AI Rhode Island Rental Application

Generate a complete, legally grounded Rhode Island Rental Application, enter the property address, your screening criteria, and the application fee to receive a fully populated form with FCRA-compliant background/credit-check authorization, objective income and rental-history criteria, Rhode Island Fair Housing disclosure (covering state's expanded protected classes including source of income and sexual orientation), HUD-aligned criminal-history guidance, and a signature block ready for use., -

Rhode Island's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-1 et seq.) governs the landlord-tenant relationship. Rhode Island imposes no statutory cap on rental application or screening fees, but landlords must disclose the fee amount and that it is non-refundable. The Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-37-1 et seq.) expands federal protections to include source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, and additional classes, landlords must apply objective, uniformly enforced criteria to avoid disparate-impact liability under both federal and state fair-housing law., -

Section 1, Property Information

RHODE ISLAND RESIDENTIAL RENTAL APPLICATION

Date of Application: [[Application Date]]

Property Address: [[Street Address]], [[City]], Rhode Island [[ZIP Code]]
Unit Number (if applicable): [[Unit #]]
Advertised Monthly Rent: $[[Monthly Rent Amount]]
Desired Move-In Date: [[Desired Move-In Date]]
Lease Term Requested: [[Month-to-Month / 12-Month / Other]]

Landlord / Property Manager Name: [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]]
Contact Phone: [[Landlord Phone Number]]
Contact Email: [[Landlord Email Address]]
Mailing Address: [[Landlord Mailing Address]], [[City]], Rhode Island [[ZIP Code]], -

Section 2, Applicant Personal and Contact Information

*All co-applicants (age 18+) who will occupy the unit must each submit a separate application.*

Government-Issued ID

*Landlord will verify ID at lease signing. Do not provide a photocopy of ID unless separately requested in writing.*, -

Section 3, Residency History

*Provide the last three (3) years of residential history. List all addresses. If you have had fewer than three addresses, explain gaps.*

Current Residence

Previous Residence #1

Previous Residence #2 (if applicable)

Gaps in Residency History: If any period of the last three years is not covered above, explain here: [[Explain any gap, e.g., lived with family, abroad, temporary housing]]

Have you ever been evicted or asked to leave a rental? [[Yes / No]]
If yes, provide details: [[Date, address, and brief explanation]]

Have you ever broken a lease early? [[Yes / No]]
If yes, provide details: [[Date, address, and brief explanation]], -

Section 4, SSN / ID and FCRA Disclosure & Authorization for Background and Credit Check

NOTICE TO APPLICANT, FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.)

In connection with your rental application, [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]] (the "Landlord") may obtain a consumer report and/or investigative consumer report about you from one or more consumer reporting agencies (CRAs). These reports may include your credit history, payment history, public records, rental payment history, civil and criminal court records, and other information bearing on your character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living.

Your rights under the FCRA:

1. You have the right to know if information in your file has been used against you. If we take adverse action based in whole or in part on information in a consumer report, we will provide you with notice of that action, the name, address, and telephone number of the CRA that furnished the report, and information about your right to dispute inaccuracies.

2. You have the right to a free file disclosure. You may request a free copy of your consumer report from the CRA that provided it if adverse action is taken.

3. You have the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. If you dispute information in your report with the CRA, the CRA must investigate within 30 days (45 days if you obtained a free annual report) and correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information.

4. Consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information. Most negative information cannot be reported after 7 years; bankruptcy after 10 years.

5. You have the right to seek damages from violators.

For more information about your rights under the FCRA, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at www.consumerfinance.gov or the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov., -

FCRA AUTHORIZATION AND CONSENT

I, the undersigned applicant, hereby authorize [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]], and any screening company or consumer reporting agency retained by the Landlord, to obtain and review:

• A credit report and credit history from any credit bureau or CRA
• A criminal background check (local, state, and federal records)
• An eviction history search (nationwide or state/county records)
• Employment and income verification
• Rental history verification (including contact with prior landlords)
• Identity verification

I understand that this authorization is valid for the processing of this rental application and any subsequent renewal or lease extension at this property. I authorize former landlords, employers, and other references listed on this application to release information to the Landlord or its screening agents.

Social Security Number (SSN): [[SSN, format: XXX-XX-XXXX]]

*Your SSN is used solely for identity verification and credit reporting purposes and will be stored securely. Rhode Island landlords are subject to R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-48-1 et seq. (Rhode Island Identity Theft Protection Act) and must safeguard personal information.*

Applicant Signature: ___________________________________
Printed Name: [[Full Legal Name]]
Date: [[Date]], -

Section 5, Employment and Income Verification

*Qualifying income is verified against the Screening Criteria in Section 8. List all sources of income you intend to use for qualification.*

Primary Employer / Primary Income Source

Secondary Income Source (if applicable)

Note on Source of Income: Under the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4), source of income is a protected class in Rhode Island. Landlords may not refuse to rent to, or discriminate against, any applicant solely because their income includes housing assistance, Section 8 vouchers, Social Security, disability benefits, child support, alimony, or other lawful income source. All income sources will be evaluated on equal terms against the Landlord's objective income criteria.

Self-Employment Verification

If self-employed, applicant agrees to provide (at Landlord's request):
- Most recent two (2) years of federal tax returns (Form 1040 with Schedule C or applicable schedules)
- Most recent three (3) months of bank statements
- Current business license or registration (if applicable)

Income Documentation Required

All applicants must provide, at minimum, two (2) of the following at the time of application or upon request:

• [ ] Two (2) most recent pay stubs
• [ ] Most recent federal tax return (Form 1040)
• [ ] Last three (3) months of bank statements
• [ ] Current employer offer letter (new hire, within 60 days of start date)
• [ ] Social Security or disability award letter (most recent)
• [ ] Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher documentation
• [ ] Other government benefit award letter
• [ ] Other: [[specify]], -

Section 6, Rental History and Landlord References

*Landlord will contact references listed in Section 3. Complete this section to provide supplemental reference contacts.*

Additional Reference #1

Additional Reference #2

Section 7, Application and Screening Fee Disclosure

Rhode Island Application Fee Notice

Application / Screening Fee Amount: $[[Application Fee Amount]]
[ASSUMPTION: $50, adjust to your actual fee]

Non-Refundability: This application fee is non-refundable regardless of whether the application is approved or denied. The fee is collected to defray the actual costs of tenant screening, including but not limited to: credit report, background check, eviction search, and Landlord's administrative time.

Rhode Island Law: Rhode Island does not impose a statutory cap on residential rental application or screening fees (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18 does not establish a maximum fee). However, landlords are required to disclose the fee amount prior to collection and may not retain fees for purposes beyond actual screening costs. This fee will be applied to the cost of the consumer report and background investigation services described in Section 4.

Fee Payment Method: [[Check / Money Order / Online Payment, specify link or instructions]]
Payable To: [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name or Company Name]]

By submitting this application with payment, applicant acknowledges receipt of this disclosure and agrees that the fee is non-refundable., -

Applicant Initials (acknowledging fee disclosure): _______ Date: [[Date]], -

Section 8, Screening Criteria

*These criteria are applied uniformly to all applicants in compliance with the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act and the federal Fair Housing Act. Failure to meet one or more criteria does not automatically result in denial, the Landlord will consider the totality of the application.*

8A. Income Requirements

8B. Credit History Requirements

Note on RI Security Deposit Cap: Rhode Island law (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19) limits the security deposit to one (1) month's rent. No additional deposit exceeding this limit may be required, even as a condition of approval.

8C. Rental History

8D. Criminal History, HUD Fair Housing Guidance Compliance

Rhode Island landlords are subject to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2016 Guidance on Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records by Providers of Housing and Real Estate-Related Transactions, which prohibits blanket bans on applicants with any criminal history and requires individualized assessment to avoid disparate-impact liability.

This property applies the following individualized criminal-history assessment:

Mandatory denial (per HUD and RI fair-housing guidance, narrow categories only):
- Current sex offender registry listing (applicable to all properties per federal law)
- Conviction for manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance on the rental premises

Individualized assessment factors (applied to all other criminal history):
All other criminal history is evaluated based on:

1. Nature and severity of the offense
2. Time elapsed since the offense and completion of sentence
3. Age of applicant at the time of the offense
4. Evidence of rehabilitation (references, employment, education, community ties)
5. Number of offenses and whether the criminal record reflects a pattern
6. Nexus to tenancy, whether the offense is directly relevant to the safety of other residents or property

Arrests without conviction are NOT considered in any adverse-action decision (consistent with HUD guidance and R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4 fair-housing protections).

Applicant's Right to Explain: If a criminal record is identified that could result in denial, the applicant will be notified and given a reasonable opportunity (minimum 3 business days) to provide additional context or evidence of rehabilitation before a final decision is made.

8E. Pet / Vehicle Policy

Important, Assistance Animals: Assistance animals (service animals and emotional support animals) are not pets under federal (Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604) and Rhode Island (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4) law. No pet deposit, pet rent, or breed restriction applies to a verified assistance animal. Applicants requiring an assistance animal accommodation should contact the Landlord separately., -

Section 9, Occupants, Pets, and Vehicles

Occupants

*List all individuals (including minors) who will reside in the unit. Adult occupants (age 18+) who are not co-applicants must complete their own application and screening.*

Total number of occupants (including applicant): [[Total Occupants]]

*Occupancy limitations, if any, are based on objective factors (unit size, number of bedrooms, applicable building codes). Rhode Island landlords may not impose occupancy standards that violate the Fair Housing Act's protections for familial status.*

Pets

Assistance Animal: Does any occupant require an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes, I will submit a separate reasonable accommodation request with supporting documentation.

Vehicles

Section 10, Fair Housing Nondiscrimination Notice

Federal Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604

Federal law prohibits discrimination in the rental of housing and in the provision of services or facilities in connection with the rental of housing based on:

• Race
• Color
• National Origin
• Religion
• Sex (including gender, pregnancy, and sexual harassment)
• Familial Status (families with children under 18, pregnant persons, persons in the process of obtaining legal custody of a child)
• Disability (physical and mental; includes requirement to allow reasonable accommodations and modifications)

Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act, R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-37-1 et seq.

Rhode Island law provides broader protected class coverage than federal law. The following additional categories are protected under state law:

• Sexual Orientation (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4)
• Gender Identity or Expression (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4)
• Source of Income (including housing vouchers, Section 8, Social Security, disability benefits, child support, alimony, and all other lawful income sources) (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4)
• Age (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4)
• Military Status / Veteran Status (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4)
• Marital Status (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4)
• Domestic Abuse, Sexual Assault, or Stalking Victim Status (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4)

Notice to Applicants

[[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]] evaluates all rental applications using only objective, uniformly applied criteria as set forth in Section 8 of this application. We do not discriminate against any applicant or prospective tenant on the basis of any federal or Rhode Island protected class. Our screening criteria are designed to be consistent with HUD fair-housing guidance, including guidance on criminal history screening, to avoid both intentional discrimination and disparate-impact discrimination.

Inquiries that we do NOT make and that you are NOT required to answer:
- Whether you or any household member has a disability (we will not ask; however, you may voluntarily disclose if requesting a reasonable accommodation)
- How many children you have, or whether you are pregnant
- Your immigration or citizenship status
- Whether you receive housing assistance or government benefits (we may ask about *income amount* and *documentation* but not *source*, except to ensure all lawful sources are accepted equally)

Questions? Contact the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights: 180 Westminster Street, 3rd Floor, Providence, RI 02903 | (401) 222-2661 | www.richr.ri.gov

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: HUD Fair Housing Hotline 1-800-669-9777 | www.hud.gov/fairhousing, -

Section 11, Applicant Declarations and Authorization

*Read carefully before signing. This section constitutes your certification of accuracy and your authorization to the Landlord.*

Applicant Declarations

By signing below, I declare and certify that:

1. All information provided in this application is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any misrepresentation, omission, or falsification of information is grounds for immediate rejection of this application or, if discovered after a lease is executed, termination of the tenancy.

2. I authorize [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]] and any screening agency retained by the Landlord to verify all information in this application, including contacting employers, prior landlords, and personal references.

3. I authorize [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]] to obtain a consumer report (credit report, background check, eviction history) as described in Section 4 and in the accompanying FCRA disclosure.

4. I understand that submission of this application and payment of the application fee does not guarantee approval or create a right to rent the property.

5. I understand that if my application is approved, I will be required to sign a written lease agreement, pay a security deposit (not to exceed one month's rent per R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19), and make any advance rent payment required before occupancy begins.

6. I acknowledge that I have received and read the Application/Screening Fee Disclosure in Section 7 and understand the fee is non-refundable.

7. I acknowledge receipt of the FCRA Disclosure in Section 4 and consent to the consumer investigation described therein.

8. I acknowledge the Fair Housing Notice in Section 10.

9. I agree that if I am denied tenancy, I may request the name and address of the consumer reporting agency that furnished any adverse consumer report so that I may obtain a copy and exercise my FCRA rights., -

Signature Block, Applicant

Applicant Signature: ___________________________________
Printed Full Legal Name: [[Full Legal Name]]
Date: [[Date]], -

Signature Block, Co-Applicant (if applicable)

Co-Applicant Signature: ___________________________________
Printed Full Legal Name: [[Co-Applicant Full Legal Name]]
Date: [[Date]], -

Landlord / Agent, Receipt Acknowledgment

*For Landlord use only. Signing here does not constitute approval of the application.*

Received By: ___________________________________
Printed Name: [[Landlord or Property Manager Name]]
Date Received: [[Date Received]]
Application Fee Received: $[[Amount]] | Payment Method: [[Cash / Check / MO / Online]], -

Section 12, Adverse Action Notice (Landlord Use, Complete if Denying Application)

*If the application is denied in whole or in part based on information in a consumer report, the landlord must provide this notice to the applicant per FCRA § 615(a).*, -

ADVERSE ACTION NOTICE
Date: [[Date of Notice]]

To: [[Applicant Full Name]]
[[Applicant Address]]

From: [[Landlord or Property Manager Full Name]]
[[Landlord Address]]

Re: Rental Application, [[Property Address]]

This notice is to inform you that your application for the above-referenced property has been [ ] denied [ ] approved with conditions (check applicable).

Basis for adverse action (check all that apply):
- [ ] Consumer report, credit history
- [ ] Consumer report, background/criminal history
- [ ] Consumer report, eviction history
- [ ] Income insufficient to meet screening criteria
- [ ] Negative landlord reference
- [ ] Incomplete application / documentation not provided
- [ ] Unit no longer available
- [ ] Other: [[Specify]]

Consumer Reporting Agency Information (complete if adverse action is based on a consumer report):

*The consumer reporting agency listed above did not make the decision to take adverse action and is unable to provide you the specific reasons why the adverse action was taken. You have the right to obtain a free copy of your consumer report from the CRA within 60 days of this notice. You also have the right to dispute with the CRA the accuracy or completeness of any information in your report.*

FCRA Rights Summary: www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-reports-and-scores/

Landlord Signature: ___________________________________
Date: [[Date]], -

Screening Criteria Summary Table

*[ASSUMPTION: Income multiple = 3×; credit floor = 620; eviction lookback = 5 years; criminal lookback = individualized per HUD; app fee = $50, adjust all to your actual criteria before use.]*, -

Checklist, Landlord Processing

• [ ] Application fully completed and signed (all adult occupants)
• [ ] Application fee received and documented
• [ ] FCRA disclosure provided to and signed by applicant
• [ ] Government-issued ID verified
• [ ] Income documentation received and verified against income criterion
• [ ] Consumer report ordered from licensed CRA
• [ ] Eviction history report reviewed
• [ ] Criminal history reviewed under individualized assessment procedure (Section 8D)
• [ ] Prior landlord references contacted
• [ ] Screening criteria applied uniformly and documented
• [ ] Decision made and applicant notified in writing
• [ ] If denied based on consumer report: Adverse Action Notice (Section 12) provided
• [ ] If denied: FCRA § 615(a) CRA information provided to applicant
• [ ] Application and supporting documents retained for minimum 3 years, -

Disclaimer and Sources

Template, not professional legal advice. This template provides general guidance on Rhode Island rental application requirements as of June 2026 and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed Rhode Island attorney. Fair-housing law, consumer reporting requirements, and landlord-tenant statutes are subject to change; consult a qualified real estate attorney before use. Invented values are tagged `[[merge fields]]`; assumed values are tagged `[ASSUMPTION: …]`.

Sources (as of June 2026):
- Rhode Island Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-1 et seq.
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 (Security deposits, one-month cap)
- Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act, R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-37-1 et seq.
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4 (Protected classes, including source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, military status, marital status, victim status)
- Rhode Island Identity Theft Protection Act, R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 6-48-1 et seq.
- Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.
- Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.
- HUD Guidance: Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records (April 4, 2016)
- Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights: www.richr.ri.gov