Washington Rental Application

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

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Washington rules that this document follows

Application fee limitactual costSource: RCW 59.18.257(1)(b) (screening fee may not exceed the actual cost of the screening service, or actual in-house cost for self-screening)
Refund ruleNo fee may be charged if the landlord accepts a comprehensive reusable tenant screening report and one is provided; landlord must give written notice before chargingSource: RCW 59.18.257(1)(b) (screening fee may not exceed the actual cost of the screening service, or actual in-house cost for self-screening)
Must give applicant a copy of screening reportNot required by state law (FCRA adverse-action notice still applies)Source: 15 U.S.C. § 1681m
Criminal-history questionsNo statewide limit. Seattle Fair Chance Housing Ordinance (SMC 14.09): landlords may not inquire about or consider criminal history (except sex-offender registry with legitimate business reason); Tacoma and Spokane have related ordinances.Source: Seattle Mun. Code 14.09.025
Source of income protectedYes — vouchers and other lawful income must be consideredSource: RCW 59.18.255; RCW 49.60.222 (HB 2578, eff. 9/30/2018)
Additional protected classescreed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, source of income, use of a trained dog guide or service animal, citizenship or immigration status
Holding depositLandlord accepting a holding fee/deposit must sign a written receipt stating the conditions of forfeiture and give the applicant a written statement of any deductions; deposit is applied to move-in costs or refunded, and may be retained only if the applicant backs out (RCW 59.18.253)

Rules current as of 2026-09-07. Statutes change; verify before relying on them.

How to use this Rental Application in Washington

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 Washington 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 Washington?

Rule: actual cost (RCW 59.18.257(1)(b) (screening fee may not exceed the actual cost of the screening service, or actual in-house cost for self-screening)).

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. Washington adds: creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, source of income, use of a trained dog guide or service animal, citizenship or immigration status. This form omits those questions automatically.

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

Federal law requires an adverse-action notice naming the reporting agency; Washington does not separately require a copy of the report.

Related documents

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.