What to Include in a Rental Application Form (and Why It Matters)

Stop Chasing Incomplete Info — Get the Full Picture from Day One

With the leads rolling in, the next step is critical, picking the right tenant. 

But if your rental application form is missing key details, or worse, if you’re relying on PDFs or email threads, you’re already making things harder than they need to be.

Incomplete applications waste your time, and asking the wrong questions can land you in legal trouble. You need accurate, real data if you’re going to avoid nightmare tenant scenarios.

And for this, you need a structured, legally sound rental application process that gives you everything you need — upfront.

What Every Rental Application Should Include (and Why)

To properly screen tenants and stay compliant, your rental application should collect comprehensive, legally appropriate information in a clear and consistent format. Missing or vague details can delay your decision-making or lead to costly mistakes.

Here’s what to include — and why each item matters:

1. Basic Personal Details

At a minimum, your application should ask for:

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Phone number and email address
• Government-issued ID (e.g., driver’s license or passport number)

These details help you confirm the tenant’s identity and begin the screening process. You’ll also use this information to verify records during credit and background checks, and to create a reliable tenant file for future reference.

2. Residential History

Understanding where an applicant has lived and how they’ve behaved as a renter will give you an idea of what kind of tenant they’re likely to be in the future.

Request the following:

• Current and past addresses (typically the last 3–5 years)
• Dates of tenancy at each address
• Landlord or property manager contact details
• Reason for leaving each property

You’re looking for patterns of stability and reliability.

Red flag: A string of short-term tenancies or gaps in rental history could signal payment issues or conflicts with previous landlords.

Tip: A call to the most recent landlord can be revealing. Were rent payments on time? Was the unit kept in good condition?

3. Employment and Income Information

You need a clear picture of their financial situation to determine whether they can reliably pay rent.

Ask for:

• Current employer name, role, and contact info
• Monthly income
• Employment duration
• Supporting documentation (e.g., recent pay stubs, W-2s, or bank statements for freelancers or self-employed applicants)

The 3x Rule: Most landlords use a general rule of thumb — the tenant’s monthly income should be at least 3x the monthly rent. But also consider debt obligations or shared incomes for roommates.

Note: Always apply income requirements consistently to avoid Fair Housing violations.

4. Background and Legal Disclosures

This section can be sensitive, but it’s important — and must be handled carefully.

Include yes/no questions about:

• Prior evictions
• Criminal convictions
• Bankruptcies
• Pending litigation or court proceedings related to housing

Important: You cannot use blanket bans on applicants with criminal records — this can violate Fair Housing laws. Instead, focus on evaluating whether past issues are relevant to the applicant’s ability to be a responsible tenant today.

Tip: Always give applicants an opportunity to explain any “yes” answers.

5. Consent for Credit, Background, and Reference Checks

Before you run any reports, you must obtain written consent — this is a requirement under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Make sure your application includes:

• A clear statement explaining that credit, background, and reference checks will be conducted
• A checkbox or signature field for the applicant to authorize screening
• A summary of their rights under FCRA (especially if you use a third-party service)

Failure to get consent or provide the proper disclosures can expose you to legal liability, especially if you later deny an application based on screening results.

Rental Applications Made Simple with Landlord Studio

Let’s be real — chasing down half-filled PDFs, missing income docs, or forgotten screening consent forms is not why you became a landlord.

With Landlord Studio’s rental listings, you don’t need to build your own application form or worry about legal compliance. The entire rental application process is streamlined, standardized, and stress-free for you and your applicants.

• Customizable online rental application collects everything you need, including residential history, income details, and references.
• Built-in consent for tenant screening ensures you stay compliant from the start.
• Mobile-friendly forms make it easy for tenants to apply — no printing, scanning, or messy PDFs.
• Centralized dashboard lets you view, compare, and track applications from multiple listings in one place.

No more chasing down missing documents or asking the same questions twice. Just clear, complete, and legally compliant applications — automatically.

Even better? You can request a tenant screening report at the same time as the application, so you get more relevant information faster, and tenants don’t have to repeat themselves in multiple systems. One clean process, start to finish.

How To Collect Rental Applications With Landlord Studio

To collect a rental application from a prospective tenant, all you need is the tenant’s name and email address. No need to collect sensitive data like SSNs.

1. Create your free account or log back in
2. If you already have leads, you can head straight to the Application & Screening via the left-hand menu. If not, simply add your first property and create your listing to start collecting listings today.
3. Select “+New Application”
4. Enter the tenant's name and email address and submit.

Your tenant will then receive an online application request in their inbox for them to fill out.

Collect Complete, Professional Rental Applications Automatically

You don’t need to be a lawyer or an admin wizard to collect professional, legally sound rental applications.

With Landlord Studio, you’ll:

• Save time by automating the most repetitive (and error-prone) parts of the application and screening process
• Avoid mistakes with a form that’s designed to collect the right information, every time
• Stay compliant with built-in screening permissions and best-practice questions
• Make better decisions using side-by-side application comparisons and credit/background reports — all in one place

Whether you manage one property or a dozen, Landlord Studio helps you move faster, look more professional, and choose the right tenant with confidence.

Create your free Landlord Studio account today and streamline the rental application process for faster, more informed tenant decisions.

No spreadsheets. No scattered email threads. Get everything you need, in one place.