Prepare a printable Washington DC rental application form to help you vet prospective tenants for your property. Create and customize your document with easy instructions and professional templates.
Last Update May 20th, 2023

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- What Is a Washington DC Residential Rental Application
- Washington DC Rental Applications by Type
- What to Include in a Washington DC Rental Application Form
- Washington DC Rental Application Laws
- Washington DC Rental Application Sample
- Other Real Estate Documents
- FAQs About Washington DC Rental Application Form
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What Is a Washington DC Residential Rental Application
Landlords use Washington DC rental applications to screen and assess potential tenants before committing to an official lease. This legal document allows you to safely and confidentially collect this data from the applicant to make an informed decision on if they are the right option for your rental property.
Rental applications are also sometimes known as:
Applications for a rental property
Lease applications
Rental Lease applications
Tenant applications
The rental application document you use must be designed with DC’s statutes in mind. Nevertheless, you can use a rental agreement to collect the following information:
The tenant’s rental history
Information about their income
Details on criminal record and credit history
Personal references for the applicant
Washington DC 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 Washington DC, 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 a Washington DC Rental Application Form
When you fill in a simple rental application form for Washington DC 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
Washington DC Rental Application Laws
Washington DC state has various laws regarding the use of rental applications. If your document is not compliant with DC 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 Washington DC 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 renting out an apartment under Washington DC law (§ 14-308.2).
Housing Discrimination Law
Washington DC 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 certain types of criminal history (whether a background check is carried out or not) 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 (§ 42–3541.01). To show that this information has been shared, a signature of acknowledgment from the tenant is required.
Consent Credit Check
The Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) stipulates that potential tenants must agree to any credit checks you require. To show they consent, they must provide written acknowledgment on the application form.
Washington DC 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 Real Estate 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 Washington DC Rental Application Form
Understanding what your Washington DC 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.
What to Include in a Washington DC Rental Application?
Creating a Washington DC 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 aspects such as security deposit and fees. Our template designer will help you add the data that must be added.
What Are Credit References on a Washington DC 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 Washington DC 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 Washington DC?
You cannot ask tenants a number of questions when you are vetting them with a Washington DC 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