Rental Application Form Template

Rental Application Form

1. 1. 1. Property Applied For

   This Rental Application is submitted to [LANDLORD OR PROPERTY MANAGER NAME], with a notice address at [LANDLORD ADDRESS], phone [LANDLORD PHONE], and email [LANDLORD EMAIL] (the "Landlord"), for the property located at [RENTAL PROPERTY ADDRESS, INCLUDING UNIT NUMBER]. Desired move-in date: [DESIRED MOVE-IN DATE]. Desired lease length: [DESIRED TERM]. Monthly rent: [MONTHLY RENT]. Security deposit: [SECURITY DEPOSIT]. Each adult who will occupy the property, and each person who will be responsible for rent, must complete a separate application. Submission of this application does not reserve the property or obligate the Landlord to offer a lease.

2. 2. 2. Applicant Information

   Full legal name: [FULL NAME]. Other names used: [OTHER NAMES]. Date of birth: [DATE OF BIRTH]. Social Security or ITIN number: [SSN OR ITIN, IF REQUIRED AND PERMITTED BY LAW]. Government-issued photo identification type and number: [ID TYPE AND NUMBER], issuing state or country: [ISSUING AUTHORITY], expiration: [ID EXPIRATION]. Phone: [PHONE]. Email: [EMAIL]. Current address: [CURRENT ADDRESS]. Emergency contact name, relationship, and phone: [EMERGENCY CONTACT DETAILS]. The Applicant will attach a copy of the photo identification listed above and understands that identity documents will be handled confidentially and retained only as long as needed for screening and tenancy records.

3. 3. 3. Residence History

   Current residence — address: [CURRENT ADDRESS], dates of occupancy from [FROM DATE] to [TO DATE], monthly rent or mortgage payment: [CURRENT PAYMENT], landlord or manager name: [CURRENT LANDLORD NAME], phone: [CURRENT LANDLORD PHONE], email: [CURRENT LANDLORD EMAIL], reason for leaving: [REASON FOR LEAVING]. Previous residence — address: [PREVIOUS ADDRESS], dates from [FROM DATE] to [TO DATE], monthly payment: [PREVIOUS PAYMENT], landlord name and phone: [PREVIOUS LANDLORD CONTACT], reason for leaving: [REASON FOR LEAVING]. Provide at least [YEARS OF HISTORY REQUIRED, e.g., 3] years of continuous residence history on an attached page if the space above is not sufficient. Has the Applicant ever been asked to move, had a lease terminated early, or had an eviction action filed against them? [YES OR NO], and if yes, explain: [EXPLANATION].

4. 4. 4. Employment and Income

   Current employer: [EMPLOYER NAME], position: [JOB TITLE], employed since: [EMPLOYMENT START DATE], supervisor or HR contact and phone: [EMPLOYER CONTACT]. Gross monthly income from employment: [GROSS MONTHLY INCOME]. Previous employer, if less than [PRIOR EMPLOYMENT THRESHOLD, e.g., 2] years at the current one: [PREVIOUS EMPLOYER, POSITION, AND DATES]. Additional income the Applicant wishes to have considered, including self-employment, retirement, disability, housing assistance or voucher, child support, alimony, or other sources: [ADDITIONAL INCOME SOURCE AND AMOUNT]. Disclosure of income from public assistance, a housing subsidy, alimony, or child support is voluntary and is requested only to be counted toward qualification. The Applicant will attach income verification such as [ACCEPTED INCOME DOCUMENTS, e.g., two recent pay stubs, an offer letter, the most recent tax return, or three months of bank statements]. Bank reference — institution: [BANK NAME], account type: [ACCOUNT TYPE].

5. 5. 5. Occupants, Pets, and Vehicles

   List every person who will live in the property, including children: [NAME, DATE OF BIRTH, AND RELATIONSHIP FOR EACH OCCUPANT]. Total number of occupants: [TOTAL OCCUPANTS]. Pets — type, breed, weight, age, and whether spayed or neutered for each: [PET DETAILS], and the Applicant understands that an approved assistance animal is not a pet and is handled as a reasonable accommodation request rather than through the pet policy. Vehicles — year, make, model, color, license plate, and state for each: [VEHICLE DETAILS]. Does the Applicant smoke or vape? [YES OR NO]. Does the Applicant intend to operate a business from the property, sublet, or list it on a short-term rental platform? [YES OR NO], and if yes, describe: [DESCRIPTION]. Any waterbed, aquarium over [AQUARIUM SIZE THRESHOLD], or item requiring special approval: [ITEMS].

6. 6. 6. References

   Personal reference 1 — name: [REFERENCE NAME], relationship: [RELATIONSHIP], phone: [PHONE], email: [EMAIL]. Personal reference 2 — name: [REFERENCE 2 NAME], relationship: [RELATIONSHIP], phone: [PHONE], email: [EMAIL]. The Applicant authorizes the Landlord to contact the references, employers, and current and prior landlords listed in this application to verify the information provided, and authorizes those parties to release the information requested. The Applicant may attach additional written references, a rental resume, or letters of recommendation. References may not be immediate family members unless the Landlord agrees.

7. 7. 7. Application Fee

   A non-refundable application fee of [APPLICATION FEE AMOUNT] per adult applicant is due with this application, payable by [PAYMENT METHOD], and covers the actual cost of obtaining the screening reports described in Section 8 plus reasonable administrative time. The fee is [REFUNDABLE OR NON-REFUNDABLE] and, where the law of the State of [GOVERNING STATE] requires it, any portion not used for actual screening costs will be refunded within [FEE REFUND PERIOD, e.g., 30 days], and the Landlord will provide an itemized receipt on request. The application fee is not a holding deposit and does not reserve the property. Any separate holding deposit of [HOLDING DEPOSIT AMOUNT] paid after approval is [APPLIED TO THE SECURITY DEPOSIT / REFUNDABLE ON THE FOLLOWING TERMS: HOLDING DEPOSIT TERMS]. The Landlord will not charge an application fee that exceeds the maximum permitted by applicable state or local law.

8. 8. 8. Authorization and Consent for Consumer Reports (FCRA)

   The Applicant authorizes the Landlord and any screening company acting on its behalf to obtain consumer reports and investigative consumer reports about the Applicant for the purpose of evaluating this rental application and, if a lease is signed, for account review, renewal, and collection purposes during the tenancy. These reports may include credit history and credit score, rental and eviction history, criminal record history where permitted by law, employment and income verification, and public records. The Applicant understands these are consumer reports under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. section 1681 and following, and that this signed authorization is the permissible purpose for obtaining them. If the Landlord takes adverse action based in whole or in part on information in a consumer report — including denial of the application, a requirement of a higher deposit, or a requirement of a co-signer — the Landlord will provide an adverse action notice identifying the consumer reporting agency, stating that the agency did not make the decision and cannot explain it, and informing the Applicant of the right to a free copy of the report within 60 days and the right to dispute its accuracy. Consumer reporting agency to be used: [SCREENING COMPANY NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION]. This authorization remains valid for [AUTHORIZATION VALIDITY PERIOD, e.g., 90 days] from the date signed and throughout any resulting tenancy unless revoked in writing.

9. 9. 9. Screening Criteria and Equal Housing

   The Landlord evaluates every application using the same written criteria, which are available on request and include: verifiable gross monthly income of at least [INCOME MULTIPLE, e.g., 3] times the monthly rent, a minimum credit score of [MINIMUM CREDIT SCORE] or an acceptable equivalent, no unpaid judgment or balance owed to a prior landlord, positive references from the [REFERENCE PERIOD, e.g., past two years] of rental history, and consideration of criminal history only as permitted by applicable law and only through an individualized assessment of the nature, seriousness, and recency of the conduct. The Landlord does business in accordance with the federal Fair Housing Act and all applicable state and local fair housing laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, including source of income where protected. Applications are processed in the order received, and the Landlord will notify the Applicant of the decision by [DECISION NOTIFICATION METHOD] within approximately [DECISION TIMEFRAME, e.g., 3 business days]. An applicant with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation in the application process or in the tenancy at any time by contacting [ACCOMMODATION CONTACT].

10. 10. 10. Applicant Certification

    The Applicant certifies that every statement in this application is true, complete, and accurate, and understands that a false or incomplete statement is grounds for rejecting the application or, if discovered later, for terminating any lease that results from it. The Applicant understands that this application is not a lease, that no tenancy is created unless and until a written lease is signed by both parties and any required deposit is paid, and that the Landlord may continue to accept and consider other applications until that happens. The Applicant agrees that the Landlord may retain this application and the screening results whether or not the application is approved, and will handle the information confidentially in accordance with applicable privacy law. If approved, the Applicant will execute the lease and pay the required deposit and first rent within [ACCEPTANCE PERIOD, e.g., 48 hours] of notice, or the approval may be withdrawn and the property offered to another applicant.

11. 11. 11. Signature

    By signing below, the Applicant confirms having read this application, including the consumer report authorization in Section 8, and consents to the screening described there. APPLICANT: Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [APPLICANT NAME]. Date: [DATE]. CO-APPLICANT (separate form required for each adult): Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [CO-APPLICANT NAME]. Date: [DATE]. Received by [LANDLORD OR AGENT NAME] on [DATE RECEIVED] at [TIME RECEIVED]. Application fee received: [AMOUNT AND METHOD]. Electronic signatures have the same effect as original signatures.

12. 12. Disclaimer

    This template is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Application fees are capped or prohibited in some states and cities, several jurisdictions restrict or ban questions about criminal history, credit history, or immigration status, and some require landlords to accept a reusable tenant screening report or to publish written screening criteria in advance. Federal fair housing law and the Fair Credit Reporting Act apply to every landlord, including small owners renting a single unit. Verify the rules for your jurisdiction and consult a licensed attorney before using this form. Use of this template does not create an attorney-client relationship with ScanContract.