When I started to seriously consider self-training a service dog, one of the first things I researched was service dogs and the law. I had questions, like:

• What are the legal requirements for a dog to be certified as a service animal?
• What is the test to become certified as a service dog and who administers it?
• What documentation will I need to provide as proof of my dog’s status as a service animal (you know, in case people like my landlord or an airline employee ever asked)?
• Where do I go to officially register my dog as a service animal, once he passes all of these tests?

The answers, it turned out, were mostly  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I eventually found the answers to my questions, but not all in one place and not in a really digestible form. Here’s the tl;dr version of what I learned during my research:

What are the legal requirements for a dog to be certified as a service animal? 

Technically, the dog has to be trained to perform a specific task that is necessary to treat a disability with which you have been diagnosed. That’s the broad answer. The specific, practical answer (the one that Type A, rule-abiding people like myself are seeking) is…none, really.

There isn’t a specific standard. There is not one test that must be passed or one license that must be obtained. This is why it’s so easy (and common) for people to take advantage of service animal protections.

What is the test to become certified as a service animal and who administers it? 

There isn’t one specific test and there isn’t one specific entity that administers it. My trainer uses the Assistance Dogs International public access test and it will be administered by the training company. Assuming Sidekick passes, he’ll receive a certificate from the company I’m using, but that’s mostly a formality. This is why it’s really important to research any trainer or training company you plan to work with if you’re self-training a service dog; because there’s no one legal standard, it’s very easy for people to take advantage of the system.

What documentation will I need to provide? 

None, technically. Under the ADA, there are only two questions that businesses can ask you when it comes to bringing your service dog with you in public:

1.) Is your dog required because of a disability?
2.) What specific, trained tasks does your dog perform?

That’s it. They can’t ask for a service dog license, mostly because there is no such thing, as one. There are plenty of companies on the internet who will happily sell you official-looking licenses, but these are scams. The websites range from fairly professional-looking to laughably-dated, but they all share one very important characteristic: They will “register” or “license” your pet as a service animal for a fee. Some let you register the animal for free (essentially adding its name to a meaningless list), but will charge for a fancy laminated card or embossed certificate.

Back to those questions:

When it comes to service dogs and the law, the most important thing to know are those two questions listed above, since they are legally the only things that businessowners can ask you. They can not ask what disability you have or for proof of your disability if it is invisible. They can’t demand documentation or turn you away from their facility because of your dog (if your dog misbehaves—barks, jumps on other patrons, eliminates indoors, etc.—they can ask that your dog leave, but you can’t be banned from the premises yourself, if you decide to come back without your dog to finish your business there).

What tasks qualify?

At this point, you might be thinking that just about any well-trained dog could qualify as a service animal—train him to do a specific task? Okay, he gets my newspaper. Done.

But that’s not quite how it works. The task the dog is trained to do must mitigate a disability and must be something that you specifically need a dog to do. For example, training a dog to bark every day at a certain time to remind you to take medicine wouldn’t be a valid task if setting an alarm on your phone could serve the same purpose for you. However, if you needed the dog to remind you because, for whatever reason your disability rendered other options ineffective, that would absolutely be a valid task. What your dog is trained to do is very personal and specific to your individual needs and something you’ll work out with your healthcare providers and any trainer you work with.