By state
Rental Application Fee Laws by State
Some states ban application fees, some cap them, most don't. Find your state's rule and what it means for you.
| State | Rule | The legal line |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | Banned — no fee allowed | $0 (banned) |
| Vermont | Banned — no fee allowed | $0 (banned) |
| California | Actual cost (with $ ceiling) | actual cost, ≤ ~$62 |
| Delaware | Hard $ cap | $50 max |
| New York | Hard $ cap | $20 max |
| Virginia | Hard $ cap | $50 max |
| Wisconsin | Hard $ cap | $25 max |
| Colorado | Actual cost only | actual cost only |
| Connecticut | Actual cost only | actual cost only |
| Oregon | Actual cost only | actual cost only |
| Washington | Actual cost only | actual cost only |
| Maryland | Refundable over a threshold | refund over $25 |
| Minnesota | Refundable over a threshold | refundable balance |
| Nevada | Refundable over a threshold | refundable balance |
| Arizona | No cap | no cap |
| Florida | No cap | no cap |
| Georgia | No cap | no cap |
| Illinois | No cap | no cap |
| Michigan | No cap | no cap |
| New Jersey | No cap | no cap |
| North Carolina | No cap | no cap |
| Ohio | No cap | no cap |
| Pennsylvania | No cap | no cap |
| Texas | No cap | no cap |
See if your application fee is legal — free
Pick your state and the amount you paid. We check it against the law and the real cost of screening.