccination. Arrive at the airport linked to that facility. The dog undergoes examination and U.S. rabies revaccination there; the importer pays the facility costs. A valid titer from a CDC-approved laboratory avoids the usual 28-day quarantine. Without it, reserve quarantine; any shortening requires the specific procedure and is not guaranteed. For an initial titer, blood collection must be at least 30 days after the first valid vaccination and at least 28 days before U.S. entry. The certification must be completed within 30 days before travel; provide English documents or a certified translation. Check the full veterinary sequence before buying tickets.

Use the current ACF directory to locate the appropriate facility and verify reservations directly.

For this air-arrival pathway, service-dog status does not remove the ACF requirement. Notify the airline and facility early to discuss transfer together with the handler and expedited handling where possible. These arrangements do not guarantee immediate release or remove missing-document or quarantine requirements. A limited sea-arrival exception must not be applied to a flight.

Official sources: CDC entry pathways · CDC country classifications · CDC low-risk pathway · CDC U.S.-vaccinated pathway · CDC foreign-vaccinated pathway · CDC facility directory · CDC service-dog FAQ.

13. Getting the CDC receipt

Complete a separate Dog Import Form for each dog, confirm the email address and obtain the receipt. Present it to the airline before boarding and to CBP on arrival, either printed or on a phone. The February 5, 2026 web-system update did not itself invalidate accurate, unexpired older receipts. Select the service-animal option only when the definition is met and the dog accompanies the person it is trained to assist.

Open the official CDC Dog Import Form.

Use the separate veterinary-document instructions for vaccination certifications. These are not the airline’s DOT forms.

Keep readable copies available throughout the trip. Send records through verified channels only and retain the airline’s and receiving facility’s instructions with the itinerary.

Official sources: CDC form instructions · Open CDC Dog Import Form · CDC veterinary documents.

14. U.S. domestic trips and departures abroad

For travel between states or territories, the receiving jurisdiction determines animal-health requirements. These can include veterinary certification, vaccinations, tests or treatments. Start with USDA’s destination guidance and the relevant state or territorial authority; a DOT airline form alone is not a universal domestic entry checklist.

For a U.S. departure abroad, the destination sets its own import conditions, potentially including health certification, vaccination, testing, treatment and USDA endorsement. Recheck requirements for every journey. Tell the veterinarian about any intermediate country where the dog will clear customs or leave the airport. Prepare any return-to-U.S. documents that must be completed before departure.

Use the appropriate destination guide as a planning aid and the official authority’s current instructions for the final document schedule.

Official sources: USDA interstate guidance · USDA export guidance.

15. Check the operating airline and the route

Build a flight-by-flight record of the operating carrier, its published assistance-dog criteria, the evidence requested and the submission method. Ask which training organizations or records are accepted on the actual route, including any onward segment. Save the answer and resolve ambiguous wording with the carrier before committing.

The following existing airline sections are navigation starting points. Their individual scope and review dates apply:

• WestJet: service-dog arrangements
• Brussels Airlines: service-dog arrangements
• Austrian Airlines: service-dog arrangements
• Aer Lingus: service-dog arrangements
• Find another operating airline

Keep unresolved differences visible in your checklist. If an airline’s page and a government rule appear inconsistent, request a route-specific explanation from the accessibility team rather than guessing which paperwork or proof will be accepted.

16. Prepare the practical journey file

• Dates, departure and destination cities, and every operating flight.
• The dog’s six-month country history, microchip record and vaccination documentation.
• The actual trained work and training-provider contact information, where requested by the relevant procedure.
• Current program status and any training records specifically recognized for the route.
• Cabin-fit arrangements, airline submission receipts and outstanding questions.
• Veterinary appointments, entry permissions and receiving-facility arrangements where applicable.
• A return plan and accessible offline copies of required documents.

This is an organizational checklist, not a new list of mandatory documents. Do not put a passenger’s diagnosis, medication list or medical history into a general travel enquiry. Provide only what is necessary to the verified recipient handling a specific procedure.

Discuss the journey with Pets Delivery Expert. Start with the route, dates and logistical questions; no diagnosis is needed in the initial enquiry.

Practical questions

Related reading: Airline guides · Destination guides · U.S. departure planning.

Official sources and scope

• DOJ: Service Animals
• DOJ: Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
• DOJ: ADA Requirements: Service Animals
• DOJ: ADA Title II Regulations
• DOJ: ADA Title III Regulations
• DOJ: Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act
• ADI: Can my program become accredited?
• ADI: What is Accreditation?
• ADI: Candidate Program
• ADI: Candidate Application Process
• ADI: Accreditation Process Description
• ADI: Accreditation Frequently Asked Questions
• ADI: ADI Terms & Definitions
• ADI: Member Search
• ADI: Looking for an Assistance Dog
• ADI: Travel and Public Access
• IGDF: Frequently Asked Questions
• IGDF: International Guide Dog Federation — Charity Commission record
• IGDF: Membership application form
• IGDF: Summary of Standards 2026
• IGDF: IGDF Standards
• IGDF: Becoming a Member
• IGDF: Applicant, Affiliate and Enquiring Organisations
• IGDF: Closest Guide Dog Providers
• IGDF: Would a Guide Dog Help Me?
• 14 CFR Part 382, official annual consolidation
• DOT Service Animal Final Rule FAQs
• DOT Service Animal Final Rule
• DOT Air Transportation Form, current official download
• DOT Air Transportation Form landing page
• DOT Relief Attestation Form, current official download
• DOT Relief Form landing page
• DOT 2024 information-collection notice
• DOT announces final rule
• Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights
• DOT File a Consumer Complaint
• Bringing a Dog into the U.S.
• Low-risk country entry requirements
• U.S.-vaccinated high-risk entry requirements
• Foreign-vaccinated high-risk entry requirements
• Dog importation FAQs
• CDC Dog Import Form and Instructions
• Official CDC Dog Import Form
• High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies
• CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities
• Documents for veterinarians
• Take a Pet From the U.S. to Another Country
• Take a Pet from One State or Territory to Another
• DOJ: File a Complaint

Sources checked October 15, 2026. The January 2025 annual aviation regulations were cross-checked against current eCFR service-animal sections, DOT guidance and current forms. The eCFR sections displayed currency dates from October 2–13, 2026. This is not an exhaustive legal audit; recheck the requirements for the actual journey.