Oklahoma Rental Application

What type of information should landlords collect?

A standard Oklahoma rental application form collects the essential information landlords need to evaluate each applicant fairly and consistently and typically asks for the following:

• Personal information: Full names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, contact info, and emergency contacts
• Move-in date and lease length: Confirms if the applicant’s timeline fits the unit’s availability
• Financial background: Income, job history, credit info, and rental payment patterns
• Rental history: Current and past addresses, usually from the last few years
• References: Optional contacts for past landlords or employers
• Criminal background (if applicable): Conviction details, following Oklahoma screening laws
• Pets: Number, type, and whether any qualify as service or support animals
• Smoking status: Whether the applicant smokes or plans to smoke on-site
• Vehicle details: Make, model, year, and license plate number for each vehicle

Rental applications collect personal details, so both federal and Oklahoma laws regulate what information landlords can ask for and how they use the data they gather.

TurboTenant offers free application templates, vetted by legal professionals, that help landlords collect and manage this information through an easy-to-use platform.

Pre-Screener

Landlords should always start with a pre-screener before asking anyone to pay for a full rental application.

Pre-screeners collect potentially deal-breaking details like contact info, smoking status, job and income, number of occupants and pets, estimated credit score, and target move-in date.

Using pre-screeners helps landlords sort through early interest and focus on qualified leads. Oklahoma law may not require them, but they save time and reduce costs for everyone involved nonetheless.

Federal Application Laws

Federal law establishes clear guidelines for how landlords process rental applications. To stay compliant, the screening party must follow specific guidelines when reviewing applicants and conducting credit, background, or eviction checks.

Fair Housing Act (FHA)

The federal Fair Housing Act bans housing discrimination based on color, race, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or family status.

Landlords must avoid rental application questions that target protected traits. Questions like “Are you married?” or “Where were you born?” violate federal law and should never appear on an Oklahoma rental application.

The FHA covers everyone involved in renting, managing, or marketing housing. That includes landlords, property managers, and any employees who assist in the process.

Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits landlords from discriminating when conducting credit checks or establishing payment terms during the rental process.

It prohibits decisions based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age (if the applicant is of legal age to sign a contract), public assistance use, or rights under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act bans landlords from discriminating against tenants with disabilities. Additionally, it requires the landlord to provide reasonable accommodations after the lease agreement has taken effect. For example, a landlord might need to approve a tenant’s request to install a ramp or allow a service animal in a no-pet unit.

The ADA, along with the FHA, also prohibits rental application questions that try to uncover information about a potential disability. Questions like “Do you take medication?” or “Have you ever received mental health treatment?” violate federal law.

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

The Fair Credit Reporting Act sets boundaries for how landlords collect and use credit and background reports. First and foremost, landlords must get written consent before running any checks. Next, if they deny an application based on the report, they must notify the applicant promptly. Lastly, they also must send an adverse action notice that names the reporting agency and includes its contact information.

Civil Rights Act of 1866

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 guarantees all U.S. citizens the right to rent, buy, or own property without discrimination based on race or color. This post-Civil War law was the first to prohibit unequal treatment in housing based on race.

Oklahoma Application Laws

In addition to federal laws, Oklahoma law regulates the information landlords can request in a rental application and when they can legally deny an applicant.

Oklahoma’s Fair Housing Act aligns with the federal Fair Housing Act by prohibiting discrimination based on religion, race, sex, color, national origin, disability, or family status (25 OK Stat § 25-1452).

Oklahoma law sticks to the protections outlined in the federal Fair Housing Act and does not add any new protected classes. Unlike many other states, it does not offer additional protections related to sexual orientation, gender identity, or income source.

Source of income: Oklahoma law doesn’t ban income-based discrimination during rental decisions. Landlords may reject applicants who use Housing Choice vouchers, Social Security, or similar income to pay rent unless doing so results in discrimination tied to a protected class (25 OK Stat § 25-1452).

Criminal history: Oklahoma landlords can review criminal history during the screening process, but they must comply with federal fair housing rules while doing so. Blanket bans or rejections based solely on arrests may be deemed illegal by a judge if they unfairly impact protected groups.

Eviction history: Oklahoma law permits landlords to review a tenant’s eviction history during the screening process.

Sexual orientation & gender identity: Oklahoma law does not restrict housing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, but federal law covers both. In 2021, HUD announced it would enforce the Fair Housing Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity under the definition of “sex.”

Pets, ESAs, and Service Animals

Oklahoma landlords can ban pets from their rentals, but they must allow service animals and emotional support animals because federal law does not consider them pets.

Landlords also can’t charge pet fees or deposits for these types of animals, and tenants remain responsible for any damage they cause.

Pet information: During the application process, landlords should ask whether an applicant has pets, service animals, emotional support animals, or some combination of the three. If a landlord allows pets, the rental application should include a section that covers the number, type, size, age, and breed of the animals.

Fair Housing Act: Federal fair housing laws aim to prevent landlords from discriminating against applicants who have service animals or emotional support animals. Furthermore, landlords can’t charge pet fees or reject someone based on the animal’s breed, size, or weight, even if they don’t meet a landlord’s pet policy standards.

Denial Process

Landlords who deny an applicant must follow the law and use consistent screening criteria for everyone. In Oklahoma, valid reasons for rejection include low income, bad credit, eviction history, certain convictions, or an incomplete application.

Denial notice: Oklahoma law doesn’t require landlords to inform applicants when they reject a rental application.

Credit/background denials: The FCRA requires landlords to send a written notice if they deny an application based on credit report details.

The notice must include:

• The name of the company that ran the credit and background check
• A written statement explaining the applicant’s right to challenge the decision
• The reporting agency’s full contact details, including phone number and mailing address

Document storage: Oklahoma law doesn’t require landlords to retain screening records from denied applicants. However, holding onto these records can help defend against potential discrimination claims and demonstrate consistency during the tenant screening process.