Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a Service Dog or Service Animal?
- What is the difference between a Service Animal, support animal, helper animal, and an assistance animal?
- What species of animal can be a Service Animal?
- Must a Service Dog be certified?
- Does my Service Dog require professional training to be NSAR registered?
- Are Service Dogs/Animals required to wear special patches or equipment?
- What are my rights with regard to my Service Animal?
- What do I get when I sign up for registration?
- What are the benefits of registering my Service Dog?
- Can businesses refuse to honor my NSAR registration?
- Does the NSAR ID Card list my disability or personal information?
- Does NSAR require evidence of my disability to register a Service Dog/Animal?
- Can I email my application and photo?
- What kind of photo is needed?
- What forms of payment does NSAR accept?
- How long will it take to receive my order with normal processing?
- Do you have rush service? I'm in a hurry to register my dog.
- I live outside the U.S. can I still register my Service Dog/Animal?
- Will I ever need to renew my NSAR registration?
1. What is a Service Dog/Animal?
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a Service Dog or Service Animal means “any dog or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability."
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2. What is the difference between a Service Animal, support animal, helper animal, and an assistance animal?
They are the same, except for the terminology. The term Service Dog/Animal is the federal legal term and the most commonly used.
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3. What species of animal can be a Service Animal?
The American with Disabilities Act does not place any limitations on the species or breed of Service animal used by a disabled handler. Any trainable animal can be a Service Animal. The most common of course are dogs, cats, primates, and birds. Any animal that has been effectively trained to perform the tasks required to benefit a qualified disabled handler is considered to be a Service Animal.
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4. Must a service dog be certified or registered?
No. The ADA does not require certification for Service Animals, nor is there a government approved certification program.
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5. Does my Service Dog/Animal require professional training to be NSAR registered?
No. Although by definition, a Service Dog/Animal is trained to perform tasks assisting someone who is disabled, that training can be completed by anyone, anywhere. Training does not need to be facilitated by an expert or professional trainer. Many people have trained their own animals or have been assisted by friends and family, and there are numerous resources to help the home trainer. Most important is that the training enables the animal to 1) perform the tasks required to assist its disabled handler and 2) be well controlled in public.
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6. Are Service Dogs required to wear special patches or equipment?
The ADA does not require any special equipment, clothing, or patches to identify your animal as a Service Dog. The fact is, however, that collars, leashes, harnesses, backpacks, neck scarves, capes, vests, jackets and T-shirts that identify your dog as a Service Dog immediately alert the public that it is a Service Dog.
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7. What are my rights with regard to my Service Dog/Animal?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to bring their Service Dog/Animals into all areas of the facility where customers are normally allowed to go. This federal law applies to all businesses open to the public, including restaurants, hotels, taxis and shuttles, grocery and department stores, hospitals and medical offices, theaters, health clubs, parks, and zoos.
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8. What do I get when I sign up for registration?
With your registration and certification you will receive 1) a Personalized PVC ID Tag, 2) a Certificate of Registration, 3) two official NSAR Service Dog/Animal Patches, and 4) 25 service Dog information cards for your service dog. Additional patches and Service Animal products are also available. Click here to get a closer look.
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9. What are the benefits of NSAR registration?
The biggest benefit of registering your dog as a Service Dog is that the documentation, vest, and Service Dog patches we’ll send you make your disability and Service Dog visibly official. That means fewer businesses will question you, and you’ll have documented reinforcement for the ones that do. No more long, drawn out explanations, justifications, or denials.
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10. Can businesses refuse to honor my NSAR registration?
First of all, if your dog is Service Animal, businesses MUST allow both of you to enter. This is true even if you have no registration card, Service Dog patches, or any other identifying information. Having your NSAR ID Card and any other identifying patches, etc., will make entering a business question-free 99% of the time. You are responsible for the training and manners of your dog while in public, however, and if your dog is barking in a theater or restaurant or otherwise being disruptive, the owner of that establishment can legally ask you to either leave or to remove your dog from the business.
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11. Does the NSAR ID card list my disability or personal information?
No medical information or personal contact information is contained on the ID card. The photo ID identifies your Service Dog/Animal and contains the associated NSAR number for reference.
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12. Does NSAR require evidence of my disability to register a Service Dog/Animal?
All applicants must declare that they are disabled, based on the ADA & NSAR definitions and interpretations. We do not require disclosure of your specific disability for your application to be processed. And we will never voluntarily disclose or provide any of your private information to anyone.
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13. Can I email my application and photo?
Yes. The application process should actually be completed online and a photo of your animal can be sent either digitally or by mail. A digital image of your animal is necessary for the Service Animal ID Card.
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14. What kind of photo is needed?
We need one clear color photo of your Service Dog/Animal. We prefer digital or scanned images that predominantly show the animal’s head. These images can be uploaded to our site or you can email them to us as an attachment. We prefer large images so we can crop and enhance, as necessary. Large files typically make better ID pictures.
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15. What forms of payment does NSAR accept?
You can pay using your major credit card, PayPal, money order, or cashier check.
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16. How long will it take to receive my order with normal processing?
We make every attempt to offer a fast turnaround service. Processing times vary due to our workload, but on average, we process your application and send your order within 2-3 business days after it is received.
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17. Do you have rush service? I'm in a hurry.
We process and complete all orders within a couple of days typically, but do offer expedited shipping at an additional cost.
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18. I live outside the U.S. can I still register my Service Dog/Animal?
Yes. However, you will need to contact us for information on shipping fees to your country.
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19. Will I ever need to renew my NSAR registration?
Your NSAR registration is good for the life of your Service Dog/Animal, so no renewal is ever necessary for your Service Dog/Animal. If you get a new service dog or other Service Dog/Animal, you’ll need to order a new “registration kit” for the new animal.
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