ESA Letter Renewal vs New Evaluation: Which Do You Need?
A renewal is enough if the same provider reissues your letter with a current date and nothing material has changed. You need a new evaluation if you have moved to a different state, changed provider, added an animal, or your original letter came from a service that did not actually evaluate you.
ESA letters do not expire under federal law, but landlords increasingly want one dated within the last twelve months, and life changes can make an old letter unusable. Knowing whether you need a simple renewal or a full new evaluation saves money and avoids a rejected document.
Why letters need renewing at all
The Fair Housing Act sets no expiry on ESA documentation. In practice, HUD guidance allows a housing provider to ask for current documentation, and most property managers interpret that as a letter dated within the last year. A two-year-old letter is not invalid, but you should expect to be asked for a newer one.
Renewing annually also protects you: it confirms the provider still stands behind the assessment, and it keeps the verification path live.
When a renewal is enough
A renewal means the same provider reissues your letter with a current date after confirming nothing material has changed. It is appropriate when you are staying in the same state, keeping the same animal, and your provider is still licensed and available.
It is usually quicker and cheaper than a new evaluation because the provider already has your history. SignMyESA's annual plan, at $100 a year, covers reissues automatically and includes new landlords if you move within the same state.
When you need a new evaluation
You moved to a different state. Your letter needs to come from a provider licensed where you now live. A renewal from your old provider does not fix that; you need a new evaluation with an in-state professional. You changed providers. A new provider cannot renew someone else's letter. They have to evaluate you themselves. You added or replaced an animal. The letter names the animal. A new animal means a new letter, and the provider needs to consider whether the new animal serves the same function. Your original letter was not a real evaluation. If it came from a registry or an instant-letter site, there is nothing to renew. The provider on it may not exist or may not recall you. Start fresh with a legitimate evaluation. Your circumstances changed substantially. A significant change in your condition or your housing type is worth a fresh look, and some providers will insist on one.California is a special case
AB 468's 30-day rule applies to the client-provider relationship, not to each letter. A renewal from a provider you have already had a relationship with for over 30 days does not trigger a new wait. A new evaluation with a new provider does, so in California there is a strong reason to stay with your provider if you can.
What landlords accept
Most accept a renewed letter without question if it carries a current date and the same provider details. Some ask for a new letter when you renew a lease, which a renewal satisfies. A minority ask for annual re-evaluation; a renewal from the same provider generally satisfies that too, because the provider is confirming the assessment still holds.
What no landlord should accept is a letter that has been edited to change the date. That is fraud, and it is easily caught on verification.
How to decide quickly
Same state, same animal, same provider still active: renewal. Any of those changed: new evaluation. Original letter from a registry or instant service: new evaluation regardless. When in doubt, a legitimate provider will tell you which applies rather than sell you the more expensive option.
