Free Rental Application Document Checklist

Help applicants come prepared. This one-page handout lists the documents to bring or send with a rental application, so you get complete applications and spend less time chasing paperwork. It is not the application itself.

Read the guide: Documents Needed for a Rental Application

Rental Application Document Checklist printable preview, page 1

Who It's For

Landlords showing a vacant unit, and the applicants they hand it to.

How to Use It

  1. Review the list and cross out anything you don't require, so it matches your written screening criteria.
  2. Fill in the property and your contact information.
  3. Hand it out at showings, or email the PDF to interested applicants.
  4. Ask every applicant for the same documents.
  5. Use it alongside the Tenant Screening Checklist when applications come in.

What's Included (1 page)

  • Identification (photo ID, signed application for each adult)
  • Income (pay stubs, offer letter, self-employment records, other income)
  • Rental history (addresses, landlord contacts)
  • Other (application fee, pet info, vehicle info, emergency contact, co-signer)
  • A note that written permission is requested before any credit or background check
  • "Notes from the Landlord" box

Good to Know (Fair Housing)

Ask every applicant for the same documents. Some states and cities limit application fees or what you may ask about (for example, criminal history or source of income), so check that every item you request is allowed where your rental is. This is a document checklist only, not a rental application or legal advice.

Send My Free Document Checklist

Related Printables

This printable is a general record-keeping tool, not legal or tax advice. Laws vary by state and city.