Free Alabama Rental Application Form

Landlords use Alabama rental applications to screen and assess potential tenants before committing to an official lease. This legal real estate form allows you to safely and confidentially collect this data from the applicant to make an informed decision on if they are the right option for your rental property.  

Rental applications are also sometimes known as:

• Applications for a rental property

• Lease applications

• Rental Lease applications

• Tenant applications

The rental application document you use must be designed with AL’s statutes in mind. Nevertheless, you can use a rental agreement to collect the following information:

• The tenant’s rental history

• Information about their income

• Details on criminal record and credit history

• Personal references for the applicant.  

You will need to choose the correct type of rental application template depending on the people you are renting to and your property’s designation. There are two options to choose from in for AL landlords, which can be seen below.

When you fill in a simple rental application form for Alabama you’ll need to ask for some crucial data from the tenant to make the vetting process as effective as possible. 

When you create your own application for a rental property, you should request the following information:

• Personal data

• Rental history

• Employment details

• Income information

• Credit history

• Personal references

• Permission for background checks

Furthermore, landlords must make a number of important disclosures on a standard rental application form. This information might include:

• The property’s condition

• Potential hazards to the tenant

• Shared utility arrangements

• Rent control rules

• Smoking policy

• The security deposit

• Associated fees

Alabama state has various laws regarding the use of rental applications. If your document is not compliant with AL law, you may get sued by the applicant and face legal consequences. 

Application Fee

You can charge as much as you wish as a rental application fee. There are no laws in Alabama providing a set limit, although it is recommended to only charge enough to cover the costs of any background checks. The average AL application fee is between ​​$10 and $25. Any amount charged to the tenant is also non-refundable. 

Security Deposit

Landlords cannot charge more than 1 months’ rent if they are leasing an unfurnished apartment under Alabama law (Section 35-9A-201). The deposit must then be returned within 60 days of the tenant vacating the property. 

Housing Discrimination Law

In Alabama, there is no specific state law relating to housing discrimination. However, the Fair Housing Act (FHA) is in place (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.). The FHA states that it is illegal to discriminate based on the following characteristics: 

• Race

• Nationality

• Religion

• Sex

• Familial status

• Disability

• Criminal history

As a consequence, you are not allowed to ask for any of these details on an AL Rental Application form, nor to include them in the decision-making process.

Notice of Eligibility

You must disclose the screening criteria used during the application process, as well as anything that could lead to a refusal. To make sure individuals understand this in advance of the application, they must provide a signature of acknowledgment on the application. 

Consent Credit Check

The Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) stipulates that potential tenants must agree to any credit checks you require. To show they consent, they must provide written acknowledgment on the application form (15 U.S.C. §§ 1681-1681x).

Before starting your own Alabama rental application, it’s a good idea to look over a sample document first. Use our example rental application below to get a clearer idea of what you should include and how the final form will appear.

Residential Lease Agreement

An Alabama Residential Lease Agreement outlines the terms and conditions of a tenancy in a residential rental property. It establishes the rights and duties of both the renter and the landlord.

Eviction Notice

When a tenant is in violation of their lease agreement, an Alabama Eviction Notice must be used to inform them of the breach.