Before Paying To Apply For An Apartment, Check These 8 Rental Application Fee Rules, Including The States That Cap What Landlords Can Charge

You find the perfect apartment, then the first bill arrives before you even get a key. A rental application fee can run from $35 to $100 in many markets, according to a 2026 report from the Center for American Progress.

A partially open door reveals a bright room, like the first look at an apartment before applying.

Couples and families are often charged per person, so the total can climb fast. A worked example in that report shows a couple applying to six units at $50 per person per application paying $600.

The good news is that some states put a hard cap on the fee, and a few ban it outright. Here are 8 rules worth knowing before you hand over a card number. Check your state’s statute before relying on any figure, because rules change and many cities add their own.

New York Caps The Fee At $20 Per Applicant (TenantCloud, 2026)

A 2026 state-by-state guide from TenantCloud lists New York’s cap at $20 per applicant under Real Property Law section 238-a. The fee is waived if the applicant provides a credit or background report completed within the previous 30 days.

A 2023 NPR report carried by KVCR also describes New York’s $20 cap and its reusable screening provision. A Legal Aid Society attorney in that report said many landlords and tenants are unaware of the law, and that renters fear losing apartments if they refuse to pay.

Vermont Bans Application Fees Altogether (KVCR, 2023)

Vermont banned application fees in 1999, according to the NPR report carried by KVCR. TenantCloud’s 2026 guide lists the Vermont limit as $0, covering background checks, credit reports and administrative processing.

Yet the rule has not always stopped the charge. The NPR report said Legal Aid attorneys told reporters such fees remain widespread, and the 2026 CAP review found nearly half of sampled Vermont properties still charged nonrefundable fees of up to $25 for credit and background screening.

Massachusetts Landlords Generally May Not Charge One (TenantCloud, 2026)

TenantCloud’s 2026 guide says Massachusetts landlords generally may not charge application fees under General Laws chapter 186, section 15B. Only licensed real estate brokers may charge certain fees.

The Center for American Progress tested the rule against real listings. In its March 2026 review of 15 developments in the state, only 1 charged a pre-tenancy application fee.

Wisconsin Limits The Fee To $25 Per Applicant (Center for American Progress, 2026)

The Center for American Progress report, published May 28, 2026, says Wisconsin caps fees at the landlord’s actual screening cost, up to $25. TenantCloud’s 2026 guide also lists $25 per applicant and says landlords must provide screening reports on request.

CAP checked 15 Wisconsin complexes using March 2026 listings. Four charged less than $25, 5 charged exactly $25, and 6 charged more than allowed.

Delaware Allows The Greater Of 10% Of One Month’s Rent Or $50 (TenantCloud, 2026)

Delaware’s rule, under Code section 5514(d), allows the greater of 10% of one month’s rent or $50, according to TenantCloud’s 2026 guide. The fee must be disclosed in writing before it is collected, and it may only cover screening-related expenses.

The guide adds that there are limits on collecting multiple fees for the same unit at once. A renter should ask for the written disclosure first.

Virginia Sets A $50 Per Applicant Limit (TenantCloud, 2026)

TenantCloud’s 2026 guide lists Virginia’s limit at $50 per applicant under Code section 55.1-1203. Third-party out-of-pocket screening costs may be recoverable separately, and lower limits may apply to subsidized units.

The guide also says that if an applicant is denied and the fee exceeds $35, the amount above actual expenses must be refunded within a set timeframe. Ask for a receipt.

Washington, D.C. Also Draws The Line At $50 (TenantCloud, 2026)

The District’s rule, under Code section 42-3505.10, caps the fee at $50 per applicant, according to TenantCloud’s 2026 guide. Landlords must keep documentation supporting the charge.

A refund is required if screening is not performed. That makes the receipt and the screening report copy the most valuable papers in the folder.

Washington State Ties The Fee To Actual Screening Cost (Center for American Progress, 2026)

CAP’s 2026 report says Washington limits fees to the actual screening cost, and TenantCloud’s guide adds that landlords must give written disclosure of their criteria before collecting, plus refunds if no screening occurs. Receipts and report copies are available.

In CAP’s March 2026 listing review, fees observed in Washington ranged from $22 to $66. That spread shows how much a rule that follows the real cost can still vary.

Rules that tie fees to the real cost are spreading. TenantCloud’s 2026 guide lists California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota and Illinois among states with cost-based or reusable-report rules, and Philadelphia limits the fee to $50 or actual screening cost, whichever is lower.

So what should an applicant do? Ask what the fee covers, and ask for it in writing before paying. Request a receipt and a copy of the screening report, and ask whether a report you already hold can be used instead.

Spread your applications carefully. Because couples are often charged per person, a few extra applications can add up quickly. The 2023 NPR report quoted an Oregon housing advocate who said that losing $10 is not the end of the world, but repeated larger fees can exhaust a renter’s savings.

If a landlord charges more than your state allows, a local legal aid office or your state attorney general’s consumer office is a good place to ask what can be done. Remember that rules differ by state and city, so verify the figure in your own state’s statute.

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