Free Templates

Free Rental Application Template

A rental application form collects the facts you need to screen a tenant — identity, residence history, income, references, and written consent to run a background check. Use the free template below as a printable form or as the checklist for your online application.

This template is general information, not legal advice. Some jurisdictions cap application fees and restrict what an application may ask (criminal history, eviction history, source of income, and more). Check your state and local rules before using it.

What a Rental Application Should Ask

A good application answers one question: can this person pay the rent and take care of the property? Everything on the form should serve that. A complete rental application collects:

Applicant information — full legal name, contact details, date of birth, and government ID or SSN for identity verification and screening.
Residence history — current and previous addresses, landlord contacts, rent paid, and reason for leaving. Two to three years of history reveals patterns a credit score won't.
Employment and income — employer, position, length of employment, gross monthly income, and any other income sources. Most landlords look for roughly 2.5–3× the monthly rent.
References — at least one or two people who aren't relatives, ideally a previous landlord or employer.
Consent to screening — the FCRA requires written authorization before you run a credit or background report. This block is not optional.
Signature and date — certifying the answers are true, which gives you clean grounds to deny (or later terminate) for a materially false application.

What NOT to ask

Never ask about anything touching a fair-housing protected class: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability under federal law — and many states and cities add age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income, immigration status, and more. Questions like "Are you married?", "Where were you born?", "How many kids do you have?", or "Do you have a disability?" don't belong on an application. Some jurisdictions also restrict asking about criminal or eviction history. Ask every applicant the same questions, in the same order, every time.

The Template

Print this page or copy the application into your editor. Each adult applicant (18+) should complete their own form.

Rental Application

1. Property Applied For

Property address / unit: _______________________________________________

Desired move-in date: ____________________

Monthly rent: $____________________

2. Applicant Information

Full legal name: _______________________________________________

Date of birth: ____________________

Phone: ____________________

Email: _______________________________________________

Government ID type / no.: ____________________

SSN (for screening): ____________________

3. Residence History (current, then previous — past 3 years)

Current address: _______________________________________________

Dates (from / to): ____________________

Monthly rent: $______________

Landlord / manager name & phone: _______________________________________________

Reason for leaving: _______________________________________________

Previous address: _______________________________________________

Dates (from / to): ____________________

Monthly rent: $______________

Landlord / manager name & phone: _______________________________________________

4. Employment & Income

Current employer: _______________________________________________

Position: ____________________

Length of employment: ____________________

Gross monthly income: $______________

Employer phone: ____________________

Other income source(s) & monthly amount: _______________________________________________

5. References (non-relatives preferred)

Reference 1 — name / relationship / phone: _______________________________________________

Reference 2 — name / relationship / phone: _______________________________________________

6. Other Occupants, Pets & Vehicles

Other proposed occupants (names): _______________________________________________

Pets (type / breed / weight): _______________________________________________

Vehicles (make / model / plate): _______________________________________________

7. Disclosures (where lawful to ask in your jurisdiction)

Have you ever been evicted or had an eviction filed against you? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Have you filed for bankruptcy in the last 7 years? ☐ Yes ☐ No

If yes to either, explain: _______________________________________________

8. Consent to Screening & Signature

I certify that the information provided in this application is true and complete. I authorize the landlord/agent and their designated screening provider to obtain consumer reports about me — including credit, rental/eviction history, and criminal background where permitted by law — to verify the information provided, and to contact my employers, landlords, and references. I understand that false or incomplete information is grounds for denial of this application.

Applicant signature:

_______________________________

Date:

_______________________________

How to Evaluate Applications

Collecting the application is the easy half. The half that protects you legally is evaluating every application against the same written criteria. Before you list the unit, write down your standards — minimum income multiple (commonly 2.5–3× rent), acceptable credit range, residence history requirements, and how you handle applicants who fall short (for example, requiring a guarantor). Then apply those criteria to every applicant in the order applications arrive.

Written criteria applied consistently are your best defense against a fair-housing complaint, and they make decisions faster and easier. For the full process — verifying income, calling previous landlords, running reports, and sending adverse action notices — see our tenant screening guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I charge a rental application fee?

Usually yes, but the rules vary widely. Some states cap application fees at the actual cost of screening, some set a flat dollar maximum, some require you to refund the unused portion or provide an itemized receipt, and a few restrict fees altogether. Check your state and local rules before charging, keep the fee tied to your real screening costs, and charge every applicant the same amount.

What can't I ask on a rental application?

Avoid anything that touches a fair-housing protected class: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability under federal law — and many states add more, like age, marital status, sexual orientation, source of income, or immigration status. Some jurisdictions also restrict asking about criminal history or prior evictions. Stick to questions that measure ability to pay rent and care for the property, and ask every applicant the exact same questions.

Do I need the applicant's consent to run a background or credit check?

Yes. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires the applicant's written authorization before you pull a consumer report — credit, eviction history, or criminal background — through a screening company. That's why a proper application includes a signed consent-to-screening block. If you deny an applicant based on a report, the FCRA also requires you to send an adverse action notice.

Should I use a paper or online rental application?

Online applications win on almost every axis: applicants complete them faster, handwriting never becomes a problem, nothing gets lost, screening consent is captured cleanly, and every applicant automatically answers identical questions — which is exactly what fair-housing consistency requires. A paper template is still useful as a backup, for applicants who prefer it, and as a checklist of what your online form should collect.

This template and guide are general information, not legal advice. Application fees, screening rules, and permissible questions vary by state and locality — check your local rules or consult an attorney for your situation.

Or Skip the Paper Entirely

With Kelpic®, applicants apply online through your property listing page and applications flow straight into your dashboard — no PDFs, no lost forms, and every applicant answers the same questions.

Start Your Free Trial

No credit card required