Rental Application Fee and Junk Fee Laws by State (2026)
Caps on application and screening fees, and limits on move-in, convenience and other rental fees, in all 50 states and DC.
A fast-changing area
Several states have recently capped or banned application fees, required landlords to disclose all fees up front, or banned fees for paying rent online. Check your state's row and the date it was last verified.
Rental Fees: all 50 states and DC
| State | Application / screening fees | Other rental fees |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No statute — Alabama's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ch. 35-9A) does not cap or regulate rental application or screening fees, and has no portable-screening-report rule. Ala. Code Title 35, Ch. 9A (checked) | No general rental junk-fee statute. A lease may not require the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees or costs of collection, confess judgment, or waive deposit rules; a landlord who knowingly tries to enforce such a clause owes actual damages plus up to one month's rent and attorney fees. Security beyond one month's rent is allowed only for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risk. Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-163, 35-9A-201(a) |
| Alaska | No statute caps or regulates application fees. The Department of Law says a nonrefundable application fee is probably lawful if it covers the landlord's actual, reasonable costs, such as a credit check. A fee that becomes the security deposit if the tenant moves in, but is forfeited if the applicant decides not to rent, is not lawful. AS 34.03 (no application-fee provision); Dept. of Law guidance | No statewide junk-fee or fee-disclosure law was found. 'Nonrefundable' cleaning fees and automatic deposit forfeitures are treated as unlawful deposits. The Act does not address late or NSF fees. Such a fee is enforceable only if agreed in advance, and should be a small flat amount that approximates the landlord's actual costs. A tenant who is current on rent cannot be evicted for unpaid late fees. A lease may not require the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees. Mobile home parks may not charge fees to sell or transfer a home, or to move a home into or out of the park. AS 34.03.070; AS 34.03.120(c); AS 34.03.040; mobile home rules per handbook |
| Arizona | No statute caps or bans rental application or screening fees, and no statute requires portable screening reports. The only general rule is that the landlord must state in writing the purpose of any nonrefundable fee or deposit, and any fee or deposit not designated nonrefundable is refundable. A.R.S. § 33-1321(B); A.R.S. Title 33, Ch. 10 (§§ 33-1301 to 33-1381) checked | No general junk-fee or total-cost-of-rent statute. Specific limits: (1) the purpose of every nonrefundable fee must be stated in writing, and fees not designated nonrefundable are refundable (§ 33-1321(B)); (2) a landlord who bills utilities separately through submetering or ratio utility billing may recover only the provider's charges plus an administrative fee for actual administrative costs, with no other charges, and the lease must disclose the separately billed utilities and the fee amount (§ 33-1314.01(B)); (3) late fees must be 'reasonable' and set out in a written rental agreement to be required for reinstatement (§ 33-1368(B)); (4) a lease may not require the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees, except under a prevailing-party clause (§ 33-1315(A)(2)). A.R.S. §§ 33-1321(B), 33-1314.01, 33-1368(B), 33-1315(A) |
| Arkansas | No state cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees, and no portable screening report law. Since Act 459 of 2025, cities, counties, and other local governments may not regulate or control the amount of rental application fees (or of rent or deposits) for private residential or commercial property. Ark. Code §§ 14-16-601, 14-54-1409 (as amended by Act 459 of 2025) | No statute limits other rental fees (move-in, convenience, or online-payment fees) or requires total-cost-of-rent disclosure. The Landlord-Tenant Act lets the parties include any lease terms not prohibited by law, so the lease governs. Ark. Code § 18-17-401(a) (Act 1004 of 2007) |
| California | An application screening fee is capped at the landlord's actual out-of-pocket costs and the value of time spent, and may not exceed $30 per applicant, adjusted annually by CPI since 1998. Guarantors and cosigners count as applicants. A landlord may not charge a fee when it knows or should know that no unit is or will soon be available. Since January 1, 2025 (AB 2493), a fee is allowed only if the landlord either (A) considers completed applications in the order received under written screening criteria given with the application, approves the first qualified applicant, and charges no fee until an application is actually considered (fees collected by mistake must be refunded within 7 days), or (B) refunds the full fee to every applicant who is not selected, within 7 days of selecting a tenant or 30 days after the application, whichever comes first. The landlord must give an itemized receipt and, if a fee was paid, a copy of the credit report within 7 days of receiving it. Any part of the fee not spent on screening must be refunded. If a landlord chooses to accept a reusable tenant screening report (prepared within the last 30 days at the applicant's expense), it may not charge an application fee or a fee to access that report. Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1950.6, 1950.1 | Any fee charged at the start of a tenancy to cover the cost of processing a new tenant counts as 'security'. It therefore falls under the deposit cap and refund rules, and no part of it may be labeled nonrefundable. Application screening fees are regulated separately. A landlord must accept at least one form of rent payment that is neither cash nor electronic funds transfer, and may not charge a fee for paying rent or deposit by check. Since January 1, 2025 (SB 611), a landlord may not charge a fee for serving, posting, or delivering a termination notice. If a tenant opts into positive rent reporting to credit bureaus, the landlord may charge no more than the lesser of its actual cost or $10 per month, and nothing if it has no cost. Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1950.5(b), (n); 1947.3(a)-(b); 1946(b); 1946.1(i); 1954.07(g) |
| Colorado | No fixed dollar cap. Under the Rental Application Fairness Act, a landlord may charge an application fee only to cover its actual or average costs of processing applications. The fee must be the same for every applicant for the unit, or for all units the landlord is offering at the same time. The landlord must disclose anticipated expenses or itemize actual expenses, explaining how any average-cost fee is calculated. The landlord must give a receipt (electronic unless the applicant asks for paper) and make a good-faith effort to refund any unused portion within 20 calendar days. Landlords must accept a portable tenant screening report and may not charge an application fee or any fee to access it. The landlord may require that the report is no more than 30 days old, is free to access, and comes with the applicant's statement that nothing material has changed. Applicants must be told of this right in ads, on the landlord's website, in the application, or orally. Landlords who accept only one application fee at a time and refund it within 20 days of a decline are exempt from the portable-report rules. A denial must be in writing with reasons, sent within 20 days. Violations: $2,500 plus costs and attorney fees after 7 days' notice, or $50 if the landlord cures within 7 days. C.R.S. §§ 38-12-901 to 38-12-905 | Since January 1, 2026, rent advertisements and offers must show the total price, meaning all mandatory fees, as one number that is more prominent than any other price information. Landlords may not misrepresent fees and must disclose the nature, refundability, and recipient of any optional charges. The cost of separately billed utilities need not be included. Landlords may not charge tenants for: utilities above what the provider bills for the unit; fees that rise more than 2% during a lease of one year or less (except utilities); property taxes; payment processing, unless a free payment method is reasonably available; late fees on anything other than rent; anything needed to meet the landlord's own duties, including habitability; anything not actually provided; or common-area maintenance. Leases may not pass through a markup on third-party services greater than 2% of the bill or $10 a month (not both). A violation is a deceptive trade practice. If a written demand goes unpaid for 14 days, the tenant can recover actual damages plus 18% annual interest. C.R.S. § 6-1-737 (added by HB 25-1090); § 38-12-801(3)(a)(VI) |
| 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) |
| Delaware | Capped at the greater of 10% of the monthly rent or $50. Landlord must give a receipt for the full amount and keep application-fee records for at least 2 years; demanding more than allowed entitles the applicant to double the fee charged. Credit/investigation charges may not exceed the specific cost of the investigation, and no other 'assurance money' may be taken from an applicant (other than a deposit reserving the unit for a set time). Application records must be kept 6 months; the AG Consumer Protection Unit enforces. 25 Del. C. §§ 5514(d), 5310 | A landlord may not charge any nonrefundable fee as a condition of occupancy, except optional fees for actual services (e.g., pool or tennis court fee). Late charges are capped at 5% of monthly rent and cannot be imposed until rent is more than 5 days late; if the landlord has no in-county office for payment, the due date is extended 3 days. Cash rent payments require a receipt within 15 days. 25 Del. C. §§ 5311, 5501(d)-(e) |
| District of Columbia | Capped at $50, which the housing provider may adjust annually by CPI since Jan. 1, 2024. Only one application fee for applications to multiple units of the same provider within 30 days (unless more than one screening is required). No fee other than the application fee may be charged before lease signing, and no holding deposit from voucher holders. Unused fees must be refunded within 14 days if no screening is done. Before collecting any fee the provider must disclose, in writing or posting, each fee and whether refundable, screening criteria, the response time, and dispute rights; denials require a written adverse-action notice. D.C. Code § 42-3505.10(a)-(c), (f) | A housing provider may not charge fees before move-in, during the tenancy, or after move-out for services it must provide to keep the unit habitable and code-compliant, including fees for utilities, trash, locks, or administrative fees for third-party billing. From Jan. 1, 2027, utility charges for common areas or vacant units may not be billed separately (only through rent; RUBS allocation still allowed). Late fees: max 5% of rent, only if disclosed in the written lease and rent is more than 5 days late; charged once per late payment, no interest, and never grounds for eviction. D.C. Code §§ 42-3505.10(b)(3), (b-2); 42-3505.11; 42-3505.31 |
| Florida | No statute caps or regulates residential rental application or screening fees. Since 2023, local governments are preempted from regulating rental applications, screening and application fees. Fla. Stat. § 83.425 | No general statutory cap on late fees or other rental fees. Specific rules: an optional fee in lieu of a security deposit requires written disclosures (including that the tenant may choose a deposit instead at any time); liquidated damages for failing to give end-of-lease notice require a landlord notice that lists all fees, penalties and charges. Local fee regulation is preempted. Fla. Stat. §§ 83.425, 83.491, 83.575(2) |
| Georgia | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Hawaii | Allowed only to cover the actual costs of screening (reference checks, tenant reports, criminal background checks, credit reports), and only for applicants 18 or older or emancipated minors. On request, the landlord must give a receipt and a breakdown of costs covered. Any unused portion must be returned within 30 days after the landlord submits the screening requests. No dollar cap. HRS § 521-46 (Act 200, SLH 2023) | At the start of a tenancy the landlord may collect only the first month's rent and the security deposit (plus a pet deposit where allowed); no other move-in money. Late charges may not exceed 8% of the rent due. HRS §§ 521-44(b), 521-21(f) |
| Idaho | Not verified yet | Any fee charged to a residential tenant, including late fees, must be reasonable. The owner may not charge any fee, fine, assessment, interest or other cost above the amount in the rental agreement, or one not in the agreement, unless the agreement is oral or the owner gives 30 days' written notice of the change. Applies to rental agreements entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2023; does not limit rent. Local governments may not regulate rent, fees or deposits. Idaho Code §§ 55-305, 55-306 |
| Illinois | Reusable screening reports: if an applicant provides a qualifying reusable tenant screening report (prepared within the last 30 days by a consumer reporting agency, free for the landlord to access, covering the landlord's criteria), the landlord may not charge an application screening fee or a fee to access the report (since Jan. 1, 2025). For leases entered on or after Jan. 1, 2027, rental application fees (including background checks) are capped at $50; a landlord may pass through a higher actual third-party background-check cost only if it paid the cost up front and bills the applicant with receipts within 14 days (otherwise the fee is waived). Fees added on top of the application fee that duplicate screening costs or are unrelated to screening are banned. 765 ILCS 705/30 (P.A. 103-840, eff. 1-1-25); 765 ILCS 705/35(c)(1)-(2) (P.A. 104-479, eff. 1-1-27) | For leases entered on or after Jan. 1, 2027: all non-optional fees (one-time or recurring) must appear on the first page of the lease or the tenant does not owe them; listings must disclose non-optional fees, and listings/leases must say whether utilities are included. Banned: lease renewal/modification fees; fees for an eviction notice or for filing before an eviction order (court costs still recoverable); after-hours maintenance fees; fees for contacting the owner/manager or a maintenance hotline; maintenance travel fees; routine maintenance fees; pest fees where the tenant did not contribute; and move-in/move-out walk-through fees. Renaming a fee does not avoid the law; tenants may sue for injunctive and monetary relief plus attorney's fees. Already in effect: a landlord using a payment portal that charges a transaction fee must allow a fee-free way to pay rent (leases after 1-1-25), and a landlord may not require rent to be paid by electronic funds transfer (leases after 1-1-24). 765 ILCS 705/35 (P.A. 104-479, eff. 1-1-27); 765 ILCS 705/3.5 (P.A. 103-809); 765 ILCS 705/4 (P.A. 103-132) |
| Indiana | No state cap or refund rule on application or screening fees was found. Local governments are barred from regulating tenant screening, lease applications, or any fees charged by a landlord unless the General Assembly authorizes it. IC 32-31-1-20(c) | No statute — no state limit or disclosure rule for other rental fees (convenience, move-in, etc.) was found in IC 32-31, and local units are preempted from regulating 'any fees charged by a landlord'. IC 32-31-1-20(c)(7); IC 32-31 (checked) |
| Iowa | No statute — no cap, refund rule, or reusable-screening-report rule was found in Iowa Code ch. 562A. Iowa Code ch. 562A (section list checked) | No general junk-fee or fee-disclosure statute. The only statutory fee limit found is the late-fee cap (rent up to $700/month: $12/day, $60/month max; rent over $700: $20/day, $100/month max). Landlords may not charge fees or penalties for a tenant's summoning police or emergency assistance. Iowa Code §562A.9(4); §562A.27B(1) |
| Kansas | No statute — the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (K.S.A. 58-2540 et seq.) sets no cap, refund rule, or reusable-report rule for application or screening fees. K.S.A. 58-2540 et seq. (section list checked) | No statute — no general limit or disclosure rule for other rental fees was found in the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. K.S.A. 58-2540 et seq. (section list checked) |
| Kentucky | No statute — no cap, refund rule, or reusable-screening-report rule was found in KRS Chapter 383. KRS Chapter 383 (section list checked) | No statute — no general limit or disclosure rule for other rental fees was found in KRS Chapter 383. A lease may not authorize penalties or termination because a tenant called police or sought emergency help (punitive damages up to 2 months' rent). KRS Chapter 383 (checked); KRS 383.302 |
| Louisiana | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Maine | Application fees and fees to review or approve an application are banned. The one exception: the landlord may charge the actual cost of only one of these: a background check, a credit check or another screening process. The landlord must first tell the applicant that the law requires giving them a complete copy of the information obtained, and must then provide that copy. No more than one screening fee per applicant in any 12-month period. 14 M.R.S. § 6030-H (PL 2023, c. 346) | Move-in cap: at the start of a tenancy the landlord, agent or broker may not require more than (1) the first full month's rent, (2) a security deposit within the § 6032 limit, and (3) any properly disclosed mandatory recurring fee. Before signing, the landlord must give a signed, plain-language written disclosure of total rent, mandatory recurring fees, optional recurring fees, utility costs and any other cost the tenant will pay. This is not required if the tenant pays no recurring fees. Optional recurring fees (for non-essential services or features) are allowed only with prior written notice that the tenant may opt in and stop paying at any time without penalty; a landlord may not deny or end a tenancy because the tenant opts out. Notice rules for raising rent or a mandatory recurring fee are in § 6015. 14 M.R.S. §§ 6000(1-A), 6022-A, 6030-I, 6030-J (PL 2023, c. 594) |
| Maryland | There is no dollar cap. If any non-deposit fee charged to an applicant exceeds $25, the landlord must return it within 15 days after move-in or after either party says in writing that no tenancy will occur. The landlord may keep only the amount actually spent on a credit check or other application expenses. Penalty for not returning it: twice the fee. The application must explain the tenant's liabilities and these rules. Does not apply to landlords offering 4 or fewer units on one parcel or location, or to seasonal or condominium rentals. Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-213 | Move-in cap: a lease may not require more than the security deposit plus the first month's rent to start the lease and move in. Late fees are capped at 5% of the unpaid rent (weekly leases: $3 a week, $12 a month). A lease may not make the tenant pay the District Court filing surcharge assessed against the landlord, except as § 7-301(c)(5)(ii) of the Courts Article allows. The landlord may charge no more than $5 for the 6-day eviction notice. The lease must include the Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights. Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-208(c)(4), 8-208(d)(3), (11), (13); 8-407(b)(3) |
| 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) |
| Michigan | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Minnesota | No dollar cap. A landlord may not charge a screening fee when no unit is or will soon be available. The landlord must give a receipt on request, and may not cash the fee until all earlier applicants have been screened. Before accepting the fee, the landlord must disclose in writing the screening service used (name, address, phone) and the rental criteria. The landlord must notify a rejected applicant within 14 days, naming the criteria not met. The fee must be refunded if the applicant is rejected for a reason not disclosed, or if an earlier applicant takes the unit, and any unused part must be refunded. Applications may not be denied because of a pending eviction, an expunged or nonpublic file, or an eviction that did not end in a writ. Penalty: the fee plus up to $100, costs and attorney fees. Minn. Stat. § 504B.173 | All non-optional fees must be disclosed in the lease. Rent plus all non-optional fees must be shown as the 'Total Monthly Payment' on the first page of the lease. Advertisements must include non-optional fees in the advertised total and say whether utilities are included. Penalty: treble damages plus attorney fees. Starting Aug. 1, 2026: a landlord that uses a digital payment platform must offer a free alternative when the platform is down, may not take adverse action such as eviction or late fees when both methods fail, and a violation is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment eviction. Final submetered or apportioned utility bills may not include extra fees beyond the authorized administrative and late charges. Minn. Stat. § 504B.120; § 504B.118 (as amended by 2026 Minn. Laws c. 81, § 2); § 504B.216, subd. 7a and § 216B.023, subd. 3a (2026 c. 81) |
| Mississippi | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Missouri | No statute. Missouri statutes do not cap or regulate rental application or screening fees. Since 28 Aug 2025, cities and counties may not restrict a landlord's use of credit scores, credit reports, eviction or property damage history, or criminal history in screening. RSMo Ch. 441, 534, 535 (no fee section); RSMo 441.043.2(2) | No statute. No Missouri statute limits move-in, convenience, or online-payment fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. In a rent-and-possession case, other lease charges may be joined to the claim but are not treated as rent and cannot by themselves support an order for possession. RSMo Ch. 441, 535 (no fee section); RSMo 535.020 |
| Montana | No statute caps or regulates rental application or screening fees. Note that any fee or charge for cleaning and damages, however labeled, is presumed to be a security deposit (and refundable under the deposit law). Mont. Code Ann. § 70-25-101(4); Title 70, Ch. 24 and 25 (no application-fee section) | No general statute on move-in, convenience or online-payment fees or all-in rent disclosure. Related rules: a cleaning or damage fee of any name is presumed to be a refundable security deposit, and a landlord may not require a tenant to provide an email address as a condition of the lease. Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-101(4), 70-24-202(4) |
| Nebraska | No statute caps or regulates rental application or screening fees. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 76-1401 to 76-1449 (section list reviewed) | No statute limits move-in, convenience or online-payment fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. A domestic-violence survivor released from a lease under § 76-1431.01 may not be charged a fee solely because of the termination. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 76-1401 to 76-1449; 76-1431.01(4)(b) |
| Nevada | No dollar cap. A landlord who collects an application, credit-report or background-check fee must refund it if the unit is rented to someone else and the landlord did not actually process the application or obtain the report or check. Landlords may not charge application, credit-report or background-check fees for a minor (under 18) in the applicant's household. NRS 118A.306 (added 2025) | Yes (2025). Every place a landlord lists rent, and every reference in a written lease, must state rent as a single figure that includes all mandatory fees; the landlord may not charge more than that figure. The only exception is a separately disclosed, pass-through monthly fee for individually provided electric, gas or water service where the utility cannot contract with the tenant directly (or master-metered water), flagged by an asterisk with a statement on the same page. Leases must list required fees and their purposes. Landlords must offer at least one free way to pay rent that does not require bank-account information, and any online-portal fee may not exceed what the portal operator charges and must be separately identified in the lease. Landlords may not charge tenants for repairs that are the landlord's duty (including home-warranty deductibles or copays) unless the tenant caused the damage. NRS 118A.200(3), (6)-(9); NRS 118A.303; NRS 118A.290(4)-(5) |
| New Hampshire | No dollar cap. Before collecting any application or renewal fee, the landlord must disclose in writing the amount of the fee and whether a satisfactory criminal background and credit check is required. If the applicant is not offered the unit, the landlord must refund everything beyond the actual cost of the documented background check, credit check and/or reasonable administrative costs within 30 days. RSA 540-A:3, VIII | Limited. A landlord may not require rent or other lease payments to be made only by electronic funds transfer (including automatic recurring transfers); at least one non-electronic payment method must be allowed. Application-fee disclosure and refund rules also apply. No general statute caps move-in or convenience fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. RSA 540-A:3, VIII, X |
| 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 |
| New Mexico | Screening fees are capped at $50, to cover a credit report, reference check, or screening service. The owner must: give written or digital notice of the fee and get the applicant's written agreement to pay; not charge a fee when the owner knows or should know the unit is not available; give a receipt; hold the card or not deposit cash or checks until all earlier applicants have been screened and rejected, or offered the unit and declined; and charge no other application-processing fees. The fee must be returned within 30 days if an earlier applicant takes the unit or if the owner never runs the credit report, reference check, or screening, or never processes the application. Returns go by certified mail, by destroying the check on request, or by making the money available for pickup. Only one screening fee may be charged to the same applicant within 90 days for properties under the same ownership, and the owner must give the applicant copies of any reports used. Penalty for an unauthorized screening fee: $250 plus return of all fees. Laws 2025, ch. 122 (SB 267), §§ 3, 4, 7 (new UORRA sections; amended NMSA § 47-8-48(B)) | Every published rental listing must disclose in plain language all costs of the rental agreement: the base rent plus an itemized, readily identifiable description of every fee or charge that will be assessed during the residency. An owner is not liable for a third-party website's failure to show the costs the owner provided. Lease fees may be raised only with written notice at least 60 days before the periodic rental date or before the end of a fixed term (one rental period for residencies shorter than a month). Under the Unfair Practices Act, it is an unfair or deceptive trade practice to charge an applicant any fee other than a screening fee or deposit, or one not published in the listing, or to charge fees not included in the rental agreement. Late fees are capped at 5% of rent per rental period in default. Laws 2025, ch. 122 (SB 267), §§ 2, 5, 6, 9 |
| 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) |
| North Carolina | No statute. N.C. Gen. Stat. chapter 42 has no cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees. N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 42 (no application-fee section) | Fees tied to late payment and eviction are tightly limited. Late fee: only once rent is 5+ days late, max the greater of $15 or 5% of monthly rent (weekly: $4 or 5%), once per late payment. Only one administrative eviction fee may be charged per case, and only under a written lease: complaint-filing fee (greater of $15 or 5% of rent, only if the tenant cures and the case is dismissed), court-appearance fee (10% of rent), or second-trial fee (12% of rent). Any other administrative eviction fee is void. Recoverable out-of-pocket costs are limited to court filing fees, service costs, and attorney fees (capped at 15% in most cases). Renter's insurance: the tenant cannot be required to use a designated carrier. Force-placed coverage: actual cost plus at most $50 per year, only if the tenant fails to show proof within 3 business days. For subsidized rent, fees are figured on the tenant's share only. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46 |
| North Dakota | No statute. N.D.C.C. chapter 47-16 has no cap or refund rule for application or screening fees. N.D.C.C. ch. 47-16 (no application-fee section) | A landlord may not charge a fee to accept cash, a check, or a money order for rent or any other payment due under the lease. No broader statute limits other fees or requires fee disclosure. N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20.1 |
| Ohio | No statute. Ohio has no cap, refund rule, or portable-screening-report rule for rental application fees. Ohio Rev. Code ch. 5321 (no application-fee section) | No statute. Chapter 5321 sets no limits on move-in, convenience, or other rental fees and no fee-disclosure rule. Lease clauses requiring the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees are unenforceable (§ 5321.13), and unconscionable terms may be refused enforcement (§ 5321.14). Ohio Rev. Code §§ 5321.13, 5321.14 |
| Oklahoma | No statute. The Oklahoma Residential Landlord and Tenant Act has no cap or refund rule for application or screening fees. 41 O.S. §§ 101-136 (no application-fee section) | No statute. Title 41 has no limits on move-in, convenience, or other rental fees and no fee-disclosure rule. 41 O.S. §§ 101-136 (no fee section) |
| Oregon | Screening charge allowed only to cover screening costs and may not exceed the landlord's average actual cost or the customary amount charged by screening companies. Only one screening charge per applicant in any 60-day period regardless of how many units applied for. Before taking payment the landlord must adopt written criteria and give written notice of the charge, criteria, process, dispute/appeal rights, nondiscrimination policy, rent and deposits, and refund rights; must give a receipt and confirmation of screening. No charge when no units are available. Refund within 30 days if unit filled before screening or no screening done before written withdrawal. Penalty: twice the charge plus $250. Other applicant deposits/fees are barred except a deposit to secure execution of a rental agreement after approval. ORS 90.295; ORS 90.297 | Landlord may not charge a move-in fee for anticipated landlord expenses and may not charge any fee except those listed in ORS 90.302, each of which must be described in the written rental agreement: late fee (ORS 90.260), dishonored check fee, smoke/CO alarm tampering (up to $250), pet-agreement violation, early abandonment of a fixed term (max 1.5x monthly rent; not for DV or military releases), and capped fees for repeated written-rule violations after a written warning ($50, then $50 + 5% of rent; $250 for smoking/unauthorized pet). Liquidated damages are barred. Since June 5, 2026, processing fees for card, tenant-portal or other electronic payments may be passed through only if the payment processor allows it, the landlord lets the tenant pay by check or another non-electronic method, and records of the fees are given to the tenant on written request. A landlord may not require electronic payment, and may not charge a late fee or terminate for nonpayment if it refused a payment offered by check or another commercially reasonable method. ORS 90.302; 2026 Or. Laws c.23 (SB 1523) §§ 3, 5 |
| 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. |
| Rhode Island | Banned since January 1, 2024: landlords, brokers and property managers may not require any rental application fee. They may require an official state criminal background check (BCI/AG/police) or a credit check, but if the applicant supplies one issued within the past 90 days no fee may be charged; otherwise the fee may not exceed the actual cost, and the applicant charged must receive a copy of the report. Landlords may obtain their own reports at their own expense. R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-59 | Since January 1, 2025: (1) landlords may not charge a convenience fee on rent payments unless they also accept a form of rent payment that carries no convenience fee; (2) all fees beyond rent must be disclosed in the lease in the same section as the rent, with a statement that additional fees may apply (or, with no written lease, in a written list), and fee changes need 30 days' written notice; the lease must also disclose which utilities are included and any renter's insurance requirement. A tenant may recover any fees paid that were not disclosed as required. R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-61; 34-18-15(a)(1)-(5) |
| South Carolina | No statute - no cap or refund rule for application/screening fees in the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. S.C. Code Title 27, Ch. 40 | No statute specifically limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees; general unconscionability doctrine (27-40-230) and prohibited lease provisions (27-40-330) apply. S.C. Code 27-40-230; 27-40-330 |
| South Dakota | No statute - SDCL ch. 43-32 does not cap or regulate application or screening fees. SDCL Chapter 43-32 | No statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in SDCL ch. 43-32. SDCL Chapter 43-32 |
| Tennessee | No statute - Tennessee has no cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees. T.C.A. Title 66, Chapter 28 | No general statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees. The only statutory fee limit is on late fees in URLTA counties: none until after a 5-day grace period, and no more than 10% of the past-due rent. T.C.A. 66-28-201(d) |
| Texas | No cap on application fees. Landlord must make printed tenant-selection criteria available with the application, and the applicant signs an acknowledgment; if the landlord rejects an applicant without having made the criteria available, it must refund the application fee and any application deposit. An applicant not accepted within 7 days is deemed rejected (application deposits refundable). Bad-faith failure to refund: $100 + 3 times the amount wrongfully retained + attorney's fees. No portable screening report law. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.351-92.355 | No general statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees or requiring total-cost-of-rent disclosure. Specific rules: late fees (limited by Sec. 92.019; tenant may request a written statement of late fees owed, Sec. 92.0191) and fees in lieu of a security deposit (Sec. 92.111). Tex. Prop. Code ch. 92 (Sec. 92.019, 92.0191, 92.111) |
| Utah | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| 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 |
| Virginia | Nonrefundable application fee capped at $50 ($32 for public housing or other HUD-regulated units), plus actual out-of-pocket third-party screening costs. A refundable application deposit may also be required; if the applicant does not rent, the excess over actual expenses must be refunded with an itemized list within 20 days (10 days if paid by cash or certified funds and the landlord rejected the application). Landlords must consider evidence that an applicant is a family-abuse victim to mitigate a low credit score. Starting July 1, 2027, before collecting any payment or information the landlord must disclose in writing or by posting the fees and whether refundable, selection criteria, automatic-denial criteria, the consumer reporting agency used, and the applicant's right to a free report copy and to dispute it. Va. Code § 55.1-1203 | Fee disclosure: beginning on the first page of the written lease, the landlord must itemize all charges that make up the security deposit, the rent due per payment period, and any one-time charges due before the start date or included in the first payment, under the statutory statement that no additional security deposits or rent may be charged unless listed or added by later addendum. Va. Code § 55.1-1204.1 |
| Washington | No dollar cap, but a landlord may charge for a tenant screening report (or its own actual screening costs, not exceeding the customary cost of a local screening service) only after giving written notice (or posting) of the types of information to be accessed, the criteria that may result in denial, the consumer reporting agency used and the applicant's rights, and whether the landlord accepts a comprehensive reusable tenant screening report. A landlord that accepts reusable reports may not charge the applicant for its own report. Any landlord website must state whether reusable reports are accepted. Adverse actions require a written adverse action notice in the statutory form. Violation of the notice rules: up to $100 plus costs and attorney's fees. RCW 59.18.257 | Nonrefundable fees must be in a written rental agreement that clearly says they are nonrefundable; otherwise they are treated as a refundable deposit (or refunded entirely if there is no written agreement), and they may not be called a deposit. On written request, tenants may pay deposits, nonrefundable fees and last month's rent in installments (3 monthly installments for terms of 3+ months, otherwise 2) without extra fees or interest, unless deposits and fees total 25% or less of the first month's rent and last month's rent is not required up front; refusal carries a penalty of one month's rent plus attorney's fees. No late fee may be charged for rent paid within 5 days of the due date. RCW 59.18.285; RCW 59.18.610; RCW 59.18.170(2) |
| West Virginia | No cap. An application fee (money paid to be considered as a tenant) is not a security deposit only if the parties expressly agree in writing that it is nonrefundable; otherwise it is treated under the security-deposit rules. W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(2), (14) | No general junk-fee statute. Pet fees and application fees are excluded from the security deposit only if expressly agreed in writing to be nonrefundable. Deposits may cover late charges only if specified in the rental agreement and reasonable. W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(14); § 37-6A-2(b)(1) |
| Wisconsin | A landlord may charge only its actual cost, up to $25, for a consumer credit report from a nationwide agency, must tell the applicant about the charge beforehand, and must give the applicant a copy. No charge is allowed if the applicant provides a nationwide-agency credit report less than 30 days old. Non-residents may be charged actual cost up to $25 for a background check (with notice and a copy). Earnest money deposits may be taken only after identifying the unit, and must be refunded by the end of the next business day if the application is rejected or withdrawn or not approved within 3 business days (or up to 21 days if agreed in writing). Wis. Stat. 704.085; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.05 | No general junk-fee or total-cost-of-rent law. Limits: late rent fees only if specifically provided in the rental agreement, prepaid rent must be applied first, and no fee for not paying a late fee; lease clauses requiring the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees are prohibited (except court-awarded); utility charges not included in rent (and the allocation method if not separately metered) must be disclosed before signing or taking a deposit; credit-check fees capped at $25. Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.09(8); ATCP 134.08(4); ATCP 134.04(3); Wis. Stat. 704.085 |
| Wyoming | No statute — no cap, refund rule or portable-screening provision in the Residential Rental Property Act; lease and general contract law govern. Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1201 to 1-21-1211 | No general junk-fee statute. The only fee-related rule: the rental agreement must state whether any part of a deposit is nonrefundable, and the renter must get written notice of that when the deposit is taken. Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1207 |
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.