Rent and applications
Are rental application fees refundable?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Usually not. An application fee covers the cost of screening, such as the credit and background check, and is normally kept whether you are approved or not. Some states and cities cap these fees, require them to match the actual screening cost, or require a refund if no check was run. Check your local rules.
Typical fees run from about $25 to $75 per adult applicant, though they vary by market. Because each application costs money, a few habits save you a lot:
- Ask what the minimum income and credit standards are before you apply, so you do not pay to be rejected.
- Ask whether other applications are already under review for the same unit.
- Ask whether the fee is per person or per household.
- Get a receipt, and keep it with the listing details.
Some states let renters reuse a recent screening report they already paid for, and some landlords accept one voluntarily. Ask whether that is an option if you have applied elsewhere recently.
An application fee should be a modest, clearly stated amount paid through the landlord's application process after you have seen the unit. Be cautious if someone asks for a large application fee before any viewing, or asks for it by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. That is a common scam pattern, and in the groups Housing Rocket moderates, posts asking for money before a viewing are removed.
Want the whole picture? Read Renting Your First Apartment: Applications, Leases and Move-in Costs.