Rental Property Application Template: What to Include & Free Examples

Rental Property Application Template: What to Include & Free Examples

Are you a rental property owner or a newcomer preparing to rent out your first space? Using a rental property application template is one of the most critical steps in building a structured and fair tenant screening process.

A high-quality rental application not only helps you collect all the information you need in one place, but it also ensures consistency, legal compliance, and fairness in your tenant selection process. In this guide, we’ll walk through the components you should include in any rental application, explain why they matter, and provide free template examples you can adapt for your own listings.

What Is a Rental Property Application Template?

A rental property application template is a pre-built form landlords and property managers use to collect essential details from prospective tenants. This template typically captures personal information, employment and income history, rental history, references, legal consents, and other relevant data needed to determine whether an applicant is a good fit for your property.

The purpose of using a formal application as opposed to an informal email or text exchange is to ensure every applicant provides consistent information you can review fairly and make data-driven decisions. While rental property application templates help landlords collect essential information, they don’t always address how tenants will actually live together once approved. This is where shared-living platforms like Platuni add value.

Why You Should Use a Rental Application (Not Just a Lease)

Before tenants sign a lease, you want to understand who they are, their reliability, and whether they can meet your expectations as a landlord. A rental property application template does three key things:

1. Standardizes the information you collect when every applicant fills out the same form to avoid missing important details and can compare people objectively. 
2. Protects you from legal risks application templates help when you collect only legally permissible data and include consent language for background checks that protects you under rental and privacy laws. 
3. Screening is efficient and organized with template data captured digitally or on paper, you can easily sort, compare, and follow up with the strongest candidates quickly. 

How to Structure a Rental Property Application Template

A thorough rental application strikes a balance between collecting sufficient details to make an informed decision and respecting the applicant's privacy and legal restrictions. Below are the key sections and what to include in each.

1. Basic Applicant Information

This foundational section identifies the person applying and how to contact them. Applicants are usually asked to provide:

• Full name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Current address
• Preferred move-in date

Collecting this upfront makes it easy to reach applicants for follow-up questions, interviews, or contracts.

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2. Rental History

Your application should ask where the applicant currently lives and where they have lived previously. This helps you understand patterns like:

• Reason for moving
• Payment history
• Relationship with previous landlords

Applicants are usually asked to provide:

• Current address and duration of stay
• Previous address and landlord contact information
• Reason for leaving last residence

These details help verify stability and responsibility in prior tenancy situations.

3. Employment and Income Information

This section assesses whether the applicant can afford the rent and meet financial obligations. Key fields include:

• Employer name and contact
• Position/title
• Monthly or annual income
• Income verification uploads

Some templates allow applicants to upload documents directly, which speeds verification.

4. Personal and Legal Identifiers

To conduct background checks and ensure identity, applications often gather:

• Government identification numbers (Social Security or national ID if legally permissible)
• Driver’s license information or government ID details
• Emergency contact info

Be cautious with sensitive data: many jurisdictions have rules on how this data can be collected, stored, and shared. Always ensure you comply with local privacy and housing laws.

5. Rental Preferences & Household Details

Modern rental property application templates often include questions to better understand the applicant’s household and lifestyle, such as:

• Number of occupants
• Pet ownership
• Smoking preferences
• Vehicle information (important for parking spaces)

These fields help you determine whether the applicant’s needs match your property’s rules and facilities.

6. References (Personal & Landlord)

References help corroborate rental history and character:

• Previous landlord or property manager contact
• Employer or professional references
• Personal references

This section of your template makes it easier to track down credible opinions about an applicant’s reliability and behavior.

7. Consent for Background and Credit Checks

Conducting a background and credit check is necessary for most landlords. Include a clear consent section where the applicant authorizes you to:

• Run credit checks
• Run background checks
• Contact references

This protects you legally and ensures applicants understand what they’re agreeing to.

8. Signature and Declaration

End your rental property application template with a declaration:

“I certify that all information provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge…”

Follow this with a space for:

• Electronic signature
• Date

This makes your application legally stronger and sets expectations for honesty and integrity.

Some template services allow e-signatures directly in the form.

Also Read: Using QuickBooks for Rental Property Management

Free Rental Property Application Template Examples

Below are several professionally designed templates you can customize and use for your own rental applications:

1. Typeform Rental Application Template

A clean, customizable digital application form you can embed online or send as a link. Great for modern workflows.

Check: Free Typeform Rental Application Template

2. SurveyMonkey Rental Application Template

A drag-and-drop form that helps collect leasing details, including employment and vehicle information.

Check: SurveyMonkey Rental Application Template

3. Jotform Tenant Application Templates

Choose from multiple ready-made form templates you can edit and embed on your site.

Examples include:

• General tenant application
• House rental application
• Prospective tenant application

Check: Jotform Rental Application Templates

4. Dropbox Customizable Forms

You can start from a basic Word/PDF template and quickly customize it to match your brand and requirements.

Check: Dropbox Rental Application Template

Tips for Using Your Rental Property Application Template Effectively

To get the most out of your application form:

1. Make It Mobile Friendly

Many applicants will fill out forms on their phones, so you have to ensure your template works across devices. Tools like Jotform and Typeform automatically support mobile responsiveness.

2. Be Clear About What Comes Next

After applicants submit, let them know:

• When and how you’ll follow up
• Whether fees apply
• What documents they need to provide next

Clear communication improves applicant experience and professionalism.

3. Respect Privacy and Legal Guidelines

Understand your local fair housing laws and privacy requirements. For example, in the U.S., the Fair Housing Act prohibits discriminatory questions based on protected classes.

4. Consider Using Conditional Logic

Advanced form builders let you show or hide questions based on responses (e.g., co-applicant details only if “Yes” is selected). This keeps the form shorter and more relevant for applicants.

Also Read: 10 Best Landlord Property Management Software in 2026

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with a strong template, landlords sometimes make avoidable errors:

Asking Illegal or Inappropriate Questions: Don’t include questions about race, religion, disability, or familial status; these can violate fair housing laws.

Collecting Sensitive Details Without Security: Ensure your form provider secures personal data, especially IDs and social security numbers.

Forgetting to Include Consent: Without consent language for checks, you may be restricted from running background or credit checks later.

A well-designed rental property application template is a cornerstone of professional rental management. By capturing consistent, relevant, and legally appropriate information from every prospective tenant, you create a fair, efficient screening process that benefits both you and your applicants.

Whether you choose a free online form, a downloadable PDF, or a custom digital template embedded on your site, the most important thing is that your application is clear, compliant, and easy to complete.