Rhode Island Rental Application (2026)

A landlord's tenant application with lawful screening questions, fee disclosure and FCRA consent, adjusted to your state's rules.

Updated September 2026≈ 10 minReviewed against R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59 · R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4

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What you'll get

Sample first page of the Rental Application. Your answers fill in the blanks; the clauses required in Rhode Island are added automatically.

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What this document covers

Property, rent and desired move-in date
Application fee within the state cap and receipt
Pre-screening notice where the state requires it
Applicant identity and co-applicants
Residence history for 3 years
Employment and income, including lawful sources
Eviction and bankruptcy questions where allowed
Fair-chance criminal-history rules
Tenant selection criteria and equal-housing statement
FCRA consent and adverse-action notice

Rhode Island rules that this document follows

Application fee limit	actual costSource: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59 (no rental application fee; landlord may charge only the actual cost of the official state background check and/or credit report, eff. 1/1/2024)
Refund rule	No fee may be charged if the applicant provides their own background check or credit report dated within 90 days; applicant charged a fee must receive a copy of the reportSource: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59 (no rental application fee; landlord may charge only the actual cost of the official state background check and/or credit report, eff. 1/1/2024)
Must give applicant a copy of screening report	Yes
Criminal-history questions	No state limit
Source of income protected	Yes — vouchers and other lawful income must be consideredSource: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4 (lawful source of income incl. housing assistance, 2021)
Additional protected classes	ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, lawful source of income, housing status, status as a victim of domestic abuse, military status

Rules current as of 2026-10-27. Statutes change; verify before relying on them.

How to use this Rental Application in Rhode Island

Use one application per adult. Collect the Social Security number only on the signed paper copy, never by email. Apply the same written criteria to every applicant and keep denied applications for at least two years in case of a fair-housing inquiry.

Charge only a fee that Rhode Island permits, give a receipt, and if you deny based on a consumer report send the FCRA adverse-action notice within a few days.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord charge an application fee in Rhode Island?

Rule: actual cost (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59).

What questions are illegal on a rental application?

You may not ask about race, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability, nor about arrests without conviction. Rhode Island adds: ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, lawful source of income, housing status, status as a victim of domestic abuse, military status. This form omits those questions automatically.

Do I have to give the applicant a copy of the screening report?

Yes — Rhode Island requires it on request or with a denial, in addition to the federal FCRA adverse-action notice.

Other names

tenant application form
apartment application
lease application
rental application form
tenant screening form
renter application
housing application

Other states

FormsByState provides self-help document templates and general information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm. For advice about your situation consult a licensed attorney in your state.