Free California Rental Application Form
Prepare a printable rental application form to help you vet prospective tenants for your property. Create and customize your screening document with easy instructions and professional templates.
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Last Update September 19th, 2023
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What is a California Residential Rental Application
A California rental application is a legal form that is used by landlords and property managers to screen potential tenants before they sign a lease and move into a rental unit. This allows you to ensure that they will pay rent on time and not cause a nuisance.
Standard rental applications in the state of California can also be known by other alternative names such as:
Tenant application
Rental lease application
Lease application
Application for rental property
Having a professional and properly prepared rental application for your real estate is important to ensure that you choose the right person to live in your property. It allows both parties to securely and safely verify that an agreement can work out in the long term by providing crucial information up front in writing.
California Rental Applications by Type
There are a few types of California applications for rental properties that can be used to screen tenants. The type you use ultimately depends on the kind of property you are leasing and the types of tenants you are looking to house.
Standard/General Rental Application
This is a customizable form that can be used by private landlords for standard rental properties. Most rental applications used in the real estate market today are standard/general documents.
Department of Housing And Urban Development (HUD) Rental Application
This is a standardized form created by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that is issued by providers of public housing. These forms are specially prepared to properly offer rental properties to low-income tenants and those eligible for Section 8 housing.
What to Include in a California Rental Application Form
There are many important questions and sections that should be included in an effective application form. A simple rental application will usually request the following details from the tenant:
Personal data
Rental history
Employment details
Income information
Credit history
Personal references
Permission for background checks
Additionally, the landlord must provide several legal disclosures on a standard rental application. They must report information on:
The condition of the property
Hazards the tenant may encounter
Shared utility arrangements
Rent control rules
Smoking policy
The security deposit
Associated fees
California Rental Applications Laws
California has many rules and statutes regulating its housing market. These must be fully considered when preparing an application for rental properties in the state.
Failure to comply with these requirements could result in legal action from the applicant against you. Therefore, it is essential that your California rental application meets the correct legal standards.
Application Fee
Under California law (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.6), you can charge a prospective tenant up to $52.46 (as of February 2020) for the rental application. However, the price allowed may be adjusted yearly based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). You must also provide an itemized receipt for the costs incurred.
Security Deposit
Landlords cannot charge more than 2 months’ rent if they are leasing an unfurnished apartment under California law (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(c)). However, landlords with furnished properties can charge up to 3 months’ rent.
Housing Discrimination Law
Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) you may not discriminate against potential tenants for a number of reasons. In California, you may not reject an application for any of the following purposes:
Race or ethnicity
Sexuality
Disability
Family status
Criminal record
National origin
Religion
Gender
Consent Credit Check
If you want to carry out any credit or background checks you must first request the potential tenant’s permission on the application form. The applicant must sign and grant their express consent on the form or you will not be able to proceed with these forms of screening.
California Rental Application Sample
Looking over a readily prepared template of a rental application can make it much easier to create your own. Review our document sample below to get more familiar with what your application form will look like when it’s completed.

Other Forms by State
Rental Application FAQs
Understanding what your California rental application can and cannot do is vital before you create your own from scratch. Find out more about how these screening documents work and what you need to know when writing them.
How to Fill Out a California Rental Application?
Creating a California rental application can be easily done with the help of our contract maker and template tools. When you fill out a rental application form you will usually request the following information from the tenant:
Personal data
Rental history
Employment details
Income information
Credit history
Personal references
Permission for background checks
You must also include important legal disclosures on the property and the lease agreement being proposed. This will outline details on the condition of the property, any hazards, and information on details such as security deposit and fees. Our template designer will help you add the data that must be added.
Why Do I Need a California Rental Application?
A California rental application gives you the opportunity to learn more about your tenant before committing to a legal contract with them. The application lets you collect data on your prospective rental resident so you may carry out important checks to:
Review their rental history
Verify their employment and income
Learn of any criminal history or credit issues
What Are Credit References on a California Rental Application?
A credit reference is a document that provides information on the credit history of an applicant for a rental property. This may be requested on California rental applications so that landlords can properly assess whether a potential tenant will be able to meet the rental payment schedule.
What Cannot Be Asked on Rental Applications in California?
You cannot ask tenants a number of questions when you are vetting them with a California rental application document. You must not request any of the following information from the applicant during this process:
Race or ethnicity
Religion
Sexuality
Immigration or citizenship status
Arrest records
Marital or familial status
Whether they have children or not

You are only a few steps away from your own California Rental Application !