Legal Templates

Free Oklahoma Rental Application

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

Updated January 31, 2023 | Legally reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.

Do you own property in Oklahoma? If you plan on renting your property to someone, you must screen your applicants thoroughly before offering a lease agreement.

An Oklahoma Rental Application template can make the process easier.

See some important information regarding Oklahoma landlord and tenant law below, and use our Oklahoma rental application template to screen your applicants. 

Table of Contents

Oklahoma Rental Application Information for Applicants and Tenants

According to the Oklahoma Landlord and Tenant Act, there are several important points applicants and renters need to know about the rental application process.

They include:

  • Application Fee: There is no limit to the application fee amount a landlord can charge for processing a rental application. Application fees are determined at the landlord’s sole discretion but should be reasonable to cover the costs of processing the application and conducting background checks.
  • Security Deposit: There is no limit to the amount of security deposit that a landlord can charge. The security deposit does need to be held in an escrow account maintained in a bank or institution that is federally insured. That way, there’s no risk of the landlord losing the security deposit.
  • Pet Deposit: Oklahoma laws permit landlords to charge a pet deposit. While there is no limit on the deposit amount, property owners must remember they cannot charge a deposit to renters with service assistance animals.

Federal and Oklahoma Fair Housing Laws 

Oklahoma property owners are required to follow the Federal Fair Housing Act and Oklahoma fair housing laws, which means that they cannot ask questions about:

  • The race, color, or national origin of the applicant
  • Whether they are married or have children (familial status)
  • What religion they follow
  • Their gender identity or sexual orientation
  • The age of the applicant
  • Whether they have a disability

Oklahoma Rental Application Information for Landlords

Landlords in Oklahoma need to be thorough when screening applicants.

For example, landlords might want to run:

  • A Credit Check: A credit check is important for ensuring an applicant can pay his or her rent on time. Under the Federal Credit Reporting Act, property owners are required to get the applicant’s consent. 
  • Eviction Check: An eviction check will go back seven years and see if an applicant has been evicted from prior residences. 

Background Check Authorization

Landlords should conduct a background check on their applicants to ensure they know their criminal history and whether they are on any registries.

We offer a background check authorization form you can use to obtain consent from the applicants to conduct a credit and criminal history search. 

  1. Navigate to the Oklahoma State Courts Network website
  2. Select the applicable County or Court or you can select “All Oklahoma Courts”
  3. Enter the applicant’s full name 
  4. Narrow the search by case type or select “All Case Types” 

If you decide not to offer an applicant a rental agreement based on the results of a background check or history of eviction search, send declined tenants a rental application rejection letter explaining the reasons.

Oklahoma Rental Application Statistics

According to information published by the Oklahoma state government, individuals with a disability suffer the highest discrimination rate of any other protected class.

Landlords are prohibited from asking certain questions on an application, so property owners must ensure they collect the information they need without violating the rights of their applicants. 

Other Resources for Landlords

How to Write a Rental Application

When you are writing your Oklahoma rental application, there are several steps you need to follow.

They include:

  • Always start by providing the address of your property
  • Collect basic identifying information from each applicant
  • Ask for permission to conduct the checks listed above
  • Ask for previous and current employment of each applicant
  • Get prior rental history along with a few references
  • Ask about smoking and pets if you feel this information is pertinent to your property

Sample Oklahoma Rental Application Form

Use our sample Oklahoma rental application form to ensure you do not overlook any important areas. 

oklahoma rental application