Arizona Rental Application Form

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An Arizona rental application form helps a landlord choose a prospective tenant who is well suited to rent a particular property. The form requests personal and employment information plus consent for a credit check (sometimes called a consumer report). Applications often collect a non-refundable fee, commonly equal to the cost of getting the relevant screening reports.

Arizona Rental Application Laws

Arizona has minimal regulations on the content or process of a rental application. Unlike some states, Arizona does not cap application fees or require a specific recipient. In general, if the landlord wants the application fee to be nonrefundable, this must be noted in a clear writing to the prospective tenant (which can be part of the application form).

Quick Guide To Process an Arizona Rental Application

  1. Verify Credit – Order a credit report for the potential tenant; a score of 600-650 is a common minimum requirement. A credit report can be as simple as a “pass/fail” result or can have comprehensive details, including criminal history. ( NOTE: a credit report requires the tenant’s written and signed consent, on the application or separately )
  2. Verify Income – Check the potential tenant’s employment status and pay scale. This can be done through recent pay stubs and/or contacting the potential tenant’s employer.
  3. Check Rental History – Contact previous landlord(s) to confirm a potential tenant has in the past been a good renter and neighbor.
  4. Check Eviction History – Verify the potential tenant has honestly disclosed the details of any past evictions. An eviction check usually covers a longer period (previous 7 years) than a rental history check (previous 3 years).
  5. Check Criminal History – Confirm the potential tenant’s reporting of any criminal history, especially including a check of criminal databases like sex offender registries.
  6. Provide a Response – Approve the application if it’s a good fit, or, if rejecting the application, draft an appropriate adverse action notice to limit liability.

Checking Eviction History in Arizona

Arizona eviction cases are matters of public record which anyone can access. The state Judicial Court Directory reports case information for 177 out of 184 courts in Arizona at the time of writing. While third-party services often automatically check eviction history using these services as part of a screening report, this also can be checked manually, with the following process:

Restrictions on Arizona Rental Application Questions

The sample rental application provided on this page complies with federal law restricting the information a landlord can request. In general, it’s illegal under the Federal Fair Housing Act to screen tenants by asking for information about the following, or using these as a basis for approving or denying an application:

Arizona also prohibits questions regarding citizenship and immigration status at the statewide level. There are narrow exemptions from the Fair Housing Act for things like senior housing or certain very-small scale landlords, but local regulations may still apply. Always consult an attorney before attempting to ignore state or federal requirements.

Rejecting an Application: Adverse Action Notice

When taking an action which may disadvantage a potential tenant, a landlord may have to provide an adverse action notice informing the tenant about the decision (sometimes called a “conditional approval,” if the application is approved subject to meeting additional conditions). Federal regulations require an adverse action notice whenever a landlord collects a credit report and takes one of the following actions:

Important Features of an Adverse Action Notice

An adverse action notice must contain the following details:

While not legally required, it also is expedient for a landlord to explain the reasons for the adverse action, since this establishes a written record of issues with the application.

Fees in Arizona

Arizona has the following regulations on fees relating to a new rental:

Local jurisdictions may impose stricter regulations than the statewide standard. Always check local laws.

Rental Application Forms in Other States

Other Arizona Rental Templates

Standard Residential Lease Agreement

Month-to-Month Rental Agreement

Residential Sublease Agreement

Room Rental Agreement

Lease Termination Notice