Free Ohio Rental Application Form

Prepare a printable, Ohio rental application form to verify potential tenants. Tailor your application to Ohio’s statutes now with all the critical details required by law.

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Table of Contents:

What Is an Ohio Residential Rental Application
Ohio Rental Applications by Type
What to Include in an Ohio Rental Application Form
Ohio Rental Application Laws
Ohio Rental Application Sample
Related Documents
FAQs About Ohio Rental Application Form

What Is an Ohio Residential Rental Application

An Ohio rental application is a legal document used by landlords and property managers to assess and choose an appropriate tenant for a rental property.

The document is also known as a “tenant application,” “rental lease application,” “lease application,” or an “application for rental property”. Each renter over 18 that will occupy the residence must complete their own individual tenant form.

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.

Ohio Rental Applications by Type

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 Ohio, which can be seen below.

	Standard/General Rental Application	Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Rental Application
Which landlords can use it?	Private landlords	Landlords with Section 8 housing
What kind of tenants is it designed for?	Any	Tenants eligible for subsidized housing

What to Include in an Ohio Rental Application Form

Both landlords and tenants need to provide specific information on an Ohio rental application. This is so it complies with state laws and allows an informed decision to be made. The details each party should provide can be seen below.

Data the Tenant Can Be Asked for	Essential Disclosures from the Landlord
Personal data	The property’s condition
Rental history	Potential hazards to the tenant
Employment details	Shared utility arrangements
Income information	Rent control rules
Credit history	Smoking policy
Personal references	The security deposit
Permission for background checks	Associated fees

The information offered by either the landlord or tenant will vary from application to application. However, it is vitally important that both sides get the clearest picture possible about the nature of the lease before signing an agreement.

Ohio Rental Application Laws

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

Application Fee

There are no OH laws regarding application fees. Therefore there is no limit in terms of what application fee can be charged by Ohio landlords. Furthermore, the application fee is non-refundable regardless of its amount.

Security Deposit

Ohio doesn’t set any limits on how much you can charge as a security deposit. However, it is recommended not to charge more than 1-2 months rent for this amount (Ohio Revised Code Annotated § 5321.16).

Housing Discrimination Law

Ohio has no specific statutes policing housing discrimination. Nevertheless, the Fair Housing Act (FHA), is enshrined in federal law meaning that landlords may not refuse a tenant for discriminatory reasons.

Under the FHA you may not reject a tenant application for reasons such as their race, religion, sex, family status, or because they have any disabilities. You may also not discriminate against their criminal history (whether or not a background check is carried out) or nationality.

Notice of Eligibility

Tenants must be told about any specific screening criteria, as well as the reasons that they could be denied or approved by the landlord. To show that this information has been shared, a signature of acknowledgment from the tenant is required (§ 4141.28)

Consent Credit Check

Within Ohio, 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).

Ohio Rental Application Sample

Under the Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), tenants being screened in Ohio must consent to any credit checks you wish to carry out. To make sure you comply with the law, the applicant must provide written acknowledgment of the screening on the application form.

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FAQs About Ohio Rental Application Form

Understanding what your Ohio 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.

Why Do I Need an Ohio Rental Application?

An Ohio 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 an Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio?

You cannot ask tenants a number of questions when you are vetting them with an Ohio 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

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Preview of your Ohio 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 located at the following address:

_________ , _________, OH _________

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)

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 Signature	Date

_______________________________	___________
Co-Applicant's Signature	Date