The Truth About Service Dog Certification and Registration
The Truth About Service Dog Certification and Registration
The Truth About Service Dog Certification & Registration
When people search for “service dog certification” or “service dog registration,” they often believe paperwork makes a dog a service dog. But that’s not true. What makes a dog a service dog is training—not a certificate or a registration.
🦮 What the Law Actually Says
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), there is no official requirement for service dogs to be certified or registered. The law defines a service dog as one specifically trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability.
✅ No paperwork is required.
✅ No professional program is required.
✅ What is required: Proper training—usually at least 220 hours.
Unfortunately, many people still pay for fake “certification” or “registration” documents online. These do not make a dog a service dog and offer no legal protection. In fact, in 48 states, it is illegal to falsely claim a dog is a service animal.
🐕🦺 What Really Matters: Training
Service dogs must be trained to:
Perform specific disability-related tasks
Remain calm and focused in public
Ignore distractions like food, people, or noise
Help with daily tasks—not just offer comfort
💙 Meet MobilityDog
MobilityDog is a nonprofit committed to training highly skilled mobility service dogs and empowering individuals with disabilities to gain more independence and confidence.
Our process includes:
Careful selection of breeds with the right temperament and physical traits
Early socialization and obedience training
Mastery of commands like sit, stay, heel, and recall
Public access behavior training
Advanced mobility tasks, including:
Retrieving dropped items
Carrying objects for people using walkers or canes
Operating light switches, elevator buttons, and door handles
We start training from puppyhood and support both handlers and trainers through every step of the journey. Service Dogs are trained; there is no certification and no registry for service dogs. Buying a certification, registration, or having a doctor’s note DOES NOT MAKE your dog a service dog! Training and consistency throughout a service dog's working life make it a real service dog.
REMEMBER: The fake certifications and registrations serve no purpose. They do not provide any additional legal protections beyond what the ADA already guarantees. The key factor remains the dog’s training to perform specific tasks that assist its handler’s disability.
We are often asked, “Is service dog registration legit?” and the answer is “No—they are not.”
It is also against federal law to ask for documentation for service dogs.
Despite the popularity of certification services, there is no such thing under ADA, DOJ, DOT, FAA Laws. For those relying on service animals, training—not paperwork—is what truly matters.
💬 Want to Learn More?
📧 Email us at info@mobilitydog.org
💻 Join a Zoom info session!
🎉 Or come meet us in person:
MobilityDog Presents: A.R.F.! Accessibility Resource Fair
📍Pasadena City HallSaturday, May 3, 2025 | 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM | 🆓 Free Event for ALL!
Join us for a day of fun, education, and community connection—see real service dogs in action and learn how we’re helping people stand tall, one paw at a time. 🐾
