Free South Carolina Rental Application Form

A South 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

• Applications 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.

There are two main types of rental applications in South Carolina. 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 South Carolina Rental Application

The most common type of vetting document used by SC landlords is the South Carolina 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.

When you fill in a simple rental application form for South 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

South 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. 

Following SC rules and statutes is essential for landlords when creating a Rental Application. 

If you do not create your Rental Application based on these rules, you may accidentally create an invalid document. 

For the application to be considered valid, review the following laws to understand how to write your Rental Application correctly.

Application Fee

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

Security Deposit

Similar to the application fee law, there is no South Carolina statute defining a limit on the amount landlords can charge tenants for security deposits. 

However, any money collected must be returned within 30 days of the tenancy ending as long as deductions haven’t been made.

Failure to return any prepaid rent or the security deposit can result in the tenant recovering up to 3 times the amount that was withheld from them. 

However, for this to be the case, the tenant must give the required notice along with a forwarding address (§ 27-40-410). 

Housing Discrimination Law

In South 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 South 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 South 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). 

It’s sensible to look over the template of a South Carolina rental application before starting your own. This can help to give you a better idea of what your final form will look like and the kind of information you’ll need to add to it.

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:

• South Carolina Residential Lease Agreement

• South Carolina Eviction Notice