# How to fill out a rental application

> What landlords ask for, what you can leave blank, and how to send it back the same day.

Canonical page: https://bettrpdf.com/forms/rental-application  
This file: https://bettrpdf.com/forms/rental-application.md  
Site index for agents: https://bettrpdf.com/llms.txt

Fill, sign and send it back: https://bettrpdf.com/fill?form=rental-application (sample, not legal advice)

Updated 2026-10-24. Pages: 2. Who fills it: Each adult applicant. Who keeps it: The landlord or manager. Usually with: ID, pay stubs, application fee.

## What a Rental application is

A rental application is how a landlord checks that you can pay the rent and will look after the place. It collects who you are, where you have lived, where you work and what you earn, and asks your permission to run credit and background checks. Every adult who will live in the unit usually fills one.

## Every field

| Field | What goes in it |
| --- | --- |
| Applicant | Full legal name, date of birth, phone and email. Use the name on your ID; the screening company matches on it. |
| Current address | Street, city, state and ZIP, how long you have lived there, the rent you pay and your current landlord's name and phone. |
| Previous address | Same details for the address before. Many landlords want two or three years of history. |
| Employment | Employer, job title, start date, supervisor's phone and gross monthly income. Self-employed applicants usually add two years of tax returns. |
| Other occupants | Everyone else who will live there, with ages. Adults usually fill their own application. |
| Pets and vehicles | Type and number of pets, and make, model and plate of each vehicle. |
| Authorization and signature | Your consent to credit and background checks, and your signature and date. Without it the landlord cannot process the application. |

## Mistakes that get it sent back

- **Income below three times the rent.** Most landlords use a three-times-rent income rule. If you are below it, add a co-signer or savings proof up front rather than leaving it to be discovered.
- **Blank landlord references.** An empty previous-landlord line reads as a red flag. If you owned or lived with family, say so.
- **Unsigned authorization.** The screening company will not run anything without it, and the application sits in a pile.
- **Sending it as a photo.** Phone photos of a printed form are hard to read and easy to lose. Send the filled PDF itself.

## Terms

- On the form: Gross monthly income, Co-signer, Guarantor, Screening fee, Holding deposit, Authorization
- Related documents: Residential lease, Pet addendum, Move-in checklist, W-9
- Who asks for it: Landlords, Property managers, Leasing offices

## FAQ

**Can I fill and sign a rental application online?**

Yes. Open it in Fill & Sign, type into the fields, sign, and send it straight back to the landlord from your own email.

**Do I have to give my social security number?**

Many landlords ask for it to run a credit check. You can ask what screening company they use and whether it accepts an ITIN or another ID instead.

**How do I send it back without downloading it?**

Click Send it back. It goes from your Gmail if you connect it, or from us with your email on reply-to.

**Is the application fee refundable?**

Rules vary by state. Several states cap screening fees or require a refund if no screening is run. Ask before you pay.

## Related guides

- [How to fill out a residential lease agreement](https://bettrpdf.com/forms/residential-lease-agreement.md)
- [How to fill out a W-9 in 2026](https://bettrpdf.com/forms/w-9.md)
- [How to fill out an invoice that gets paid](https://bettrpdf.com/forms/invoice.md)