TEXAS RESIDENTIAL RENTAL APPLICATION

This Texas Residential Rental Application is used to collect information for screening prospective tenants for residential rental property in Texas. Landlord-tenant relations in Texas are governed primarily by Texas Property Code Chapter 92. There is no statewide statutory cap on application or screening fees, but the fee amount and its non-refundable nature must be disclosed in writing before the fee is collected.

All screening must be conducted in a manner consistent with the federal Fair Housing Act and HUD guidance, including individualized assessments for criminal history to avoid disparate impact. This application complies with best practices for permissible screening criteria.

Date of Application: [[Application Date]]

Desired Move-In Date: [[Desired Move-In Date]]

Property Information

Property Address: [[Property Address]]

Unit / Apartment Number: [[Unit Number or "N/A"]]

Advertised Monthly Rent: $[[Monthly Rent]]

Security Deposit Amount: $[[Security Deposit Amount or "Per lease"]]

Other Fees at Move-In (if any): [[Other Fees or "None"]]

Lease Term Requested: [[Lease Term, e.g., 12 months / month-to-month]]

Landlord / Property Manager Information

Name: [[Landlord/Property Manager Name]]

Phone: [[Phone Number]]

Email: [[Email Address]]

Mailing Address for Notices: [[Mailing Address]]

Application / Screening Fee Disclosure

Application / Screening Fee Amount: $[[Application Fee Amount]]

The application fee is non-refundable once processing of the application has begun. If the landlord fails to conduct screening after collecting the fee, the fee must be refunded.

The fee covers: credit report, criminal background check, eviction history search, reference verification, and administrative processing.

Payment of the fee is required before screening will begin. Payment method: [[Cash / Check / Money Order / Credit Card / Online]]

Applicant Information

Full Legal Name of Applicant: [[Applicant Name]]

Date of Birth: [[MM/DD/YYYY]]

Social Security Number (last 4 or full as required for screening): [[SSN Last 4 or Full SSN]]

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

Current Phone: [[Phone]]

Current Email: [[Email]]

Current Address: [[Current Street, City, State, ZIP]]

How long at current address: [[Duration]]

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

Reason for Moving: [[Reason]]

Previous Address (if within last 3 years): [[Previous Address]]

Previous Landlord Name and Phone: [[Previous Landlord Name and Phone]]

Household and Occupancy

Names and ages of all proposed occupants (including children):

[[List of All Occupants and Ages]]

Will any occupants be 18 or older besides the primary applicant? [[Yes / No, list additional adult applicants]]

Employment and Income Information

Current Employer: [[Employer Name]]

Employer Address and Phone: [[Employer Address and Phone]]

Position / Title: [[Job Title]]

Length of Employment: [[Years/Months]]

Monthly Gross Income: $[[Monthly Gross Income]]

Other Income Sources (if any): [[Other Income Sources and Amounts]]

Minimum Income Requirement Disclosure: Landlord's standard screening requires that combined gross monthly household income equal at least [[Minimum Income Requirement, e.g., 3 times monthly rent]]. This threshold is disclosed in advance as required for consistency and fair housing compliance.

Credit, Rental, and Background Screening Authorization

By signing this application, Applicant authorizes the landlord, property manager, or their screening service to:

• Obtain a consumer credit report

• Conduct a criminal background check

• Search eviction and court records

• Verify employment, income, and rental history

• Contact references provided

Applicant understands that the information obtained will be used solely for evaluating this rental application and will be handled in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and applicable privacy laws.

A copy of any consumer report used in a denial decision will be provided to the applicant upon request, along with the name and address of the reporting agency.

Screening Criteria Summary (disclosed in advance):

• Income: minimum [[Minimum Income Requirement]]

• Credit: minimum score or review of payment history, collections, bankruptcies: [[Credit Criteria Summary]]

• Criminal history: individualized assessment performed; blanket bans on certain offenses are not used without case-by-case review per HUD guidance

• Rental history: no evictions within [[Eviction Lookback Period]] years, positive references from prior landlords

• Other: [[Other Criteria]]

Pets, Vehicles, and Additional Occupants

Pets: [[Pet Policy, e.g., No pets / Up to 2 pets with additional deposit or rent / Service animals permitted by law]]

Vehicles: Number and type of vehicles: [[Number and Types of Vehicles]]

Additional occupants or guests policy: [[Occupants and Guest Policy]]

Fair Housing and Nondiscrimination Notice

This property is offered in compliance with the federal Fair Housing Act and Texas fair housing laws. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, or any other protected class under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Source-of-income discrimination is not prohibited statewide in Texas; however, local ordinances (for example in the City of Austin) may provide additional protections. Screening criteria are applied consistently to all applicants.

Application Decision and Notification

Landlord will make reasonable efforts to complete screening and communicate a decision within [[Decision Timeline, e.g., 3-7 business days]] of receiving a complete application and fee.

If the application is denied, the applicant may request the specific reasons and a copy of any consumer report relied upon.

Application fee is non-refundable once processing begins, except as required by law if screening is not performed.

Signature and Authorization

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

I have read and understand the Application / Screening Fee Disclosure above.

Applicant Signature: ______________________________ Date: _________

Printed Name: [[Applicant Name]]

Additional Adult Applicant (if applicable)

Signature: ______________________________ Date: _________

Printed Name: [[Additional Applicant Name]]

Landlord / Property Manager Acknowledgment

Received application and fee on: [[Date Received]]

Signature: ______________________________ Date: _________

Printed Name: [[Landlord/Property Manager Name]], -

*Sample template, not professional legal advice. This application form incorporates Texas Property Code Chapter 92 requirements for fee disclosure, standard Texas landlord-tenant screening practices, and federal Fair Housing / FCRA / HUD individualized assessment guidance for criminal history. Local ordinances may impose additional rules (e.g., Austin source-of-income protections). Always verify current requirements and use consistent screening procedures. Information current as of June 2026.*