Rental Application
Build a ready-to-print rental application for your property that collects each applicant's rental history, income and references, along with their written consent to screening.
Includes 30 days of edits
- 5 to 20 minutes
- Print-ready PDF
What is a Rental Application?
A rental application is the form a landlord gives prospective tenants before signing a lease. It collects the information a landlord needs to compare applicants fairly: identity and contact details, where the applicant has lived, who they work for, how much they earn, who can vouch for them, and who else will live in the home.
Just as importantly, the application records the applicant's written permission for the landlord to check credit, rental history and other background information. Federal consumer reporting law expects a landlord to have a permissible purpose for pulling a report, and a signed authorization is the cleanest way to document consent.
This tool lets a landlord set the property details, application fee, screening checks and house policies once, then produces a clean blank form to hand or email to every applicant. Using the same form and criteria for everyone helps keep screening consistent and in line with fair housing rules.
When to use it
- You have a vacancy and want every interested applicant to provide the same information.
- You plan to run credit, eviction or background checks and need the applicant's written authorization.
- You charge an application fee or take a holding deposit and want the terms written down.
- You want to compare several applicants side by side using consistent criteria.
- You are replacing an outdated application that no longer matches your screening process.
What is included
- Property, rent, deposit and availability details
- Applicant identity and contact information
- Residence history with prior landlord contacts
- Employment and other income
- Personal references and emergency contact
- Other occupants, pets and vehicles
- Rental history and background questions
- Application fee and holding deposit terms
- Fair housing statement and screening criteria
- Applicant certification and authorization to screen
How to make your Rental Application
Answer the questions
Tell us about the parties and the terms you want. Most documents take about 5 to 20 minutes.
Review the preview
Check the draft as you go and change any answer. The document updates instantly.
Download, sign and keep a copy
Download a print-ready PDF, sign it with the other parties, and give everyone a copy.
Frequently asked questions
What information can a landlord ask for on a rental application?
Landlords typically ask for identity and contact details, residence history, employment and income, references, other occupants, pets and vehicles. Questions must not be used to screen out applicants based on characteristics protected by fair housing laws, and some states and cities restrict questions about criminal history, eviction records or the source of an applicant's income.
Can a landlord charge an application fee?
In many states, yes, but the rules differ. Some states cap the fee or limit it to the landlord's actual screening costs, some require a receipt or a refund if screening is not done, and a few prohibit application fees entirely. Check your state and local rules before setting a fee.
Does the applicant need to authorize a credit or background check?
Landlords generally need a permissible purpose under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act to obtain a consumer report, and screening companies usually require written authorization from the applicant. This application includes a signed authorization covering the checks you select.
What must a landlord do if an applicant is rejected based on a screening report?
Under federal law, a landlord who takes adverse action, such as denying an application or requiring a larger deposit, based in whole or in part on a consumer report must give the applicant an adverse action notice. The notice identifies the reporting company and explains the applicant's right to a free copy of the report and to dispute errors. Some states add their own notice requirements.
Should each adult fill out a separate application?
Usually, yes. Most landlords ask every adult who will live in the home, and any co-signer, to complete their own application so each person's history can be reviewed and each can authorize screening individually. This form notes that requirement.
What is a holding deposit?
A holding deposit is money an approved applicant pays to take the unit off the market while the lease is prepared. The terms should say whether it is applied to the first month's rent or security deposit and when it is refundable. Several states regulate holding deposits, so the application defers to state law.
How does fair housing law affect rental applications?
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status or disability, and many states and cities protect additional characteristics, such as source of income. Applying the same written criteria to every applicant is one of the best ways to show screening is fair.
Can I use this application for a co-signer or guarantor?
Yes. You can include a co-signer section that asks the applicant whether a guarantor will be provided. The guarantor should complete their own application and authorization, and the guaranty itself is normally signed as a separate document with the lease.
