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Home Real Estate Documents Rental Application

Free Rental Application

Use our Rental/Lease Application to screen tenants before renting your property.

Updated April 24, 2022 | Legally reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.

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.

IMPORTANT

Check out our Commercial Lease Application if you are looking to screen applicants for a commercial rental property.

Table of Contents
  • What is a Rental Application?
  • How to Approve or Decline a Rental Application
  • What is the Next Step After Approving a Rental Application?
  • Sample Rental Application
  • How to Write a Rental Application
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Rental Application Forms by State

  • California
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Texas

Supplemental Forms

You can further support your lease application with the following forms:

  • Pet Addendum
  • Smoking Lease Addendum
  • Residential Rental Inspection Checklist

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.

TIP

Remember to send rental application denial letters to other pending applicants.

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:

  • Rent Receipt
  • Late Rent Notice
  • Notice to Vacate
  • Eviction Notice Form
  • Early Lease Termination Letter

Sample Rental Application

Below, you can find what a residential rental application typically looks like:

Rental Application

rental application
DOWNLOAD PDF
DOWNLOAD WORD DOC

You 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.

IMPORTANT

There may be times when there are multiple co-applicants for the same apartment, home, or room. The landlord should require a separate rental application from each prospective tenant in these scenarios.

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.

basic rental applicationApartment 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.

apartment rental application

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.

house rental applicationRoom 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.

room rental application

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

rental application property information

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.

rental application applicant information

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

rental application tenant residence history

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.

rental application tenant employment history

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

TIP

If you plan to run a rental credit check, consider that charging a credit application fee to cover the credit report’s cost is standard.

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)
Colorado None CO Rev. Stat. § 38-12-903
Connecticut None
Delaware Fee cannot exceed the greater of $50.00 or 10% of the monthly rent 25 DE Code § 5514(d)
District of Columbia None
Florida None
Georgia None
Hawaii None
Idaho None
Illinois None
Indiana None
Iowa None
Kansas None
Kentucky None
Louisiana None
Maine None
Maryland $25.00. Landlord must return any fees exceeding $25.00 within 15 days following date of occupancy or receipt of written communication that no tenancy will occur MD Real Prop. Code § 8-213(b)(1)(i)
Massachusetts Not allowed. Landlord may not collect rental application fee from applicants MA Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 15B(1)(b)
Michigan None
Minnesota None, provided the fee is reasonable and used to perform tenant screening/background check on the applicant for an available rental unit MN Stat. § 504B.173
Mississippi None
Missouri None
Montana None
Nebraska None
Nevada None
New Hampshire None
New Jersey None
New Mexico None
New York Fee must be the lesser of $20.00 or actual cost of conducting background and credit check NY Real Prop. Laws § 238-A
North Carolina None
North Dakota None
Ohio None
Oklahoma None
Oregon None, provided the fee is not greater than the average actual cost of screening applicants OR Rev. Stat. § 90.295
Pennsylvania None
Rhode Island None
South Carolina None
South Dakota None
Tennessee None
Texas None
Utah None
Vermont Not allowed. Application fee for residential property is prohibited 9 VT Stat. § 4456a
Virginia $50.00, which excludes any actual out-of-pocket expenses for background screening VA Code § 55.1-1203(C)
Washington None, provided the fee consists of only the actual costs incurred in obtaining the tenant screening report WA Rev. Code § 59.18.257(1)(b)
West Virginia None
Wisconsin Landlord cannot require more than $25.00 to obtain a consumer credit report WI Stat. § 704.085
Wyoming None

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.

rental application tenant credit history

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

rental application tenant references

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

TIP

Given the overlap in information, you may choose to use a rental application that incorporates a background check instead of asking the tenant to fill out two forms.

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
Indiana Iowa Kansas
Kentucky Louisiana Maine
Maryland Massachusetts Michigan
Minnesota Mississippi Missouri
Montana Nebraska Nevada
New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico
New York North Carolina North Dakota
Ohio Oklahoma Oregon
Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina
South Dakota Tennessee Texas
Utah Vermont Virginia
Washington West Virginia Wisconsin
Wyoming

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

rental application tenant screening questions

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. 

IMPORTANT

Landlords in all states must adhere to the Federal Fair Housing Act as well as their state and local fair housing laws when screening potential 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

State Fair Housing Laws
Federal Federal Fair Housing Act - 45 USC §§ 3601 - 3619
Alabama Alabama Fair Housing Law - Alabama Code §§ 24-8-1 - 24-8-15
Alaska Alaska Human Rights - Alaska Stat. §§ 18.80.200 - 18.80.295
Arizona Arizona Fair Housing Law - Arizona Admin. Code, Title 10, Chapter 2, Article 1
Arkansas Arkansas Fair Housing Act - Arkansas Code §§ 16-123-201 - 16-123-210
California California Fair Employment and Housing Act - California Govt. Code §§ 12955 - 12957
Colorado Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act - Colorado Rev. Stat. §§ 24-34-501 - 24-34-509
Connecticute Connecticut Fair Housing Law - Connecticut Gen. Stat. § 46a-64c
Delaware Delaware Fair Housing Act - 6 Delaware Code §§ 4600 - 4620
District of Columbia District of Columbia Human Rights Act - District of Columbia Code § 2-1402.21
Florida Florida Fair Housing Act - Florida Stat. §§ 760.20 - 760.37
Georgia Georgia Fair Housing Act - Georgia Code §§ 8-3-200 - 8-3-223
Hawaii Hawaii Fair Housing Act - Hawaii Rev. Stat. §§ 515-1 to 515-20
Idaho Idaho Fair Housing Act - Idaho Stat. Title 67, Chapter 59
Illinois Illinois Human Rights Act - 775 Illinois Comp. Stat. §§ 5/1-101 - 5/10-104
Indiana Indiana Fair Housing Act - Indiana Code §§ 22-9.5-1-1 to 22-9.5-11-3
Iowa Iowa Civil Rights Act - Iowa Code Title VI, Chapter 216
Kansas Kansas Acts Against Discrimination - Kansas Stat. Chapter 44, Article 10
Kentucky Kentucky Fair Housing Act - Kentucky Rev. Stat. Chapter 344
Louisiana Louisiana Equal Housing Opportunity Act - Louisiana Rev. Stat. §§ 51:2601 - 51:2614
Maine Maine Fair Housing Act - 5 Maine Rev. Stat. §§ 4581 - 4583
Maryland Maryland Fair Housing Act - Maryland State Gov. Code §§ 20-701 - 20-710
Massachusetts Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant [Unfair and Deceptive Acts] - 940 Code Mass. Regs. 3.17
Michigan Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act - Michigan Comp. Laws §§ 37.2101 - 37.2804
Minnesota Minnesota Human Rights Act - Minnesota Stat. Chapter 363A
Mississippi Federal Fair Housing Act - 45 USC §§ 3601 - 3619
Missouri Missouri Human Rights Act - Missouri Revised Statutes § 213.040
Montana Montana Human Rights Act - Montana Code § 49-2-305
Nebraska Nebraska Fair Housing Act - Nebraska Rev. Stat. §§ 20-301 - 20-344
Nevada Nevada Fair Housing Law - Nevada Rev. Stat. §§ 118.010 - 118.120
New Hampshire New Hampshire Fair Housing - New Hampshire Rev. Stat. § 354-A:8
New Jersey New Jersey Law Against Discrimination - New Jersey Stat. Ann. §§ 10:5-1 et seq.
New Mexico New Mexico Human Rights Act - New Mexico Stat. §§ 28-1-7 - 28-1-14
New York New York State Human Rights Law - New York Executive Law §§ 296
North Carolina North Carolina State Fair Housing Act, NC Gen. Stat. §§ 41A-1 - 41A-10
North Dakota North Dakota Housing Discrimination Act - North Dakota Century Code §§ 14-02.5-01 et seq.
Ohio Ohio Fair Housing Laws - Ohio Rev. Code § 4112.02
Oklahoma Oklahoma Fair Housing Laws - 25 Oklahoma Stat. §§ 25-1451 - 25-1508
Oregon Oregon Equality Act - Oregon Rev. Stat. §§ 659A.001 et seq.
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Human Relations Act - 43 Pennsylvania Stat. §§ 951 - 963
Rhode Island Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act - Rhode Island Gen. Laws §§ 34-37-1 - 34-37-11
South Carolina South Carolina Fair Housing Law - South Carolina Code §§ 31-21-10 - 31-21-150
South Dakota South Dakota Fair Housing Law - South Dakota Codified Laws § 20-13-20
Tennessee Tennessee Human Rights Act - Tennessee Code §§ 4-21-601 - 4-21-607
Texas Texas Fair Housing Act - Texas Prop. Code §§ 301.001 - 301.171
Utah Utah Fair Housing Act - Utah Code §§ 57-21-1 - 57-21-14
Vermont Vermont Unfair Housing Practices - 9 Vermont Stat. Ann. § 4503
Virginia Virginia Fair Housing Law - Code of Virginia §§ 36-96.1 - 36-96.23
Washington Washington Law Against Discrimination - Rev. Code of Washington, ch. 49.60
West Virginia West Virginia Fair Housing Act - West Virginia Code §§ 5-11A-1 - 5-11A-20
Wisconsin Wisconsin Open Housing Law - Wisconsin Stat. §§ 106.50 - 106.58
Wyoming Wyoming Fair Housing Act - Wyoming Stat. §§ 40-26-101 - 40-26-145

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.

IMPORTANT

If the applicant provides false or incomplete information, you may reject the application by sending a Rental Application Denial Letter.

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.

Related Landlords Documents

  • Land Lease Agreement: A Ground Lease is an agreement between the owner of vacant land or property and an individual or entity who wants to develop or improve the property.
  • Lease/Rental Agreement: A lease agreement is a written document that officially recognizes a legally binding relationship between two parties -- a landlord and a tenant.
  • Short-Term Rental Agreement: Thinking of renting your property to holiday-makers or short-term visitors? Here's how you can create a vacation rental short-term lease agreement.
  • Sublease Agreement: A Sublease Agreement is an agreement between the original tenant who is currently leasing the premises and the new tenant who will be moving into the premises.
Rental Application Sample Preview PDF

Free Rental Application Form

Create Your Rental Application in Minutes!

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