New York Rental Fee Rules
New York rules on rental fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: Application fees are banned. Apart from fees required by statute or regulation, a landlord may not charge any fee to process, review, or accept an application, or any other payment before or at the start of the tenancy, except a background/credit check fee. N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1), (3)
The rules in New York
| Application / screening fees | Application fees are banned. Apart from fees required by statute or regulation, a landlord may not charge any fee to process, review, or accept an application, or any other payment before or at the start of the tenancy, except a background/credit check fee. That fee is capped at the lesser of the actual cost or $20. It must be waived if the applicant provides a background or credit check from the past 30 days. The landlord may collect it only after giving the applicant a copy of the check and the receipt or invoice. Lease waivers are void. Exceptions exist for certain cooperative housing corporations (purchase applications) and senior or continuing-care communities. Separately, a landlord may not refuse to rent because an applicant was involved in a past or pending housing court case (RPL § 227-f, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPP/227-F). |
|---|---|
| Other rental fees | No payment, fee, or charge may be demanded before or at the start of the tenancy other than the security deposit (max one month's rent under GOL § 7-108) and the capped background/credit check fee. Late fees: only after rent is 5 days late, capped at the lesser of $50 or 5% of monthly rent. Bounced-check fees: only if the lease provides for them, capped at the greater of the landlord's actual costs or the GOL § 5-328(3) amount. Lease waivers are void. § 238-a has no express rule on recurring fees during the tenancy (for example online-payment or convenience fees). New York City's FARE Act (broker fees) is local law and not covered here. |
Related questions
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee?
- What rental fees are illegal (junk fees)?
New York vs. neighboring states
| State | Application / screening fees | Other rental fees |
|---|---|---|
| New York | Application fees are banned. Apart from fees required by statute or regulation, a landlord may not charge any fee to process, review, or accept an application, or any other payment before or at the start of the tenancy, except a background/credit check fee. That fee is capped at the lesser of the actual cost or $20. It must be waived if the applicant provides a background or credit check from the past 30 days. The landlord may collect it only after giving the applicant a copy of the check and the receipt or invoice. Lease waivers are void. N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1), (3) | No payment, fee, or charge may be demanded before or at the start of the tenancy other than the security deposit (max one month's rent under GOL § 7-108) and the capped background/credit check fee. Late fees: only after rent is 5 days late, capped at the lesser of $50 or 5% of monthly rent. Bounced-check fees: only if the lease provides for them, capped at the greater of the landlord's actual costs or the GOL § 5-328(3) amount. Lease waivers are void. N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1)(a), (2), (2-a), (3) |
| Connecticut | Rental application fees are banned. A landlord may not charge a prospective tenant any fee to process, review, or accept a rental application. Before or at the start of the tenancy, the only allowed charges are a security deposit, first month's rent, a deposit for a key or special equipment, and a tenant screening report fee. The screening fee may not exceed $50, plus an annual consumer price index adjustment set by the Commissioner of Housing. A landlord who charges it must give the applicant a copy of the screening report (or information on how to get it from the provider) and a copy of the screening company's receipt or invoice. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d | Move-in and move-out fees are banned (§ 47a-4d(b)). Advertised rent must include every fee the tenant is required to pay on a periodic basis, prorated, even fees charged by default that the tenant could opt out of. Excluded from that rule: actual-cost payment processing fees (if a fee-free payment option is offered), pet fees or deposits, submetered or variable direct-paid utilities, damage charges, and separate service fees such as lockouts or key replacement. Starting April 1, 2026, every written lease must have as its first page a completed copy of the Department of Housing's standardized rental terms summary form. Tenant payments must be applied to rent first, then to other fees. The penalty for violating § 47a-7d is one month's rent payable to the tenant, plus possible attorney's fees. Landlords may not require electronic funds transfer as the only way to pay rent or a deposit (§ 47a-4c). On request, the landlord must give an occupant a copy of the ledger showing charges, payments, and balance (§ 47a-3a(d)). Late fees are capped separately (§ 47a-15a(b)). Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-4d(b), 47a-7d, 47a-4c, 47a-3a(d) |
| Massachusetts | Banned in effect. Before or at the start of a tenancy, a landlord or the landlord's agent may not require any payment except: first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit of no more than one month's rent, and the cost of buying and installing a lock and key. Application and screening fees are not on the list. G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b) (as amended by St. 2025, c. 9, §§ 54-55, eff. Aug. 1, 2025) | Payments at move-in are limited to the four items in § 15B(1)(b). Since Aug. 1, 2025, that limit also covers payments to the landlord's agent, which ends renter-paid broker fees when the broker works for the landlord. After the tenancy starts, the landlord may not demand advance rent beyond the current month or a larger deposit. No late fee or interest may be charged until rent is 30 days overdue. Regulations may allow an optional 'fee in lieu of security deposit', capped at one month's rent in total. G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b)-(d) |
| New Jersey | Capped at $50. A landlord or agent may not require an application or similar fee above $50 to apply to lease or sublease a residential unit. The cap is adjusted each January 1 by the Division of Consumer Affairs in line with the regional CPI. Exempt: units in one- or two-family dwellings, and real estate licensees who are not the landlord. Violations carry penalties of up to $500 (first), $750 (second), and $1,000 (each later offense), enforced in the Special Civil Part on complaint of the Division of Consumer Affairs director or the Attorney General; the overcharge is refunded to the applicant from the penalty. N.J.S.A. 46:8-18.1 (P.L.2025, c.405); 46:8-18.2 | Limited. A landlord may not require rent or other lease payments to be made by electronic funds transfer, including automatic recurring transfers. If a lease lets the landlord recover attorney's fees or expenses (including as 'additional rent'), the law reads in a matching right for a tenant who wins to recover theirs, and the lease must state this in bold type. Application fees are capped (see application_fees). No statute found that caps move-in or convenience fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. N.J.S.A. 46:8-49.1; 2A:18-61.66, 2A:18-61.67 |
| Pennsylvania | No statute - Pennsylvania has no statewide cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, 68 P.S. 250.101 et seq. | No statewide statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in the Landlord and Tenant Act. 68 P.S. 250.101 et seq. |
| Vermont | Banned. A landlord or agent may not charge any application fee to apply for a residential rental. For background or credit checks the landlord must accept any unexpired government ID, an ITIN, or a Social Security number, and may not require an SSN or reject an application for lacking one. 9 V.S.A. § 4456a | Not verified yet |
City rules that may add to state law
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New York Rental Fee Rules FAQ
Is there a limit on rental application fees in New York?
Application fees are banned. Apart from fees required by statute or regulation, a landlord may not charge any fee to process, review, or accept an application, or any other payment before or at the start of the tenancy, except a background/credit check fee. That fee is capped at the lesser of the actual cost or $20. It must be waived if the applicant provides a background or credit check from the past 30 days. The landlord may collect it only after giving the applicant a copy of the check and the receipt or invoice. Lease waivers are void. (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1), (3))
What rental fees are banned or limited in New York?
No payment, fee, or charge may be demanded before or at the start of the tenancy other than the security deposit (max one month's rent under GOL § 7-108) and the capped background/credit check fee. Late fees: only after rent is 5 days late, capped at the lesser of $50 or 5% of monthly rent. Bounced-check fees: only if the lease provides for them, capped at the greater of the landlord's actual costs or the GOL § 5-328(3) amount. Lease waivers are void. (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1)(a), (2), (2-a), (3))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.