Ohio Rental Application Form

What this Ohio rental application is

The "Ohio Rental Application" is a two-page fillable PDF for applying to rent a house or apartment in Ohio. It is a general template, not a form issued by the State of Ohio, and Ohio law does not require landlords to use any particular application. Page 1 covers the property, the applicant, a spouse, employment and the current landlord. Page 2 covers the previous landlord, references, occupants, pets, vehicles, credit and criminal history, the application fee, and three signature lines: applicant, spouse, and landlord or landlord's agent.

Who uses it

Ohio renters applying for a unit, and landlords or property managers who want a straightforward tenant application to screen applicants. The spouse section makes it practical for married couples applying together. Other adults who will sign the lease usually complete their own copy.

What to have ready before you start

• The property address, monthly rent, security deposit and any pet deposit the landlord quoted
• Your date of birth, Social Security number and driver's license number, and the same for your spouse if applying together
• Present and previous employer names, addresses, positions, start dates, monthly income and supervisor phone numbers
• Other sources of income you want counted
• Your present and previous landlord or mortgage company, with phone, monthly payment and move-in and move-out dates
• Two personal references, an emergency contact, and pet and vehicle details
• Your bank name, address, phone and checking account number, plus each credit obligation and its minimum monthly payment

How to fill out the Ohio rental application online

Click "Fill Template Now," click into each field and type, sign the signature lines, and download the PDF to send or print. The walkthrough below follows the headings printed on the form.

Page 1

• Top of the form: Today's Date, Date of anticipated move in, Property address, Monthly rent, Security deposit and Pet deposit.
• Applicant: Full name of applicant, Present Address, Telephone number (home and work), D.O.B., Social Security # and Driver's license.
• Applicant's employment: Name of present employer, Address, Position, Date started, Monthly income, Supervisor's name and phone, then the same for your previous employer, followed by Other sources of income.
• Spouse and Spouse's employment: the same fields for your spouse, if your spouse is applying with you.
• Present Landlord or mortgage company: name, telephone, Monthly rent or mortgage payment, Date of move-in and Date of move-out. Homeowners list their mortgage company here.

Page 2

• Previous Landlord or mortgage company: the same details for your prior home.
• Personal References: two references, each with name, phone and address.
• Emergency: an emergency contact, relationship and phone.
• Occupants: everyone who will live in the unit.
• Pets: type, breed, weight and age for up to two pets.
• Vehicles: make, model and year for each vehicle to be parked at the premises.
• Credit/Criminal History: bank name, phone, address and checking account number, three lines for credit obligations with minimum monthly payment, and whether any listed occupant has ever been convicted of a felony, received deferred adjudication for a felony, been evicted, broken a lease or declared bankruptcy.
• Application fee: the non-refundable fee amount.

Signing and submitting

Read the declaration before you sign. It authorizes the National Association of Independent Landlords to verify the application and obtain credit reports, and it says that if false information is given, the landlord may reject the application and keep the application fees. Sign as applicant, have your spouse sign if applying together (see how to sign a PDF online), date each signature, and send the PDF to the landlord. The landlord or agent signs the last line.

Ohio rules on application fees and security deposits

General information as of October 2026, not legal advice. Check the statute for the full text.

• Application fees: Ohio's landlord-tenant law, Revised Code Chapter 5321, does not set a statewide limit on rental application or screening fees. Some Ohio cities have their own rental rules, so check local ordinances where the unit is located.
• Deposit amount: Ohio law does not cap the amount of a security deposit. Under Ohio Revised Code 5321.16, if the deposit is more than $50 or one month's rent, whichever is greater, the landlord must pay interest of 5 percent per year on the excess, provided the tenant stays six months or more.
• Return deadline: within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant gives up possession, the landlord must return the deposit or deliver a written, itemized notice of any deductions with the amount due.
• Forwarding address: the tenant should give the landlord a forwarding address in writing, which the statute ties to the tenant's remedies if the deposit is wrongfully withheld (Ohio Legal Help explains this step).

Fair housing protections that apply to this application

Ohio Revised Code 4112.02 says a landlord cannot refuse to rent or treat an application differently because of race, color, religion, sex, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability or national origin. Ancestry and military status are added by Ohio on top of the federal Fair Housing Act's protected classes. A few Ohio cities, including Akron and Cleveland Heights, also prohibit refusing an applicant because of their lawful source of income, such as a housing voucher, so ask about local rules before screening on income source alone. None of this changes how to fill in the form; it only limits how the landlord can use what is written on it.

Common mistakes on Ohio rental applications

• Filling in only the applicant column when your spouse is also applying, or leaving spouse fields half complete.
• Leaving Date of move-out blank for your present home. Enter your expected move-out date.
• Not listing every credit obligation. The form asks for minimum monthly payments, which landlords use to check affordability.
• Answering the criminal and eviction questions for yourself only. They apply to all occupants listed.
• Not keeping a copy of the signed application and a receipt for the fee.

For a list of the documents landlords often ask for with this form, read documents needed for a rental application.