Rhode Island Rental Application Form

What this Rhode Island rental application is

This is a two-page Rhode Island Rental Application template for apartments and houses. It is a general form landlords use to screen applicants, not a form issued by any Rhode Island agency. It covers identity, three residences, three jobs, credit accounts, vehicles, references, and a set of general screening questions, followed by a signed authorization.

One point matters more in Rhode Island than in most states: the form's printed authorization mentions a non-refundable application processing fee, but Rhode Island law now bars most rental application fees. See the state rules section below before paying anything.

Who uses it

Rhode Island renters applying to private landlords or property managers, and small landlords who want a ready-made screening form. Each adult applicant normally completes a separate copy.

What to have ready

• Your Social Security number, birth date and driver's license number.
• Addresses, rent amounts, dates and landlord contacts for up to three residences.
• Employer names, addresses, phone numbers, supervisors, monthly gross pay and dates for up to three jobs.
• Bank, credit card and auto loan institutions with balances.
• Vehicle details for everyone who will live in the unit.
• A state criminal background check or credit report issued within the last 90 days, if you have one (see below).

Our guide to documents needed for a rental application has more detail.

How to fill it out online

Click "Fill Template Now," type your answers into each row, sign, and download the completed PDF to send to the landlord.

Applicant and occupants

Enter your first, middle and last name, birth date, Social Security number, driver's license number, any other names you have used in the past, and home and cell phone numbers. Below that, list all other proposed occupants with birth dates and their relationship to you (up to four rows).

Rental/Residence History

Three columns cover your current, previous and prior residence: street address, city, state and ZIP, last rent amount paid, owner or manager and phone number, reason for leaving, whether rent is or was paid in full, whether you gave notice, whether you were asked to move, and dates of residency. There is also a line for the name or names in which your utilities are now billed.

Employment History

For current, previous and prior employment: employer, address, employer's phone, occupation, supervisor's name, monthly gross pay, and dates of employment.

Credit History and Vehicles

For a savings account, checking account, credit card and auto loan, give the bank or institution name and the balance on deposit or owed. Then list up to two vehicles by make, model, color, year and plate, including vehicles belonging to other occupants.

References and Emergency Contacts

Page 2 asks for the name, address and phone number of a doctor, a lawyer, and your nearest relative living elsewhere. Read the printed paragraph: signing lets the landlord contact these people if you cannot be located, and lets your listed relative remove your belongings if you abandon the unit. Fill in only the contacts you are comfortable sharing, and ask the landlord if a field does not apply to you.

General Information

Seventeen short questions cover late rent notices, smoking, expected length of stay, bankruptcy, move-in date, felony convictions, eviction notices, pets (type, breed, approximate weight and age), problems with your current landlord, why you are moving, income you want considered (optional), someone who could lend you rent money, past lawsuits, anything negative a credit or criminal check might show, how you heard about the unit, your email address, and referrals.

Agreement and Authorization

Sign and date to confirm your statements are true and to authorize credit and criminal checks and contact with the people listed. The paragraph also says the application is not a lease. You can sign the PDF online before downloading.

Rhode Island rules worth knowing

General information as of October 2026, from the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 34-18):

• Application fees: under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 34-18-59, a landlord, broker or property manager may not require a prospective tenant to pay a rental application fee. A landlord may require an official state criminal background check or a credit report. If you provide one issued within 90 days of applying, you cannot be charged for it. If you do not, the landlord may charge no more than the actual cost of obtaining it and must give you a copy. A violation is treated as a deceptive trade practice.
• Security deposits: under Section 34-18-19, a landlord may not demand or receive a deposit greater than one month's rent. The deposit, minus itemized deductions for unpaid rent, reasonable cleaning, trash disposal and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, must be returned within 20 days after the later of the tenancy ending, delivery of possession, or the tenant giving a forwarding address.
• Source of income: the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act protects applicants from discrimination based on lawful source of income, such as housing vouchers, Social Security or child support, with a limited exemption for owner-occupied buildings of three units or fewer. Minimum income standards must be based only on the tenant's share of the rent.

The state also publishes a Rhode Island Landlord Tenant Handbook. For advice about your situation, contact a qualified attorney or legal aid office.

Common mistakes

• Paying an "application fee" that state law does not allow, instead of only the actual cost of a required background check or credit report.
• Not offering a recent (within 90 days) background check or credit report you already have.
• Leaving the "Is/Was rent paid in full?" and "Did you give notice?" rows blank.
• Forgetting vehicles that belong to other occupants.