How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, a landlord, or a third party acting for one, may not charge an applicant any fee to process, review or accept a rental application — only a fee for a tenant screening report of no more than $50 plus an annual inflation adjustment set by the Commissioner of Housing — and may not charge a move-in or move-out fee. Whoever charges the screening fee must give the applicant a copy of the report (or how to get it from the company that produced it) and a copy of that company’s receipt or invoice. Since 26 May 2026 these limits bind third parties acting for a landlord, not only the landlord. This is Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d (as amended by P.A. 26-68, § 59).
| What | Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $50 (inflation-adjusted) for a screening report; no application fee |
Notes
Whoever charges the screening fee must give the applicant a copy of the report (or how to get it from the company that produced it) and a copy of that company’s receipt or invoice. Since 26 May 2026 these limits bind third parties acting for a landlord, not only the landlord.
Source
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d (as amended by P.A. 26-68, § 59)
Read the statute in the Connecticut General Statutes (Connecticut General Assembly): cga.ct.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 11, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
This page states what the state allows a landlord to charge somebody applying to rent, so a fee can be checked against it before it is advertised or collected.
Guides on this rule
- FCRA Adverse Action Notices: What Landlords Must Tell Applicants — When a screening report leads you to deny an applicant or ask for more, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires a notice. What it must say, with the statute.
- Reusable Tenant Screening Reports: When Landlords Must Accept Them — Colorado requires landlords to accept a portable screening report; California, Maryland and Washington set disclosure and fee rules; New York waives the fee.
- Tenant Screening: What Landlords Need to Know — How to screen rental applicants fairly and legally: credit and background checks, consistent criteria, the FCRA’s adverse action notice and fair housing.
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The same question in other states
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- District of Columbia
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