Washington Rental Application

What information should landlords collect?

Landlords typically collect the following information in an application:

• Personal information: Applicant and co-applicant names, contact details, Social Security Numbers, smoking status
• Financial information: Employment and income history, professional references
• Rental history: Landlord references and current and previous residences
• Vehicle information: Number, make, and model of any cars for parking purposes
• Pets: Number, type, breed, and size

For an easier way to get started, without a mess of paperwork, TurboTenant‘s free, fillable template can help Washington landlords streamline the entire process.

Pre-Screener

Landlords use a pre-screener after a renter expresses interest in a listing. This step helps verify whether the prospective tenant meets basic criteria before moving forward with a full Washington rental application.

Standard residential pre-screeners typically ask for the tenant’s:

• Contact information,
• Employment status,
• Income,
• Self-reported credit score,
• Desired move-in date,
• Number of people the applicant will live with,
• Pets,
• Smoking status,
• And more.

Pre-screeners can help speed up the selection process, but don’t skip the application and tenant screening, or you won’t have enough information to make a good decision.

Federal Application Laws

Many federal laws and regulations govern the tenant screening process in Washington. Below, we’ll cover them in detail.

Fair Housing Act (FHA): Federal law prohibits landlords from discriminating in rental applications on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability.

These protections apply to everyone involved in the rental process: landlords, property managers, agents, and employees. Landlords cannot deny a tenant for discriminatory reasons or include questions about protected characteristics in the application.

For example, a landlord cannot ask about a prospective tenant’s religion or ethnic background. Landlords must select tenants based on objective criteria rather than personal attributes (42 U.S.C. §§ 3601–3619).

Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA): Landlords cannot discriminate against tenants based on race, religion, gender, or other protected characteristics, including when an applicant receives public assistance. The ECOA also sets clear rules for how landlords can review credit and rental applications, ensuring they assess applicants fairly and without bias (15 U.S.C. §§ 1691–1691f).

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Landlords cannot deny housing to applicants with disabilities or treat them differently during the application process.

The ADA also requires landlords to make reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities when needed, which could include allowing a service animal or permitting accessibility modifications to the property (though the tenant remains responsible for the cost) (42 U.S.C. §§ 12101–12213).

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): Landlords must follow strict guidelines when using credit reports in rental applications. They must obtain a prospective tenant’s permission before running a credit check. If a landlord denies the application or requires a higher deposit based on the report, the FCRA requires them to inform the applicant of their decision and the reason behind it.

Federal law does not allow landlords to run a credit check without the applicant’s consent, and landlords must disclose any adverse action taken based on that report to the applicant (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.).

Civil Rights Act of 1866: Landlords cannot base rental decisions on race or color at any stage of the process and must treat all applicants equally when advertising, screening, and leasing rental properties (42 U.S.C. § 1981).

Washington Application Laws

The Washington State Law Against Discrimination expands on the federal FHA by protecting individuals from discrimination in the rental process. It also regulates what landlords can ask on a Washington rental application and how they can use that information (RCW § 49.60.010).

Below are some key points covered under this law:

Source of income: Washington limits a landlord’s ability to deny applications based on an applicant’s source of income, including public assistance, housing programs, veteran benefits, Social Security, and other lawful sources (RCW § 59.18.255).

Criminal history: Criminal history can factor into tenant selection, particularly when there’s been a conviction (RCW § 59.18.257). However, Washington state law does not set a specific lookback period.

Seattle is an exception. The city only allows landlords to consider criminal convictions from the past 7 years. Landlords generally cannot base decisions solely on criminal history, except in cases involving registered sex offenses (SMC § 14.09).

Eviction history: Washington law prohibits landlords from using sealed eviction records or records older than 7 years when making a rental decision (RCW § 59.18.367).

Seattle goes further by prohibiting landlords from considering COVID-19-related eviction history when making an adverse decision under the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (SMC § 22.205).

Sexual orientation & gender identity: Washington law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity (RCW § 49.60.222).

Pets, ESAs, and Service Animals

Landlords should include a section for pets in their Washington rental application if their property allows them.

Even if the rental property isn’t pet-friendly, landlords cannot discriminate against applicants with a service or emotional support animal (ESA) (RCW § 49.60.222). Tenants are still responsible for any damage caused by the animal, regardless of its status.

Pet information: Landlords should include a question in the application asking whether the tenant has a pet, service animal, or ESA. This question helps clarify the type of animal and ensures the landlord handles the application in compliance with Washington and federal law.

Fair Housing Act: Landlords cannot deny an application because a prospective tenant has a service animal or ESA, or charge pet fees, deposits, or pet rent for them. They also cannot impose restrictions based on the animal’s size, weight, or breed (42 U.S.C. §§ 3601–3619).

Denial Process

If a landlord denies an application in 2026, they must follow all relevant laws and apply the same steps and standard review process to every applicant for the property.

Landlords may deny a prospective tenant for reasons such as employment or income verification issues, poor credit history, an unfavorable rental background, or information found in a criminal or civil record, when legally permitted (RCW § 59.18.257).

Denial notice: Washington requires landlords to notify a prospective tenant after denying an application or taking other adverse action, unless the applicant failed to complete the application (RCW § 59.18.257).

Credit/Background denials: If a credit or background check leads to an adverse decision, the FCRA requires landlords to send a notice that includes:

• The consumer reporting agency’s name and contact information,
• The reason for the denial of housing, and
• A reminder of the tenant’s right to dispute inaccuracies (15 U.S.C. § 1681m).

Document storage: While not required, landlords should keep denied applications and screening reports for at least 3 years to help defend against potential discrimination claims.