California Rental Application Form

What the California rental application is

This is a two-page rental application for apartments and homes in California. Page 1 covers the applicant, additional occupants, current and prior employment, residence history, vehicles and personal references. Page 2 covers bank and credit accounts, seven yes/no screening questions, the unit and rent you are applying for, the application fee and the signature. It is a general template, not a form issued by the State of California or any state agency.

Each applicant over the age of 18 must complete their own application.

Who uses it

California landlords and leasing agents use it to collect what they need to run credit, eviction (unlawful detainer) and background checks. Renters use it to apply for a specific unit, named on page 2.

What to have ready

• Social Security number, driver's license number and other names used in the last 10 years
• Full names and relationships of everyone who will live with you
• Current and prior employer details, dates of employment and income per month
• Addresses, dates of stay, owner or manager name and phone, and last rent paid for recent homes
• Bank names, branches, account numbers and balances, plus credit accounts with balance and monthly payment

See our guide to filling out a rental application online.

How to fill out the California rental application online

Click "Fill Template Now", click into each field and type. Tick the YES or NO boxes on page 2, sign on the Applicant line, add the date and download the PDF.

Applicant and additional occupants

Fill in First, Middle, Last Name, Date of Birth, Social Security #, Driver's License #, Other Names Used In the Last 10 Years, Home Phone, Cell Phone and Email Address. Under Additional Occupants, list everyone who will live with you by full name and Relationship To Applicant.

Employment and residence

For Current Employment and Prior Employment, enter Employer, Address, Employer Phone, Job Title, Name of Supervisor, Dates of Employment (From and To) and Income Per Month. Under Residence, complete the Current Residence and Previous Residence columns: Street Address, City, State & Zip, Dates of Stay, Owner/Manager And Phone number and Reason For Leaving. The printed form also has a Last Rent Paid row; if a box you need is not fillable, add text there with the editor's text tool.

Vehicles and personal references

List Automobiles and Motorcycles with Make, Model, Color, Year and License No. Personal References asks for three people: In Case Of Emergency, Notify; Close Friend; and Nearest Relative Living Elsewhere, each with Address/City, Phone and Relationship.

Credit information and general information (page 2)

Under Credit Information, list your checking and savings accounts, then up to five Credit Accounts with account number, address, phone, balance and amount due monthly. General Information asks seven yes/no questions, from smoking and pets to bankruptcy, criminal convictions and evictions. Explain any yes answer and say why you are leaving your current residence.

Unit, rent and application fee

The closing paragraph names the Apartment #, address, monthly rent and application fee. Check them against what the landlord quoted.

Signing and submitting

By signing, you confirm the information is true and authorize verification plus unlawful detainer, credit and criminal background reports. Sign and date on the Applicant line, then return the PDF to the landlord. You can also sign a PDF online if the landlord sends you their own form. Nothing is filed with the state.

California rules on fees, deposits and screening

General information as of October 2026, not legal advice. Some cities add rules.

• Screening fee cap: Under Civil Code § 1950.6, the fee may not exceed the landlord's actual out-of-pocket screening costs plus the reasonable value of their time, and in no case more than $30 per applicant, adjusted annually for the Consumer Price Index since 1998. The landlord must give you a receipt itemizing those costs and, if you paid a fee, a copy of your credit report within seven days of receiving it.
• When a fee may be charged: A landlord may not charge a screening fee when no unit is or will soon be available. At the time of collecting the fee, the landlord must either review completed applications in the order received using written screening criteria given to you with the application, or refund the full fee to every applicant not selected within 7 days of choosing a tenant or 30 days after you applied, whichever comes first.
• Reusable screening reports: Under Civil Code § 1950.1, a landlord may choose to accept a reusable tenant screening report prepared within the last 30 days. If it does, it cannot charge you a screening fee or a fee to access the report.
• Security deposit: Under Civil Code § 1950.5, a landlord generally may not take more than one month's rent as security, in addition to the first month's rent. A landlord who is a natural person (or an LLC of natural persons) owning no more than two rental properties with no more than four units in total may take up to two months, except from a service member. The landlord must return the deposit, with an itemized statement of any deductions, within 21 days after you move out.
• Source of income and credit history: Government Code § 12955 bars discrimination based on source of income, which includes housing vouchers such as Section 8. When an applicant has a government rent subsidy, the landlord must offer the option of providing other proof of ability to pay, such as benefit statements, pay records or bank statements, instead of relying on credit history.
• Criminal history: California's Civil Rights Department enforces regulations that limit how housing providers may use criminal history, including a ban on blanket refusals of anyone with a record. See this Civil Rights Department announcement.

Common mistakes

• One application for two adults
• Not getting an itemized receipt for the screening fee
• Leaving the apartment number, address or rent blank in the closing paragraph