Screening prospective tenants starts with a clear rental application. This CaliFormas template helps California landlords collect applicant identity, housing history, income, references, and consent language themes related to consumer reports and fair housing. It is a sample form pending attorney review — not legal advice and not a credit-reporting product.
Who it is for. Independent landlords and small managers who want a bilingual application packet before running their own screening process, and applicants who want to know what information landlords commonly request. It is not a substitute for a compliant screening policy, adverse-action notices, or a consumer reporting agency forms.
California and federal themes in general terms. Fair housing laws prohibit discrimination based on protected characteristics under federal and California law (California list is broader than the federal baseline). The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and related California rules affect how landlords obtain and use consumer reports, disclose that a report may be pulled, and send notices if an application is denied based on a report. California has also debated and adopted limits around certain criminal-history or other screening practices in some contexts; cities may add source-of-income or other protections. Application fees must be handled carefully under state rules. This page does not certify that your screening criteria are lawful.
What is included. Guided sections for applicant details, current and prior addresses, employment/income, occupants, pets, emergency contacts, references, and acknowledgment/consent checkboxes. The generated sample is formatted for printing or PDF/DOCX. EN/ES UI; English controls if both versions exist.
How to use it. Preview free, complete the wizard, pay $9 one-time to download, then pair it with your written screening criteria and any required disclosures. Ask counsel before denying an applicant based on a background or credit report.
Keep applications consistent for every applicant to support fair housing compliance. Store personal data securely and retain only what you need. If you use a screening company, follow its adverse-action workflow in addition to anything on this sample form. This page is general information for California self-help users.
Pricing is $9 one-time. The application is a sample template pending attorney review and is not legal advice.
CaliFormas is not a law firm. This page provides general information only.
Before you start
- Applicant full legal name and contact information
- Current and prior addresses with landlord contacts if available
- Employment / income information the applicant will provide
- Occupants, pets, and vehicle information if you collect them
- Any screening disclosures your process requires (for your own compliance)
What you get
- Filled sample document you can preview before paying
- Download as PDF and Microsoft Word (DOCX)
- Bilingual English / Spanish questionnaire and document options
- Short instructions cover with the sample (pending attorney review)
- One-time Stripe checkout — no subscription