Tenant Screening Cost Calculator
Tenant screening costs $30-$75 per applicant — covering credit report, criminal background check, eviction history, and income verification. Landlords typically pass these costs through as application fees within state limits.
Standard Screening Components
Credit report ($10-20): TransUnion SmartMove or Experian Connect. Criminal background check ($15-30): 50-state + federal sex offender registry. Eviction history ($10-20): RentPrep or LexisNexis. Income verification ($5-15): pay stubs, employment letter, or PayScore. Total typical cost: $40-85 per applicant.
State Application Fee Caps
California: $63.06 (2026 limit, adjusted annually). Massachusetts: zero (application fees banned). Washington: $50. Minnesota: $50. Vermont: $40. Maryland: 'reasonable cost.' New York: $20 (residential). Wisconsin: $25. Many states have no cap but require fees match actual screening cost.
Avoiding Discrimination Claims
Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits screening criteria based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability. State-level protections add source of income (housing vouchers), sexual orientation, age, marital status. Document screening criteria in writing, apply uniformly to every applicant, retain records 3 years.
Source: Fair Housing Act 1968, California Civil Code §1950.6, Washington RCW 59.18.257. Last updated: May 2026.