New Jersey Residential Rental Application

Property Applying For: [[Full Rental Property Address, including Unit #]], [[City]], New Jersey [[ZIP Code]]

Monthly Rent: $[[Monthly Rent Amount]]

Security Deposit (if applicable): $[[Security Deposit Amount]] (capped at 1.5 months' rent per N.J.S.A. 46:8-19)

Application Date: [[Application Date]]

Landlord / Property Manager: [[Landlord or Management Company Full Name]]

Contact for Application: [[Contact Name, Phone, Email]], -

Instructions to Applicant

Please complete all sections accurately. Incomplete applications may be rejected. All information is subject to verification. Providing false information is grounds for denial or termination of tenancy.

Important New Jersey Legal Notices:

• New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq.) prohibits discrimination based on source of income, including lawful income from housing choice vouchers (Section 8) or other public assistance. Landlords may not refuse to rent or apply different terms based on an applicant's source of lawful income.

• Application and screening fees must be reasonable and documented. Fees are generally non-refundable once screening begins.

• Certain municipalities (including Newark and Trenton) have "ban the box" or fair chance housing ordinances that limit inquiries into criminal history.

• Background and credit checks are conducted in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and applicable New Jersey law., -

Section 1, Applicant and Household Information

Primary Applicant Full Legal Name: [[Full Legal Name]]

Date of Birth: [[MM/DD/YYYY]] Social Security Number (last 4 for verification): XXX-XX-[[Last 4]]

Driver's License / State ID: [[State]] [[Number]]

Current Phone: [[Phone]] Email: [[Email]]

Current Address: [[Street, Apt/Unit]], [[City]], [[State]] [[ZIP]] How long? [[Duration]]

Current Landlord / Property Manager Name: [[Name]] Phone: [[Phone]]

Reason for Moving: [[Reason]]

Previous Address (if less than 3 years at current): [[Full Address]] How long? [[Duration]]

Previous Landlord Name / Phone: [[Name]] [[Phone]]

Other Household Members (all adults and children who will reside):

Will any additional occupants be added later? [[Yes / No, explain if yes]], -

Section 2, Employment and Income Information

Current Employer: [[Employer Name]] Position/Title: [[Title]]

Employer Address: [[Address]] Supervisor / HR Contact: [[Name and Phone]]

Length of Employment: [[Years/Months]] Monthly Gross Income: $[[Amount]]

Other Income Sources (include all lawful sources, e.g. employment, self-employment, Social Security, disability, alimony, child support, housing vouchers, investments):

Total Combined Monthly Household Income: $[[Total]]

Note to Landlord: Under New Jersey law, all lawful sources of income must be considered equally. An applicant's receipt of housing assistance or other public benefits may not be used as a basis for denial., -

Section 3, Rental / Residency History

List all residences in the past 5 years (attach additional sheet if needed).

1. Address: [[Full Address]] Dates: [[From, To]]

Landlord / Manager: [[Name]] Phone: [[Phone]] Monthly Rent: $[[Amount]]

Reason for Leaving: [[Reason]]

2. Address: [[Full Address]] Dates: [[From, To]]

Landlord / Manager: [[Name]] Phone: [[Phone]] Monthly Rent: $[[Amount]]

Reason for Leaving: [[Reason]]

Have you ever been evicted or asked to vacate? [[Yes / No]] If yes, explain: [[Explanation]]

Have you ever been a party to a landlord-tenant lawsuit? [[Yes / No]] Details: [[Details]], -

Section 4, Credit, Background, and Criminal History

Credit Authorization: I authorize the Landlord or its agents to obtain my credit report, consumer report, and background information for tenancy screening purposes.

Criminal / Eviction History Disclosure (subject to applicable fair chance rules):

Have you or any household member been convicted of a felony in the last [[Number, e.g. 7]] years? [[Yes / No]]

If yes, provide details (nature, date, jurisdiction, resolution): [[Details, attach if needed]]

Note: In jurisdictions with fair chance or "ban the box" rules, criminal history may be considered only after a conditional offer or in accordance with local ordinance. Individualized assessment will be conducted.

Outstanding Judgments or Collections Related to Housing? [[Yes / No]] Details: [[ ]], -

Section 5, Pets, Vehicles, and Other

Pets (number, type, weight, breed if applicable): [[Describe or "None"]]

Service or assistance animals (provide documentation if requesting reasonable accommodation): [[Describe]]

Vehicles to be parked on premises (make, model, year, plate): [[List or "None"]]

Do you smoke? [[Yes / No]]

Emergency Contact (not residing with you): [[Name]] Relationship: [[ ]] Phone: [[ ]], -

Section 6, Application and Screening Fees

Application / Screening Fee: $[[Fee Amount]] per applicant (or $[[Total for household]] for all adult applicants).

This fee covers the actual cost of obtaining credit reports, background checks, and processing. The fee is [[Non-refundable once screening has commenced / Refundable only if application is withdrawn before screening begins]].

Payment Method: [[Check / Money Order / Online / Other]] made payable to [[Payee Name]].

Fee Receipt: Landlord will provide a receipt or confirmation upon payment., -

Section 7, Screening Criteria (Disclosed)

Landlord uses objective, uniformly applied screening criteria. The following factors are considered (subject to applicable law):

1. Income: Minimum household income of [[X]] times monthly rent (or other standard). Lawful income from all sources, including vouchers, is counted.

2. Credit: Minimum credit score of [[Number]] or equivalent history. Negative items related to housing (evictions, unpaid rent) weighed more heavily.

3. Rental History: Positive references from prior landlords; no evictions within [[Number]] years unless explained and mitigated.

4. Criminal Background: Individualized assessment per fair chance guidelines. Convictions involving violence, drugs, or property crimes may be disqualifying depending on recency, nature, and rehabilitation evidence.

5. Other: Number of occupants per unit size, pet policy compliance, and completeness/accuracy of application.

Landlord will provide adverse action notice (with copy of report) if application is denied based in whole or part on consumer report information, per FCRA., -

Section 8, Fair Housing and Nondiscrimination Notice

Landlord complies with the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.) and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq.).

Protected classes include (but are not limited to): race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, source of lawful income (including housing vouchers), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and other categories protected under New Jersey law.

We do not discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges of rental, or in the provision of services or facilities.

If you believe you have been discriminated against, you may contact the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)., -

Section 9, Authorization and Certification

I certify that all information provided in this application is true, complete, and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any false statement may result in denial of the application or termination of any tenancy.

I authorize verification of all information, including but not limited to credit reports, background checks, employment, income, rental history, and references. I release all parties from liability for providing such information.

I have received and reviewed the Landlord's screening criteria and fee disclosure.

Primary Applicant Signature: _________________________________________ Date: [[Date]]

Printed Name: [[Full Legal Name]]

Additional Adult Applicant Signature: _________________________________________ Date: [[Date]]

Printed Name: [[Full Legal Name]], -

Section 10, Landlord Use Only (Do Not Complete)

Date Application Received: [[ ]]

Fee Paid: $[[ ]] Method: [[ ]] Receipt #: [[ ]]

Credit / Background Ordered: [[Date]] Report Date: [[ ]]

Screening Decision: [[Approved / Denied / Conditional]]

Reason (if denied): [[Summary, attach adverse action notice if applicable]]

Application ID / Notes: [[ ]]

Processed By: [[Name]] Date: [[ ]], -

Disclaimer

> Template, not professional legal advice. This New Jersey Rental Application template is provided for general guidance as of June 2026. Landlords must ensure compliance with current federal, state, and local laws, including source-of-income protections, fair chance housing rules in applicable municipalities, FCRA, and fee reasonableness requirements. Consult qualified counsel for form customization and screening policies.

Key Sources (as of June 2026):

• N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq. (New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, source of income)
• N.J.S.A. 46:8-19 et seq. (Security deposits)
• Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.)
• N.J.A.C. and local ordinances (Newark, Trenton fair chance / ban the box)
• HUD guidance on source of income and fair housing, -

End of New Jersey Residential Rental Application