A Nevada rental application is a landlord’s key to positive rental experiences in this corner of the West Coast, and we’re here to help you make the most of it.
Read on for a deep dive on tenant screening, Nevada rental application laws, denial processes, and avoiding fraud. We’ll also discuss the time-saving benefits of TurboTenant’s property management software and our free application template.
Information to Collect
When you create your rental application in Nevada, make sure it asks for:
- Names of applicants (including co-applicants and co-signers)
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Phone number
- Employment and income details
- Professional and/or rental references
- Current and past residences
- Pets
- Vehicles
- Smoking status
- Emergency contact
Since landlords use rental applications to gather private information, laws dictate:
- The information landlords can collect
- How landlords can use rental applications to make decisions
We’ll cover the must-know rental application laws in Nevada. Before we get there, let’s review a quick guide to tenant screening.
Quick Guide to Screening a Tenant
Follow these steps to establish a responsible, legally compliant tenant screening process in The Silver State:
1. Pre-Screen
After you create your online listing, you can use a pre-screener to gather renter information. Pre-screeners come before the rental application form by collecting information to help you identify renters who qualify for your listing.
They ask for:
- Name and contact info
- Move-in dates
- Employment, income, and self-declared credit score
- Pets/service animals, household size, and smoking status
We recommend starting with a pre-screener to get ahead of sorting through leads. Just remember, this form doesn’t replace your complete Nevada rental application.
2. Conduct Showings
Show the rental to continue generating interest from renters. You can host an open house, schedule walkthrough tours, and meet with potential renters in person.
3. Distribute and Collect Applications
Distribute your rental application form so interested renters can apply. As you collect your forms, make sure that all applicants have signed the consent and acknowledgment section. Don’t forget the application fee!
An online rental application simplifies the process for both you and renters — no back-and-forth paperwork, just a seamless digital experience.
Nevada Application Laws
Nevada has a unique set of landlord-tenant rights and rental application laws. Here’s a quick review of Nevada’s Discrimination in Housing laws:
Landlords have the green light to consider the results of a criminal background check, eviction history, and sources of income.
Sexual orientation & gender identity/expression: These are protected characteristics, so landlords can’t consider or ask questions about them (NRS 118.020).
Portable tenant screening reports: It’s up to landlords to decide whether they’ll accept portable tenant screening reports or not.
Pets, ESAs, and Service Animals
Does your rental application consider animals? Ensure you ask questions about both pets and service animals, including emotional support animals (ESAs).
Fair housing laws prohibit discrimination based on the use of service animals/ESAs). However, tenants are responsible for covering the cost of damage their animals cause.
Pet information: Inquire about the name, breed, and size of pets, service animals, and ESAs.
Fair Housing Act: The FHA prohibits landlords from:
- Discriminating against renters based on an ESA/service animal
- Charging any kind of pet deposit, pet rent, or pet fee for an ESA/service animal
- Denying housing based on an ESA/service animal’s breed, size, or weight
Federal Application Laws
All landlords in the U.S. are subject to these federal rental application laws:
Fair Housing Act (FHA): The FHA prohibits landlords from discriminating against renters based on:
- Race
- Color
- National origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Familial status
- Disability
Landlords can’t offer unequal rental terms, practice discriminatory advertising, or ask questions about FHA-protected characteristics (Fair Housing Act).
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): You need an applicant’s written consent before conducting a credit check. If you deny renters based on credit history, you must inform them (Fair Credit Reporting Act).
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Landlords must accommodate a renter’s condition and cannot deny them solely based on a disability (Americans with Disabilities Act).
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA): Landlords can’t discriminate against renters who receive public assistance. The ECOA also regulates how landlords assess rental applications and credit reports (Equal Credit Opportunity Act).
4. Use a Third-Party Screening Service
Time for tenant screening? We recommend using an online service (like TurboTenant) to conduct your credit, eviction, and tenant background checks.
5. Check Application References
Next, reach out to the applicant’s references to verify application details and gather more information. Try these questions to get the conversation started:
- Would you rent to this person again?
- Was the lease broken??
- What was the tenant paying for monthly rent?
- Did the tenant ever miss rent payments?
- Did they keep the house/apartment in a well-maintained condition?
6. Approve or Deny Applications
When selecting a tenant, it’s first-come, first-served. Accept multiple applications by considering:
- Rent-to-income ratio: For an ideal rent-to-income ratio, the monthly rent should be less than 30% of the applicant’s gross income.
- Credit score: Most landlords set a minimum credit score requirement of 600–670.
- Rental history: When renters provide less than a year of rental history, take it as a sign to request a co-signer.
Take the extra step to fact-check each application you receive. Remember, you can deny renters who apply with false information.
Denial Process
If you don’t practice a consistent denial process for all applicants, you put yourself at risk for claims of discrimination — so make sure you’re operating on a fair and even playing field.
You can deny an application based on:
- Insufficient income
- Poor credit
- Adverse rental history
- Results of a tenant background check
- False answers
Denial notice: Nevada law doesn’t require denial notices or tenant rejection letters.
Credit/background denials: When you deny applications based on a credit or background check, you must notify the renter. The FCRA requires you to include:
- Reporting agency’s name and contact details
- The renter’s right to dispute any mistakes
Document storage: Hold onto denied applications and screening reports for 1–3 years. Use these files to defend yourself against discrimination claims.
Avoiding Fraud
Never take rental application fraud lightly. From forged documents to false information, use these tips to spot red flags:
- Verify the applicant’s identity, employment, and income
- Run credit, background, and eviction checks
- Look out for falsified documents
- Speak with rental references
