Study · statute-sourced · July 2026
Rental Application Fees: What Each State Allows
18 of 51 US jurisdictions regulate application fees — 4 ban them, 8 cap them in dollars, 6 allow only the actual cost of screening. Two of those caps (New Jersey, New Mexico) are 2025-26 laws most guides don't list yet. Every row cites the statute.
Quick answers
Is there a limit on rental application fees?
Depends on the state. Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont ban application fees outright; California ($30 per applicant, CPI-adjustable annually since 1998), Delaware (greater of 10% of monthly rent or $50), District of Columbia ($54 in 2026 (CPI-adjusted $50 base)), New Jersey ($50 (eff. 5/1/2026)), New Mexico ($50 screening fee (eff. 9/20/2025)), New York ($20 (or actual cost, whichever is less)), Virginia ($50 ($32 in HUD/public housing)), Wisconsin ($25 (credit report cost)) cap them; Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Oregon, Washington allow only the actual cost of screening. The remaining 33 states set no statewide cap — though several (Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Texas) impose refund duties.
Which states banned rental application fees?
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont. Connecticut and Rhode Island still allow charging the cost of an actual screening report in narrow cases; Massachusetts and Vermont are total bans for landlords.
What changed recently?
Two brand-new laws most guides still miss: New Jersey capped application fees at $50 effective May 1, 2026 (P.L.2025, c.405), and New Mexico capped screening fees at $50 effective September 20, 2025 (SB 267). Nevada also added mandatory refund rules effective October 2025.
My state has no cap — can the landlord charge anything?
Legally yes in most no-cap states, but market rates run $25-$75, and several no-cap states still regulate the practice: Texas requires a refund if selection criteria were not disclosed, Maryland returns unspent amounts over $25, and Minnesota and Nevada require refunds when no screening actually happens. Cities can also have their own caps (Philadelphia: $50; Boise: $30).
4
states ban application fees
8
set a dollar cap
6
allow actual cost only
33
no statewide cap
Where fees are banned or capped
| State | Application fee rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Banned Application fees prohibited; only a screening-report fee ($50 + CPI, set by the Commissioner of Housing) is allowed. Many guides miscite this as §47a-4b — that section is commercial leases. | CGS §47a-4d · Connecticut General Statutes |
| Massachusetts | Banned Landlords may only collect first month, last month, security deposit and lock/key cost — no application fees. | M.G.L. c.186 §15B · Massachusetts AG advisory |
| Rhode Island | Banned Exception: actual cost of background/credit check if the applicant does not bring one ≤90 days old. | R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-59 (eff. 1/1/2024) · Rhode Island General Laws |
| Vermont | Banned Total residential ban; landlords may not demand an SSN either. | 9 V.S.A. §4456a (as amended 2025) · Vermont Statutes |
| California | Cap: $30 per applicant, CPI-adjustable annually since 1998 The landlord may raise the $30 cap each year in line with the Consumer Price Index (starting January 1, 1998), and the fee can never exceed the actual out-of-pocket screening cost. The statute publishes the mechanism, not the yearly figure. | Civ. Code §1950.6 · California Legislative Information |
| Delaware | Cap: greater of 10% of monthly rent or $50 | 25 Del. C. §5514(d) · Delaware Code |
| District of Columbia | Cap: $54 in 2026 (CPI-adjusted $50 base) Covers ALL screening costs; the Rental Housing Commission publishes the annual cap. | D.C. Code §42-3505.10(b) · D.C. Council Code |
| New Jersey | Cap: $50 (eff. 5/1/2026) Brand-new law most guides miss: covers "similar fees", CPI-adjusted, $1,000 penalty; 1-2 family owner-occupied exempt. | P.L.2025, c.405 · NJ Attorney General guidance |
| New Mexico | Cap: $50 screening fee (eff. 9/20/2025) Other application fees prohibited; one fee per 90 days; refund if not processed. | UORRA §§47-8-19.2/19.3 (SB 267) · New Mexico Legislature |
| New York | Cap: $20 (or actual cost, whichever is less) The application fee itself is banned; only background/credit cost up to $20 — waived if the applicant brings their own report ≤30 days old. | RPL §238-a · NY Senate — Real Property Law |
| Virginia | Cap: $50 ($32 in HUD/public housing) Actual third-party costs excluded; refundable portion returned within 20 days. | Va. Code §55.1-1203 · Virginia Law |
| Wisconsin | Cap: $25 (credit report cost) Applies to credit/background report costs; waived if the applicant brings a report <30 days old. | ATCP 134.05(4) + Wis. Stat. §704.085 · Wisconsin Administrative Code |
Actual-cost-only states
| State | Application fee rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Actual cost only Same fee for every applicant; unused portion refunded within 20 days. | C.R.S. §38-12-903/904 · Colorado General Assembly (HB19-1106) |
| Hawaii | Actual cost only Excess over actual cost refunded within 30 days. | HRS §521-46 (Act 200, eff. 5/1/2024) · Governor of Hawaii / DCCA |
| Illinois | Actual cost only (reported — see note) Actual out-of-pocket screening cost only; reusable screening reports accepted. Multiple legal databases converge, but ilga.gov was unreachable for direct verification — confirm before relying. | 765 ILCS 705 (PA 103-754, eff. 1/1/2025) · Illinois General Assembly |
| Maine | Actual cost only One screening per 12 months; applicant gets a full copy of the report. | 14 M.R.S. §6030-H · Maine Legislature |
| Oregon | Actual cost only Average actual cost; one charge per 60 days; receipt required; refund if no screening. | ORS 90.295 · Oregon Legislature |
| Washington | Actual cost only No more than the customary screening cost in the area; prior written disclosure; $100 penalty. | RCW 59.18.257 · Washington Legislature |
The 33 states with no statewide cap
No cap ≠ no rules: Texas, Maryland, Minnesota and Nevada impose refund or disclosure duties, and cities like Philadelphia ($50) and Boise ($30) cap fees locally. Tap a state for its rental application with that state's rule.
| State | Application fee rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No statewide cap | Ala. Code tit. 35-9A (no provision) · Alabama URLTA |
| Alaska | No statewide cap | AS 34.03 (no provision) · Alaska Landlord-Tenant Act |
| Arizona | No statewide cap Fees not marked "nonrefundable" in writing are refundable. | ARS §33-1321(B) · Arizona Legislature |
| Arkansas | No statewide cap | No state provision (Act 459 preempts local rules) · Arkansas Code |
| Florida | No statewide cap Condo associations: $150 cap under ch. 718. | Fla. Stat. ch. 83 (no provision); §83.425 preempts local caps · Florida Senate |
| Georgia | No statewide cap | No state provision · Georgia Code |
| Idaho | No statewide cap Boise (local): lesser of actual cost or $30. | No state provision · Idaho Statutes |
| Indiana | No statewide cap | IC 32-31 (no provision) · Indiana Code |
| Iowa | No statewide cap | Iowa Code ch. 562A (no provision) · Iowa Legislature |
| Kansas | No statewide cap | K.S.A. ch. 58 art. 25 (no provision) · Kansas Statutes |
| Kentucky | No statewide cap HB 295 (2026) proposes regulation — pending, not law. | KRS 383 (no provision) · Kentucky Revised Statutes |
| Louisiana | No statewide cap | No state cap · Louisiana Laws |
| Maryland | No statewide cap Fees over $25: unspent portion must be returned within 15 days (double damages if not). Landlords with ≤4 units at one location exempt. | Md. Real Prop. §8-213 · Maryland General Assembly |
| Michigan | No statewide cap HB 4770 proposes a $50 cap — pending, not law. | No state provision · Michigan Legislature |
| Minnesota | No statewide cap No dollar cap, but fee must be refunded if no screening happens or the unit goes to someone else; $100 penalty. | Minn. Stat. §504B.173 · Minnesota Revisor |
| Mississippi | No statewide cap | Miss. Code §89-8 (no provision) · Mississippi Code |
| Missouri | No statewide cap | Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 441/535 (no provision) · Missouri Revisor |
| Montana | No statewide cap | MCA §70-24 (no provision) · Montana Code |
| Nebraska | No statewide cap | No state provision (LB17 proposed, not enacted) · Nebraska Legislature |
| Nevada | No statewide cap No dollar cap, but refund is mandatory if no screening happens or the unit is rented to someone else; charging fees for minors prohibited. | NRS 118A.306 (AB 121, eff. 10/1/2025) · Nevada Revised Statutes |
| New Hampshire | No statewide cap No cap verified; written disclosure duties apply. | RSA 540-A:3 (disclosure only) · New Hampshire General Court |
| North Carolina | No statewide cap | N.C.G.S. ch. 42 (no app-fee provision) · North Carolina General Assembly |
| North Dakota | No statewide cap | NDCC 47-16 (no provision) · North Dakota Century Code |
| Ohio | No statewide cap | ORC 5321 (no provision) · Ohio Revised Code |
| Oklahoma | No statewide cap | Okla. Stat. tit. 41 (no provision) · Oklahoma Statutes |
| Pennsylvania | No statewide cap Philadelphia (local): lesser of $50 or actual cost (Bill 250045). | No state provision · Pennsylvania Statutes |
| South Carolina | No statewide cap | S.C. Code §27-40 (no provision) · South Carolina Code |
| South Dakota | No statewide cap | SDCL 43-32 (no provision) · South Dakota Codified Laws |
| Tennessee | No statewide cap | T.C.A. 66-28 (no provision) · Tennessee Code |
| Texas | No statewide cap No cap, but the fee must be refunded if the landlord did not give notice of selection criteria (§92.3515). | Tex. Prop. Code §§92.351–.3515 · Texas Statutes |
| Utah | No statewide cap Written disclosure required before charging a fee. | Utah Code 57-22 (HB 182, eff. 5/7/2025) · Utah Legislature |
| West Virginia | No statewide cap | W. Va. Code ch. 37 (37-6A-1 only defines the term) · West Virginia Code |
| Wyoming | No statewide cap | W.S. 1-21-1201 et seq. (no provision) · Wyoming Statutes |
Method and sources
Compiled July 2026 from each jurisdiction's statute or official agency guidance — every row links its source. Illinois' actual-cost rule (765 ILCS 705, eff. 2025) converges across legal databases but the official ilga.gov text was unreachable during compilation; it is flagged in its row. Pending bills (Kentucky HB 295, Michigan HB 4770) are noted but not counted. Licensed CC BY 4.0 — cite freely with a link.
Download CSV / JSON: rental-application-fees.csv · rental-application-fees.json
— 51 rows, one per jurisdiction. Each row carries the statute it comes from (cite, the authority) and a link to read it
(sourceUrl — not always the official site: some rows link a secondary copy or summary of that statute), plus the dataset’s
as-of year (asOf). CC BY 4.0; the CSV header is on line 1.
Related studies: security deposit limits · eviction notice periods · late rent notice.
SealForms provides informational templates and statute summaries, not legal advice. Laws change — the linked statute is always the final word.