Rental application form: what to ask every applicant
By the BizDocs Studio team · Updated
- •One application per adult: identity, current and previous addresses, landlord references, employment and income, occupants, pets, vehicles and background questions.
- •Include a signed authorization for credit, criminal and eviction checks, and the screening fee terms.
- •Apply the same written criteria to every applicant and keep fair-housing wording on the form.
- •Check your state's application-fee cap and adverse-action notice rules.
The application is the first piece of evidence in any tenancy. A complete, consistent form makes screening faster and fairer, and it protects you if a decision is ever questioned.
Sections to include
- Property, desired move-in date, rent and term
- Applicant identity and contact details
- All occupants, pets (including assistance animals) and vehicles
- Residence history for the last three years with landlord contacts
- Employment and income, with documents to attach
- Background questions: evictions, broken leases, bankruptcy
- Emergency contact
- Authorization to screen, fee terms, signature
Questions to avoid
Do not ask about race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability, or anything that stands in for them (for example “Are you planning to have children?”). Many states and cities add protected classes such as source of income. Ask the same questions of everyone and decide on written criteria.
Screening criteria to write down first
| Criterion | Example |
|---|---|
| Income | Gross monthly income at least 3× rent (check local rules on vouchers) |
| Rental history | No evictions in the past 5 years; positive landlord reference |
| Credit | No open collections from a prior landlord |
| Occupancy | Within local occupancy standards |
Fourteen documents that take an independent landlord from application to deposit refund with a paper trail at every step.
After the application
If you deny or add conditions based on a consumer report, send an adverse-action notice with the reporting agency's details. Once approved, the next documents are the lease, the move-in inspection and a welcome letter. Our landlord pack includes the application with authorization and fair-housing text, the lease and the rest of the tenancy paperwork.
Verifying what applicants write
- Call the current and previous landlords; ask whether rent was paid on time and whether they would rent to the applicant again
- Confirm employment and income with documents or the employer
- Run credit, eviction and criminal checks through a screening service with the applicant's authorization
- Apply your written criteria the same way to every applicant
- Record the decision and the reason
Criminal history and local rules
Federal fair-housing guidance warns against blanket bans on applicants with any criminal record, and several states and cities restrict when and how criminal history can be considered. If you screen for it, use a written policy that looks at the nature and recency of offenses and follows local law.
Holding deposits
Some landlords take a holding deposit after approval to take the unit off the market. Put the terms in writing: amount, how long the unit is held, whether it is applied to the first month or deposit, and when it is refunded. Several states regulate holding deposits.
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge a rental application fee?
Usually, but some states cap it or require it to match actual screening costs, and a few ban it. Check your state and city.
Should every adult fill out an application?
Yes. Each adult who will live in the unit should apply and sign the lease, so each is screened and responsible.
What documents should applicants attach?
Photo ID and proof of income, such as recent pay stubs, bank statements or a tax return for the self-employed.
This guide is general information for US small businesses, not legal advice. Rules vary by state and city; have a local attorney review contracts and notices before use.
Fourteen documents that take an independent landlord from application to deposit refund with a paper trail at every step.