Make a Utah Rental Application

The Utah Rental Application Process

Rental applications generally require sensitive and personal information such as the applicant’s full name, address, social security number, and income information to provide the landlord with the most in-depth look into an applicant so they may make the most well-informed decision.

There is generally a non-refundable fee for each application submitted. Fees typically range from $25 to $75 and are used by Utah landlords to complete a background check and credit check. 

All rental applications must comply with both federal fair housing law and the state laws for landlord-tenant relationships. Determining which potential tenant would be the best renter to enter into a rental lease agreement can help protect the property from damage and help ensure that the landlord chooses someone who can afford to pay the monthly rent.

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A Sample Utah Rental Application with Examples for Each Step

A rental application must collect the right information for you to make an informed decision when you're choosing the best renter for your property. Include the following sections:

• A section to collect personal information about the applicant. Include the applicant's full legal name, date of birth, social security number, cell phone number, work phone number, email address, and emergency contact information.
• A section for the applicant's rental history, starting with the current address. The current address should include their city, state, and zip code. Other spaces include how long the applicant has lived in the rental property, the amount of monthly rent paid, and the contact information for their current landlord. Then, include additional spaces for previous rental history and contact information for previous landlords.
• A section for the applicant's employment history, starting with their current employer. Include the name of their employer, the address, how long they've worked for the employer, the applicant's job title, their supervisor’s name, and the phone number for the supervisor or human resources. Then, include additional spaces for previous employment history.
• Request information about all of the applicant's income sources: the type of each income source (such as a paycheck), how often each income source is received, and the amount of each income source. Finally, request that the applicant disclose whether they have checking or savings accounts and which banks or credit unions manage those accounts.
• A section for the applicant to describe their vehicles. Ask the applicant how many vehicles they own. Then, ask the applicant to describe each vehicle by its year, make, model, color, and license plate number. For real estate that relies on parking passes or that has limited parking, knowing which vehicles are supposed to be on the property can be incredibly beneficial.
• Request the name and age of each person who will live with the applicant. 
• Ask the applicant if they have any pets, how many, the type, and their size.
• An authorization to run the background check and credit check after the applicant signs the rental application. Remind the applicant that the fee paid is non-refundable.
• A signature line for the applicant and a space for the date.

Rental Application Resources for Tenants in Utah

Renters in Utah are part of a legally binding contract known as a lease agreement or rental agreement, even if it isn't in writing. While many renters feel like only their landlord has legal rights, Utah landlord-tenant law provides renters with rights. Here are some helpful links for renters:

• Utah Legal Services offers renters information about what to do if the landlord says that the renters abandoned the property, how to get the property repaired, how to terminate a lease if the renter is a victim of domestic violence, the eviction process, and more. It also offers legal representation to those who meet their qualifications.
• BYU Law Library provides a list of free and low-cost legal resources for landlord-tenant matters.
• The website for the Utah Courts provides a list of free legal clinics and state resources.

Utah Rental Application Laws

Utah law places no limit on the amount that a landlord may charge as a security deposit. However, the law dictates that a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit to them no later than 30 days after their lease has ended and they have vacated the property (Utah Code Annotated § § 57-17-1 to 57-17-5).