Are Rental Application Fees Legal in Wisconsin?
What Wisconsin lets a landlord charge to apply — and how that compares to what screening actually costs.
$25 max — A landlord may not charge more than $25 for an application/credit-check fee — unless the actual cost of the credit report is higher, in which case only that actual cost may be charged. You can also provide your own recent credit report to avoid the fee.
A full tenant screen costs a landlord about $30. Landlords typically charge applicants $55 — so any fee well above ~$30 is mostly markup, and in Wisconsin that overage is refundable or unlawful.
| Cap type | Hard $ cap |
|---|---|
| The legal line | $25 max |
| Refund rights | Charges above $25 (or actual credit-check cost) are not allowed; applicant-provided reports must be accepted. |
| Receipt required | Not specified |
| Reusable screening report | Yes — you can supply your own |
| Statute | Wis. Admin. Code ATCP § 134.05 |
Check your Wisconsin application fee
We'll compare it to the law and the real cost of screening.
How Wisconsin compares
See every state's cap, the real cost of screening, and the markup landlords add — the full picture in one place.
Informational only, not legal advice — verify Wis. Admin. Code ATCP § 134.05 and current screening costs before acting.