A Rental Application is a document landlords use to screen prospective tenants. A well-written rental application helps property owners assess whether or not a tenant is trustworthy and responsible.
Rental Application Forms by State
What is a Rental Application?
Commonly known as a Lease Application, a rental application is the standard operating procedure before a tenant signs a Lease Agreement.
Along with obtaining a filled-out rental application form, landlords may charge a non-refundable rental application fee to cover the cost of a background and credit history check.
A rental application form is also known as a:
- Landlord rental application
- Tenant application
- Lease application
- Rental lease application
- Rental property application
- Application for a rental property
- Residential lease / residential rental application
When you put in the time to find a reliable renter by using a rental application form, you can save yourself from trouble later.
How to Approve or Decline a Rental Application
Once you have run your checks and chosen an applicant, inform your new tenant that you accepted the application by sending a Rental Application Approval Letter.
Selecting the wrong tenant to rent your property could lead to missed rent payments, damages, troublesome eviction processes, and legal issues.
Do your due diligence and protect yourself by asking prospective tenants to fill out a simple rental application.
Also, make sure you file the completed rental application forms in a secure location – especially if you have asked candidates to provide their Social Security numbers or other sensitive information.
What is the Next Step After Approving a Rental Application?
After approving a rental application, it is time to prepare the lease agreement for your new tenant.
When beginning this process, landlords should familiarize themselves with:
- Landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities (as governed by state)
- State rental laws
- Security deposit regulations
Additionally, be prepared with the following documents for use, or potential use, during the tenancy:
Sample Rental Application
Below, you can find what a residential rental application typically looks like:
Rental Application
rental applicationYou can use this free rental application as a:
- Free apartment rental application
- Free house rental application
- Free room rental application
Remember, though, it can be challenging for candidates to fill out their rental applications on site.
Consider using an online rental application so that applicants can collect all of the required information and submit the form at their leisure.
Rental Application Example
Below are several examples of types of rental applications for landlords. Review these examples below if you wonder what a tenant application looks like.
Depending on what kind of property you are renting, you may need to use a specific tenant application form.
These rental property forms are easily created in our Rental Application Builder.
Basic Rental Application Form
Below is an example of a basic rental application that you can use for any rental property.
In this simple rental application example, the tenant disclosed pertinent personal information as well as information about additional occupants.
Each additional rental application for the same unit should also request the applicant sign off on a credit and background check.
Note that there is space on the basic rental application to collect a tenant’s residence history and employment information, which you can use in tandem with an Employment Verification Letter or IRS Form 1040 to verify income.
Apartment Rental Application
The Apartment Rental Application Form sample below includes information that the prospective tenant provided.
When considering how to fill out an apartment rental application, remember the tenant details section contains all the required information for a landlord to consider the applicant for the rental of the apartment unit.
In this standard apartment rental application, the applicant has agreed to a $50 rental application fee.
House Rental Application
When evaluating potential tenants for a home property rental, there is much to consider. So, using a House Rental Application Form like the one below is helpful.
In our example, the landlord used a home rental application to collect relevant information about the potential tenant.
Room Rental Application
If you are planning to rent a room in your home, put effort into selecting the right person.
The landlord in our Room Rental Application Form example below used the application to help decide if the prospective tenant is reliable and trustworthy.
How to Write a Rental Application
A standard rental application addresses the following points:
Step 1 – Fill in Property Address Information
On the top of your rental application, include:
1. Date of Application
2. Property Address
Step 2 – Enter Basic Rental Applicant Information
Before anything else, your basic rental application form should ask the applicant to provide identifying information:
3. Name
4. Date of Birth
5. Social Security number
6. Phone number(s)
7. Email address
8. Driver’s license number
On a basic tenant rental application, the potential renter must also mention other proposed residents of the premises and their relationship with the applicant.
Step 3 – Collect Tenant Rental History
Reviewing applicants’ residence history gives you insight into what kind of tenants they may be.
Request the following information about potential tenants’ past residence(s):
9. Full address including city, state, and zip code
10. Dates of residency (i.e., when they moved in and moved out)
11. Rent price, due date, and payment conditions (e.g., paid in full, in cash, etc.)
12. Reasons for moving (including whether they were asked to move out)
13. Landlord/manager name and contact information
Get your tenant to fill out this information for previous addresses to cover as many years as you deem appropriate.
14. Prior evictions
15. Prior broken leases
Step 4 – Gather Tenant Employment History
Considering you will collect rent, you should make sure an applicant can reliably pay it. A rental application form is a great way to assess the applicant’s financial stability.
Make sure your rental/lease application form asks prospective tenants for the following information about their work history:
16. Current employer plus position at company
17. Company address and phone number
18. Name of supervisor
19. Duration of employment
20. Monthly pay
Collect this information for previous employers to cover as many years as you deem appropriate.
21. Have your applicant provide information about additional sources of income.
*Note – Applicants can provide recent pay stubs, W2 forms, employment offer letters, or even an employment verification letter as proof of income.
Step 5 – Enter Tenant Credit History
Some landlords require applicants to consent to a renters credit check to consider their application for a rental property.
Although a credit report from Equifax, Experian, or Trans Union is helpful, other credit references can supplement a rental property application.
The following information helps you adequately review an applicant’s credit history:
22. Bank account details and credit card statements
Additionally, you should request:
- Letters from former landlords confirming regular rent payments
- Institutions at which the applicant has accounts as well as their current balances
- Social Security number or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) (one of these is necessary to run a credit check)
- Consent to a credit check
Keep in mind that certain states limit or prohibit rental application fees (refer to the chart below).
Maximum Residential Rental Application Fees
| State | Maximum Rental Application Fee (as of publish date) | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | None | |
| Alaska | None | |
| Arizona | None | |
| Arkansas | None | |
| California | $52.46 | CA Civ. Code § 1950.6(b) |
Alternatively, you can hire a third-party company to request a credit check from your prospective tenant(s) and then charge the applicant directly for this service.
Using an outside credit application service addresses a tenant’s concern about providing sensitive information on your rental lease application, such as their Social Security number.
Step 6 – Get Tenant References
Your residential lease application should ask renters to include references, preferably past landlords or neighbors.
Applicants should also provide the following information:
23. Name of reference
24. Contact information
25. Relationship to applicant
Step 7 – Conduct Tenant Background Check
Many landlords ask applicants to consent to a background check in addition to filling out a residential rental application.
The information provided in a background check varies depending on the service provider but usually includes:
- Personal details
- Income statements
- Credit report(s)
- Criminal record report
- Eviction record report
- Fraud indicator report
- Employment history
- Public record check
- Rental history check
- National Sex Offender Registry check
Take these steps to run a background check:
a. Ensure the tenant has completed the application
b. Applicant and landlord sign application
c. Pull a credit report
d. Order a rental history report
e. Conduct verification of employment
f. Reach out to references including previous landlords
g. Check the National Sex Offender Registry
h. Check your state public website for sex offenders
Federal and State Sex Offender Registry Public Websites
| Federal | Alabama | Alaska |
| Arizona | Arkansas | California |
| Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware |
| District of Columbia | Florida | Georgia |
| Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois |
Step 8 – Consider Additional Rental Property Application Questions and Verifications
The rest of a good rental lease application includes questions about the property or tenant’s behavior.
Common questions that should appear on your rental property application include:
26. Other occupants in the property?
27. Vehicle information (including the make, model, year, color, mileage, and license plate number)?
28. Pets?
29. Smoking?
30. Other information
- Why is the applicant looking to move?
- Whether the applicant(s) smoke
- Estimated length of stay
- If the applicant(s) has filed for bankruptcy
- Eviction history
- Problems with past landlords/current landlord
- Any serious credit issues or criminal convictions?
- Is there a co-signer or a guarantor who will also be responsible for rent?
31. Emergency Contact
Some candidates for your rental property may include a cover letter with their application to stand out among your applications.
In this scenario and throughout the application process, keep in mind that some states impose restrictions on landlords who use an application for a rental property to screen tenants.
For example, on a California Rental Application, a landlord can ask about an applicant’s source and income level but cannot discriminate based on their source of income or specific other criteria.
Moreover, if an applicant fails to disclose complete or accurate information on a Texas Rental Application, the landlord has the right to reject the candidate.
Federal and State Fair Housing Laws
What Else is On a Rental Application Form?
Note that the candidate’s signature on the rental lease application acts as a certification they are telling the truth.
At the end of your rental application form include an authorization to run a credit and background check.
After gathering all of the necessary information, including a rental application fee, you and the applicant (and co-signer, if necessary) should sign and date the rental property application.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When should I use a tenant application form?
As a landlord, you benefit from using a tenant rental application form if you are:
- A first-time landlord concerned about finding a suitable tenant
- A veteran landlord with bad luck from previous renters
- In a popular location or building that will attract many renters
- Concerned about the financial resources of an applicant
- Screening for more serious tenants who are willing to move in soon
What is a credit reference on a rental application?
A credit reference on a rental application is a person, organization, or business that an applicant has had a financial relationship with.
Obtaining credit references should occur in tandem with running a rental application credit check.
The credit references on a rental application will likely provide valuable information about a prospective tenant’s payment habits.
Reviewing an applicant’s credit references gives great insight into the likelihood of a landlord receiving rent payments on time.
Examples of good credit references on a residential rental application include:
- Banks
- Utility companies
- Previous landlords
- Local businesses that offered a payment plan
- Medical and dental offices
What if I don’t use a residential rental application?
If you do not use a residential rental application to properly screen potential renters, you could cost yourself time and money.
After a potential renter fills out your tenant application, you should take the time to review it closely.
Always contact the applicant’s current and previous employers and landlords.
How long does a rental application take
Generally, approving a rental application takes 24 to 72 hours.
But, because many landlords want to check various personal and financial histories, and databases, this process could be longer.
Landlords should make every effort to streamline their rental application processes by using templated legal forms when possible and hiring third-party companies to run important checks.
Minimizing the time spent collecting and processing applicant data can lead to better initial experiences with tenants and more captured rental income.