Free Rental Application Form Template (with Screening Consent)
A rental application form collects what a landlord needs to decide on a tenant: identity, rental history, income, references and permission to run a credit and background check. This template asks only for what you need, includes a clear screening authorization, and avoids questions that create fair housing problems.
In 30 seconds
- Ask for identity, contact details, current and past addresses, employment and income, references, occupants and pets.
- Get a signed authorization before you order a credit or background check. Screening companies will ask for it.
- If you deny or change terms because of a report, the federal FCRA requires an adverse action notice.
- Never ask about race, religion, national origin, sex, disability or familial status, and check your state's limits on fees and criminal history questions.
What a rental application should include
- Applicant: full legal name, date of birth, phone, email and a government ID (you can ask for a photo of it).
- Rental history: current and previous addresses for two or three years, landlord contacts, rent paid and reason for leaving.
- Employment and income: employer, position, start date, monthly income and other income sources, with permission to verify.
- Occupants and pets: everyone who will live in the unit and any animals.
- References and emergency contact.
- Authorization: consent to check credit, eviction records and criminal history where allowed, and a statement that the information is true.
- Fee disclosure: how much the application fee is, what it pays for and whether it's refundable.
Use the same application and the same criteria for every applicant. Writing your criteria down (minimum income, credit, rental history) is the simplest fair housing protection you have.
Rental application form template
RENTAL APPLICATION
Property applied for: ______________________________ Unit: ______ Desired move-in date: ______________
Monthly rent: $ ____________ Application fee: $ ______ (non-refundable except as required by law; it covers the cost of screening)
1. APPLICANT
Full legal name: ______________________________ Other names used: ______________
Date of birth: ______________ Phone: ______________ Email: ______________________________
Government ID type and number: ______________________________ (a copy may be requested)
Social Security number (for credit check only): ______________ ☐ I don't have one; alternative ID: ______________
2. CURRENT ADDRESS
Address: ______________________________ From: ______ To: ______
☐ Rent ☐ Own ☐ Other Monthly payment: $ ______
Landlord / manager: ______________________________ Phone: ______________
Reason for leaving: ______________________________
3. PREVIOUS ADDRESS (last 3 years)
Address: ______________________________ From: ______ To: ______
Landlord / manager: ______________________________ Phone: ______________
Reason for leaving: ______________________________
4. EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME
Employer: ______________________________ Position: ______________ Since: ______________
Supervisor / HR contact: ______________________________ Phone: ______________
Gross monthly income: $ ____________
Other income (source and monthly amount): ______________________________
5. OCCUPANTS
Number of adults and number of minors who will live in the unit: ______________________________
Each additional adult must complete a separate application.
6. PETS AND VEHICLES
Pets (type, breed, weight): ______________________________ ☐ None. (Assistance animals are not pets; requests are handled separately.)
Vehicles (make, model, plate): ______________________________
7. HISTORY
Have you ever been evicted or asked to leave a rental? ☐ No ☐ Yes, explain: ______________
Have you ever broken a lease? ☐ No ☐ Yes, explain: ______________
Do you currently owe money to a landlord? ☐ No ☐ Yes, explain: ______________
8. REFERENCES AND EMERGENCY CONTACT
Personal reference: ______________________________ Phone: ______________
Emergency contact: ______________________________ Relationship: ______________ Phone: ______________
9. AUTHORIZATION FOR SCREENING
I authorize ______________________________ (landlord or manager) and its screening provider ______________________________ to obtain consumer reports about me, including credit reports, eviction and court records, and criminal history to the extent allowed by law, and to contact my current and previous landlords, employers and references to verify the information on this application. I understand that this authorization is for the purpose of evaluating my application to rent and that I may request the name and address of any consumer reporting agency used. If my application is denied or conditioned based on a report, I will receive a notice explaining my rights.
10. CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information on this application is true and complete. I understand that false or missing information may be grounds for denying my application or ending a lease. This application is not a lease, and submitting it does not guarantee approval or hold the unit unless agreed in writing.
Applicant name: ______________________________
Signature: ______________________________ Date: ______________
Equal housing opportunity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
Fill it in and sign it free⬇ Download as Word (.docx)Free, no account.
How to send the application and get it back signed
- Upload it. Add the property and fee, save it as a PDF and upload it to MultiDocs.
- Place the fields. Text fields for every answer, checkboxes for the yes/no questions, a signature and date, and "ask for a document" fields so the applicant can attach a photo of their ID and recent pay stubs.
- Send it. By email, text message, WhatsApp, or a link you post in your listing. Several applicants for the same unit? Bulk send gives each one their own copy.
- Get it back with the audit trail. You receive the completed, signed application and attachments with a certificate of when and from which device it was signed. Keep it secure: it contains sensitive personal data.
Credit checks, background checks and the FCRA
Tenant screening reports are "consumer reports" under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. The FCRA lets a landlord get one when there is a legitimate business need in connection with a transaction the applicant started, such as applying to rent (15 U.S.C. § 1681b). In practice, screening companies require the applicant's written authorization before running a report, and some states require it by law, so the authorization in section 9 is essential.
The FCRA duty you can't skip comes afterwards. If you reject an applicant, ask for a co-signer or a bigger deposit, or raise the rent because of information in a report, you must send an adverse action notice that names the screening company, says it didn't make the decision, and explains the applicant's right to a free copy of the report and to dispute errors (15 U.S.C. § 1681m). If a credit score was used, the notice must include it. If information from someone other than a screening company (such as a former landlord) led to the decision, tell the applicant they can ask in writing, within 60 days, what that information was. The FTC's guide for landlords explains exactly what it must say.
Also keep the reports secure and dispose of them properly. The FTC's Disposal Rule applies to anyone who uses consumer reports.
Fair housing and state notes
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability (42 U.S.C. § 3604). Don't ask about any of these, don't ask about pregnancy or plans to have children, and handle requests for assistance animals or other accommodations separately from the application.
States and cities add more. Common examples are limits on application fees, a ban on charging a fee without running a report, protections based on source of income (such as housing vouchers), and "fair chance" rules that limit when or whether you can ask about criminal history. Check your state and city rules before you use this form, and remove any question your local law doesn't allow.
This is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, ask a lawyer licensed in your state.
FAQs
Do I need the applicant's permission to run a credit check?
Screening companies require written authorization, and some states require it by law. The federal FCRA allows tenant screening for a legitimate business need, but get a signed authorization every time.
What is an adverse action notice?
A notice the FCRA requires when you deny an applicant or change the terms because of a consumer report. It names the screening company and explains the applicant's right to a free copy of the report and to dispute it.
How much can I charge for a rental application fee?
It depends on the state. Some cap the fee or tie it to the actual cost of screening, and some require a refund if no report is run. Check your state law.
Can applicants fill out and sign the application online?
Yes. With MultiDocs they fill in the fields, attach their documents and sign from their phone, without creating an account.
Can I ask about criminal history?
It depends on where the property is. Some states and cities restrict or ban criminal history questions on rental applications, HUD withdrew its 2016 guidance on criminal records in 2025, but the Fair Housing Act still applies and blanket bans can still be challenged. Ask a local lawyer.
Does every adult need their own application?
Yes. Each adult who will live in the unit should complete and sign a separate application and screening authorization.
Official sources
- FTC: Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know
- Cornell LII: 15 U.S.C. § 1681b (permissible purposes of consumer reports)
- Cornell LII: 15 U.S.C. § 1681m (adverse action notices)
- Cornell LII: 42 U.S.C. § 3604 (Fair Housing Act)
We checked each source on November 6, 2026. If you spot an out-of-date fact, write to us at info@multidocs.es.