What is the Mrs. Murphy Exception to the Fair Housing Act?

Some landlords do not have to comply with federal emotional support animal rules.

The “Mrs. Murphy” exception exempts owner-occupied buildings with .

Where did it come from?

“Mrs. Murphy” refers to a hypothetical widower that lives on her property while renting out the other units.

• This exemption was intended to protect smaller landlords like her from the burdens of complying with the Fair Housing Act.

If this applies to you:

If you live in an owner-occupied building with up to 4 units, your landlord technically does not have to accommodate your emotional support animal under federal ESA guidelines.

• However, there may be state housing laws for ESAs they still need to follow.

No legal obligation ≠ no ESA allowed

Some landlords are still willing to work with tenants that need an emotional support animal and may accept an ESA letter voluntarily.

• If this housing situation applies to you, it can be helpful to have a conversation with the owner about your need for an ESA to see if they would be willing to accommodate your ESA as a courtesy.

Having an ESA is beneficial for your mental health, and in most cases, accepted by landlords — provided you have a legitimate ESA letter from a licensed health professional.

About the Author:
The ESA Doctors writing team has extensive experience relating to disability and housing laws, mental health, animal training, and pet health. Each article is fact checked and reviewed by multiple members of our team. Many of the writers have emotional support animals and speak from real life experiences.

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