Free Washington DC Rental Application Form

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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:

• Washington DC Residential Lease Agreement

• Washington DC Eviction Notice