+1 855 997 0206
Sun-Sat 9am - 9pm ET
Lawdistrict Logo

Free North Carolina Rental Application Form

To secure a reliable tenant, a North Carolina Rental Application Form is an important document. It captures potential tenants' sensitive personal and financial details to help you assess any financial risk accurately. This document can help you handle applicant consent and data appropriately.

Trusted by 7,721 users.

Make Document
Last Update April 30, 2026

Fill forms in a few steps

Save, print & download

Done in 5 minutes

What Is a North Carolina Residential Rental Application?North Carolina Rental Application SampleWhat to Include in a North Carolina Rental Application FormNorth Carolina Rental Application LawsRelated DocumentsFAQs About North Carolina Rental Application Form

What Is a North Carolina Residential Rental Application?

A North Carolina 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.

North Carolina 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.

Rental Application North Carolina Sample
Start Your NC Rental Application
PDFWORD

What to Include in a North Carolina Rental Application Form

When you fill in a simple rental application form for North Carolina 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

Additionally, the landlord must provide several legal disclosures on a standard rental application. They must report information on:

  • The property’s condition
  • Potential hazards to the tenant
  • Shared utility arrangements
  • Rent control rules
  • Smoking policy
  • The security deposit
  • Associated fees

North Carolina Rental Application Laws

North Carolina has many rules and statutes regulating its housing market. These must be fully considered when preparing an application for rental properties in the state.

Application Fee

There is no limit in terms of what application fee can be charged by North Carolina landlords. Furthermore, the application fee is non-refundable regardless of its amount.

Security Deposit

According to North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 42, Sections 50-56 NC landlords may not charge more than 2 weeks’ rent for week-to-week tenants and 1 and a half months’ rent for a month-to-month tenancy. However, for longer-term leases, you can charge up to 2 months’ rent as a deposit.

It is also necessary to inform the tenant of the name and address of the bank or financial institution where the deposit will be held. This must be done within 30 days of when the lease will begin.

Housing Discrimination Law

In North Carolina, 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina, 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).

Related Documents

Managing real estate can be tricky and it is essential to ensure that your activities are legally compliant at all times. Take advantage of the full range of property management legal documents below whenever you need to perform crucial tasks:

FAQs About North Carolina Rental Application Form

Having a good idea of what you can and cannot use a North Carolina rental application for is important. In our FAQs below, we explain what is and isn’t allowed when you create your own form.

When you wish to rent out your property to a tenant you can use a North Carolina rental application to check the potential resident before they move in. This allows you to get important background information from the applicant.

In North Carolina 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

You cannot ask tenants a number of questions when you are vetting them with a North Carolina 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

It is not usually necessary to request a Social Security number (SSN) on a North Carolina rental application. However, you may consider requesting this data from an applicant if you want to run certain background checks on them.

Additionally, you must always get written permission from the tenant on the application form if you want to use their SSN. When you handle someone else’s Social Security information you always need consent first and must disclose that you will properly handle this data. 

These days, most screening companies can obtain the applicant’s SSN directly by requesting it securely from the applicant via email. Remember, however, that you must always inform the potential tenant and have their permission before you run any background checks. 

Preview of your North Carolina Rental Application

RENTAL APPLICATION
The following sections must be completed by the Applicant. Please note that, except for married couples, each occupant who is 18 years of age or older has to complete a separate application to rent.

Shall the Applicant have any question regarding the rental unit, please contact _________ at:
Email Address: _________
Phone: _________
The Applicant is a: (check one)

(   ) Tenant
(   ) Tenant with co-tenant(s)
(   ) Guarantor/co-signor
PREMISES INFORMATION
Application to rent Property at the following address:

_________ , _________, NC _________

Type of Property: House
Date of Availability: _________
Proposed Move-In Date: _________
APPLICANT'S INFORMATION

Please attach a copy of your Driver's License, State ID, Military ID, or Passport.
FULL NAME OF APPLICANT: ________________________________________________________________
Date of Birth: _________________________ (Optional. For purpose of obtaining credit reports. Age discrimination is prohibited by state and federal law)
Driver's license number or any valid ID: _________________ State: ______________ Expires: _________________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________
Home Phone: (______) ___________ Alternative Phone: (______) ___________
CO-APPLICANT'S INFORMATION (if applicable)
Please attach a copy of your Driver's License, State ID, Military ID, or Passport.

FULL NAME OF CO-APPLICANT: ________________________________________________________________
Date of Birth: _________________________ (Optional)
Driver's license number or any valid ID: _________________ State: ______________ Expires: _________________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________
Home Phone: (______) ___________ Alternative Phone: (______) ___________
OTHER OCCUPANTS' INFORMATION (if applicable)
Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Relation to Applicant: ______________________ Date of Birth: ______________ (Optional)

Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Relation to Applicant: ______________________ Date of Birth: ______________ (Optional)
EMERGENCY CONTACT

In case of emergency, please contact:

Emergency contact #1: ____________________________________________________
Relationship: _______________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________
Emergency contact #2: ____________________________________________________
Relationship: _______________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Pets
Pets are not allowed in the rental property. However, as provided by law, a Service Animal(s) is not considered a pet, and every individual with a disability shall have a right to have a Service Animal(s) on the Property.
Waterbeds

The Landlord prohibits the use of waterbeds on the rental unit.
Smoking and Vaping

The Landlord does not allow smoking or vaping in the rental unit.
CONSENT & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

By signing this Residential Rental Application, the Applicant accepts and agrees to the following:
(i)This is only an application to rent and does not guarantee that the Applicant will be selected as a tenant of the premises.
(ii)The Landlord or Manager or his/her authorized Agent could receive multiple rental applications for the premises and will only select the most qualified individual.
(iii)Applicant represents the above information to be true and complete.
Applicant hereby authorizes the Landlord or Manager or his/her authorized Agent to do the following:
(i)Verify all of the personal information provided above.
(ii)Obtain a credit report, as well as other reports, on the Applicant.
(iii)Applicant further authorizes the Landlord or Manager or his/her authorized Agent to disclose information to the owners or agents of the premises with whom the Applicant intends to have a rental relationship.
Does the Applicant wish to receive a copy of the reports that we may obtain?Yes (   )     No (   )     

Notice of Non-Discrimination

The Landlord does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any approval/disapproval of this application.


__________________________________________
Applicant's SignatureDate
__________________________________________
Co-Applicant's SignatureDate
Make Document

Try Lawdistrict Now

Instant and complete access to our entire library of legal forms

Edit, download and print in PDF from any device

Save time and money on legal document creation

Get Unlimited Access Now