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Rental Application Fee Laws in Connecticut

Connecticut bans rental application processing fees but lets a landlord charge up to $50, adjusted each year for inflation, for a tenant screening report, and the landlord must give the applicant a copy of the report and the receipt.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Connecticut at a glance

Fee limit
$50 for a screening report, plus CPI adjustment
No other application processing fee is allowed. The Commissioner of Housing sets the yearly CPI adjustment.
Dollar cap
$50 base, CPI-adjusted
In effect since Oct. 1, 2023 (Public Act 23-207).
Refund required
No refund rule
The statute requires a copy of the report and the screening company's receipt, but no refund.
Portable screening report rule
Not addressed

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Connecticut

How much can a landlord charge for a rental application in Connecticut?

Fee limit in Connecticut: $50 for a screening report, plus CPI adjustment. No other application processing fee is allowed. The Commissioner of Housing sets the yearly CPI adjustment.

Is there a fixed dollar cap on rental application fees in Connecticut?

Dollar cap in Connecticut: $50 base, CPI-adjusted. In effect since Oct. 1, 2023 (Public Act 23-207).

Does a landlord in Connecticut have to refund an unused application fee?

No refund rule. Refund required in Connecticut: no refund rule. The statute requires a copy of the report and the screening company's receipt, but no refund.

Does Connecticut law address reusable (portable) tenant screening reports?

Not addressed. Portable screening report rule in Connecticut: not addressed.

Where do the Connecticut rental application fee laws come from?

The rules above come from Conn. Gen. Stat. 47a-4d. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Before collecting a fee, landlords can tell applicants in writing how much it is, what it pays for, and the screening criteria that will be used. Several statutes require some of this disclosure, and it also reduces disputes when an application is denied.

Keep a copy of the invoice or receipt from the screening company. Where the law ties the fee to actual cost or requires an itemized receipt, that record shows the fee was lawful.

Check local law as well as state law. In many states a city or county ordinance can set a lower limit or add refund and notice rules, and the stricter rule usually applies. A few states bar local rules on application fees.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.