Prepare a printable New York rental application form to help you vet prospective tenants for your property. Create and customize your screening document with easy instructions and professional templates.
Last Update May 19th, 2023

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- What Is a New York Residential Rental Application
- New York Rental Applications by Type
- What to Include in a New York Rental Application Form
- New York Rental Application Laws
- New York Rental Application Sample
- FAQs About New York Rental Application Form
Download our professional examples
What Is a New York Residential Rental Application
A New York rental application is a legal document used by landlords and property managers to assess and choose an appropriate tenant for a rental property. They are sometimes known by other common names such as:
Tenant applications
Rental lease applications
Lease applications
Application for a rental property
Having a rental application can prove highly important to make sure you get the right tenant into your property. The process of screening prospective residents in this way allows you to discover any issues such as their inability to pay rent or the likelihood to cause a nuisance before signing a contract.
New York Rental Applications by Type
There are two main types of rental applications in New York. You must select the most relevant one depending on the type of property being rented, local laws, and the type of leasing agreement that will be used.
Standard/General New York Rental Application
The most common type of vetting document used by NY landlords is the New York Standard Rental Application. This form can be customized according to the specific necessities of the property owner or manager.
Department of Housing And Urban Development (HUD) Rental Application
Landlords of low-income tenants or those offering Section 8 Housing should use a HUD rental application. It is specifically designed to only include information that is allowed under subsidized housing rules.
What to Include in a New York Rental Application Form
When you fill in a simple rental application form for NY 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
New York Rental Application Laws
New York state has various laws regarding the use of rental applications. If your document is not compliant with NY law, you may get sued by the applicant and face legal consequences.
Application Fee
There is no limit in terms of what application fee can be charged by New York landlords. Furthermore, the application fee is non-refundable regardless of its amount.
Security Deposit
Landlords cannot charge more than 1 months’ rent if they are leasing an unfurnished apartment under NY law (§ 7-103 and § 7-108). This does not apply to units that are subject to City Rent and Rehabilitation Law or the Emergency Housing Rent Control Law.
Housing Discrimination Law
In New York, there is no specific state law relating to housing discrimination. However, the Fair Housing Act (FHA) is in place. The FHA states that it is illegal to discriminate based on the following characteristics:
Race
Color
Nationality
Religion
Sex
Familial status
Disability
Criminal history
As a consequence, you are not allowed to ask for any of these details on a New York Rental Application form nor to include them in the decision-making process.
Notice of Eligibility
Potential tenants must be informed about the screening criteria and reasons for denial or approval. To prove that these facts were shared, a signature of acknowledgment must be provided within the application or alongside it.
Consent Credit Check
Within New York, federal law is in effect that requires potential renters to provide written consent for a credit history check during the application process. This is known as the Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
New York 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.

FAQs About New York Rental Application Form
Having a good idea of what you can and cannot use a New York rental application for is important. In our FAQs below, we explain what is and isn’t allowed when you create your own form.
Why Do I Need a New York Rental Application?
A New York 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 Cannot Be Asked on Rental Applications in New York?
You cannot ask tenants a number of questions when you are vetting them with a NY 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
What Is The Screening Process in New York?
When you wish to rent out your property to a tenant you can use a NY rental application to check the potential resident before they move in. This allows you to get important background information from the applicant.
In New York you might use a rental application to find out any of the following about a prospective tenant:
Whether they can afford rent or not
If they have a positive or negative rental history
If they are employed
Their credit history
Whether they have committed any crimes or felonies