Applicant-Paid Tenant Screening: Order Your Own Report to Share
Order the screening report yourself, authorize the credit check with an e-signature, and have it sent to the landlord or property manager you choose. Here is exactly how it works, what it contains, and what to check first.
Applicant-paid tenant screening means the renter, not the landlord, orders and pays for the screening report. At Tenant Screening Background Check you start at the order start page, choose “I am a Rental Applicant,” pick one of the applicant order options, enter your details, sign the credit authorization electronically, and add your landlord’s or property manager’s email address so the report can be sent to them. Current prices for every option are listed on our pricing page.
This guide explains when ordering your own report makes sense, what our applicant report includes, which order option fits your household, what information you need before you start, how the report reaches the landlord, how it differs from the “portable” or “reusable” screening reports some states regulate, and the federal rights you keep over any report about you. For the landlord’s view of the same report, see our annotated sample tenant screening report.
Video: how a renter orders a tenant screening report about themselves and shares it with a landlord.
Key Takeaways: Applicant-Paid Tenant Screening
- You order and pay; the landlord or property manager you name can receive the report by email.
- The applicant report pairs a full credit report and score with nationwide eviction, criminal, sex-offender, judgment, lien, and bankruptcy searches.
- Three applicant options: one applicant, two applicants, or one full screening plus a background check for a second person.
- Have ready your Social Security number (or ITIN), date of birth, phone, email, and the landlord’s email.
- Confirm first that the landlord will accept it, and check current prices on the pricing page or report options page.
What Is Applicant-Paid Tenant Screening?
In a traditional rental application, the landlord orders a screening report about you, usually after collecting an application fee. In applicant-paid screening, you order the report yourself and direct where it goes. The contents are the same kind of information a landlord would order – credit, eviction, criminal, and public-record searches – but you start the process, you authorize the credit check yourself, and you choose which landlord receives the result.
Applicant-paid screening is sometimes confused with two related ideas:
- A landlord asking the applicant to pay. Many landlords simply send applicants a link and let them pay for the screening the landlord requested. That is also applicant-paid, just started by the landlord.
- State-regulated “portable” or “reusable” reports. Several states have written laws about reports a renter obtains and offers to multiple landlords. Those laws have their own definitions and conditions, covered below, and they are not the same thing as any report a renter happens to buy.
The practical difference for you is control. You see that a screening is happening, you know who is receiving it, and you can check your own records before a landlord relies on them.
Why Would a Renter Order Their Own Screening Report?
There are several good reasons, and a few situations where it is not the right move.
- The landlord asked you to. Independent landlords without their own screening account often ask applicants to provide a report. Ordering it yourself lets you move as fast as the landlord does.
- You want to move quickly in a competitive market. Having the landlord’s email ready and ordering promptly can keep your application in the running for a unit that will not stay listed long.
- You are a co-applicant household. Two adults applying together can be screened in one order instead of two separate requests.
- You know there is something to explain. If you have a past eviction filing, a collection account, or a thin credit file, providing the report together with a short explanation lets you tell the story alongside the data.
When it is not the right move: if a landlord or property management company requires its own screening provider, a report you order will not replace theirs, and you would pay twice. Always ask first. And if your goal is only to check your records for errors, the free routes in our guide on how to check your eviction history – court searches and free file disclosures from screening companies – are the place to start.
What Does Our Applicant Tenant Screening Report Include?
Our full Tenant Screening report, the one applicants order with credit, combines a credit file with nationwide record searches. As listed on our report options page, it includes:
- A full credit report with score. The applicant order pages describe it as a full credit report with a FICO® score.
- Nationwide eviction and criminal history, including eviction filings and landlord-tenant disputes.
- Registered sex offender searches.
- Civil judgments, liens, and current or pending bankruptcies.
- Address history and employment history, when available.
- Secure e-sign authorization, so the credit portion is pulled with your signed permission.
Our reports are FCRA compliant, and most reports are delivered the same day. Our applicant options page also states that the credit pull is a soft pull that does not affect your credit score. To see how a landlord reads each section, walk through the annotated sample report or our explainer on what a tenant screening report contains.
Need a background check without credit? Some landlords ask only for a background check. Our background check options cover the same record searches without the credit report, for one or two people, and that order form has an optional field for a potential landlord’s email as well.
Which Applicant Order Option Should You Choose?
After you select “I am a Rental Applicant,” our applicant order options page offers three choices. Prices for each are on the pricing page.
| Option | Who it covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Applicant Tenant Screening | One adult: full credit report with score plus the nationwide background searches | A single applicant, or each adult ordering separately |
| 2 Applicants Tenant Screening | Two adults, each with a full credit report and score plus background searches | Couples or roommates who will both be on the lease and whose landlord wants credit on both |
| Tenant Screening plus Background Check | A full screening with credit for the primary applicant, plus a background check without credit for a second adult | Households where the landlord wants credit on the primary applicant and a background check on a partner or second occupant |
Ask the landlord which it needs before you order. Some want credit on every adult on the lease; others want credit on the main leaseholder and a background check on everyone else. Ordering the option that matches the landlord’s criteria avoids paying for a second report later.
How Do You Order Your Own Tenant Screening Report?
The order takes a few minutes if you have your information ready.
- Open the start page. Go to start tenant screening and choose “I am a Rental Applicant.”
- Pick your option. Select one applicant, two applicants, or a screening plus a background check.
- Enter your details. The secure form asks for your first and last name, your email address, your phone number, your Social Security number, and your date of birth.
- Add your landlord’s email. An optional field asks for the email address of your landlord or property manager so the report can be sent to them. Use the exact address they give you.
- Sign the authorization. You sign on screen to authorize access to your credit history. For the two-person options, the form also asks for the second applicant’s name, Social Security number, and date of birth.
- Submit and pay. Select “Submit Securely & Continue to Payment” and complete checkout. The order pages describe the checkout as encrypted.
Most reports are delivered the same day. If anything about the order is unclear, our how it works page and frequently asked questions cover the process from the landlord’s side too.
How Does the Report Reach Your Landlord?
Through the landlord email field on the order form. When you enter your landlord’s or property manager’s email address, that is where the report is sent. Our pricing page describes this arrangement from the landlord’s side: the applicant pays, and the landlord receives the report by email.
A few practical points make the handoff smooth:
- Confirm the address. Ask the landlord which inbox to use; property management companies often have a dedicated screening address.
- Tell the landlord it is coming. A short message with your name, the unit, and the fact that you ordered a screening report helps it get matched to your application.
- Match names exactly. Use the same legal name on the order that you used on the rental application.
- Keep your confirmation. Save your order confirmation in case the landlord asks when it was ordered.
What Information Do You Need Before You Start?
- Social Security number, or an ITIN. Our report options page explains that the credit portion requires a Social Security number or ITIN because the credit bureaus require it to pull credit data.
- Date of birth, used with the number to match your identity.
- Current email and phone number.
- The landlord’s or property manager’s email address.
- For two-person orders, the second person’s full name, Social Security number, and date of birth, and that person’s agreement to be screened.
Only enter another adult’s information with that person’s knowledge and consent. Screening someone without a permissible purpose is not allowed under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and a co-applicant should understand what is being ordered before you submit it. Our article on whether a landlord can run a background check without permission explains the consent rules in more detail.
Will Every Landlord Accept a Report You Ordered Yourself?
No, and it is important to ask before you order. Many landlords and nearly all large property management companies use a screening provider under their own account and will run their own report regardless of what you provide. Others, especially independent landlords, welcome an applicant-ordered report because it saves them a step.
A handful of states have written specific laws about reusable or portable screening reports. We confirmed the following at the primary source:
| State | Law | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| California | Civ. Code §1950.1 | A landlord may elect to accept a “reusable tenant screening report” that meets the statute’s definition, including preparation within the previous 30 days by a consumer reporting agency. A landlord that accepts one may not charge the applicant a fee to access it or an application screening fee. |
| Washington | RCW 59.18.257 | Landlords must disclose whether they accept a comprehensive reusable tenant screening report made available by a consumer reporting agency; if they accept one, the applicant is not charged for the landlord’s own screening report. |
| Colorado | HB23-1099, amended by HB25-1236 | Generally requires landlords to accept a qualifying portable tenant screening report and bars charging an application fee when one is provided, with exceptions. HB25-1236, effective January 1, 2026, changed the definition, including for applicants using a housing subsidy. |
Those laws protect applicants only when the report meets the statute’s specific definition. Whether a particular report qualifies in a particular state depends on that statute’s terms, so do not assume a fee waiver applies; ask the landlord in writing whether it will accept the report you plan to order, and check your state’s rules on our screening laws by state page.
What Rights Do You Keep Over a Report About You?
Ordering the report yourself does not reduce your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. If you believe any item in a report about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to dispute it with the consumer reporting agency that furnished it, and the agency generally must complete a free reinvestigation within 30 days (15 U.S.C. §1681i). If you spot something that looks wrong in a report you ordered through us, contact our team before the landlord relies on it.
If a landlord denies you, requires a co-signer, or asks for a larger deposit or higher rent because of what the report shows, the landlord owes you an adverse action notice under §1681m, with your right to a free copy within 60 days and to dispute. Our guide to rights after a rental application denial explains each step. Screening decisions must also comply with fair housing law; our Fair Housing Act guide covers the protected classes.
How Is This Different From Your Free Credit and Screening Reports?
Free reports and an applicant-ordered screening report do different jobs, and most renters benefit from both.
- Free credit reports from the three nationwide bureaus show your credit history only – accounts, inquiries, and collections. They are for checking your own credit, and they are not a screening report a landlord can rely on.
- Free file disclosures from tenant screening companies show what those companies already hold about you, which is often nothing unless you have applied for a rental before. They are for finding and disputing errors.
- An applicant-ordered screening report is a new report that combines credit with eviction, criminal, and public-record searches and is sent to the landlord you name. It is for applying.
The sensible order is to use the free routes first to find and fix problems, then order the screening report when you are ready to apply. That way the report the landlord receives reflects any corrections you have already made, rather than the error you were hoping to fix.
How Can You Make an Applicant-Ordered Report Work for Your Application?
A report is only one part of an application. These steps help it do its job:
- Check your records first. Search court records for any eviction filings and request your free credit reports so nothing in the screening surprises you.
- Read the landlord’s criteria. Ask for the written screening criteria – credit, income, rental history, criminal history – and confirm you meet them before you order.
- Pair the report with income proof. Pay stubs, an offer letter, or benefit statements answer the question the report does not.
- Explain anything negative once. A short, factual note about a past issue, what changed, and your record since then is better than silence.
- Order for everyone at once. If two adults are applying, use a two-person option so both results arrive together.
- Keep your own records. Save your confirmation and any communications about the report.
If your credit is the concern, our article on the minimum credit score for renting explains how landlords use scores, and how landlords evaluate a renter’s credit shows what they look at beyond the number.
How Does the Applicant-Pays Option Work for Landlords?
From the landlord’s side, applicant-paid screening means the landlord receives the report without paying for it. Our pricing page explains that a landlord can send applicants a link to apply and pay while the landlord receives the report, or can pay at checkout instead; either way it is the same report. Landlords who prefer to order and pay themselves start from the same order start page and choose “I am a Landlord.”
Whoever pays, a landlord who uses the report is responsible for using it lawfully: applying the same criteria to every applicant and sending an adverse action notice when the report contributes to a denial or less favorable terms. Our FCRA guide for landlords and the free adverse action letter cover those duties.
Primary sources used on this page
Our own order pages were read on 2026-09-28: the order start page, the applicant options page, the background check options page, the report options page, and the pricing page. Law: 15 U.S.C. §1681i (disputes), §1681m (adverse action), Cal. Civ. Code §1950.1, RCW 59.18.257, Colorado HB23-1099, and Colorado HB25-1236.
Do
- ✓Ask the landlord whether it will accept a report you order before you pay.
- ✓Use the exact email address the landlord or property manager gives you.
- ✓Match your legal name to the name on your rental application.
- ✓Check your eviction and credit records first so nothing surprises you.
- ✓Get a co-applicant’s agreement before entering that person’s information.
Avoid
- ✕Order if the landlord requires its own screening provider.
- ✕Assume a state fee waiver applies without checking the statute’s definition.
- ✕Enter another adult’s Social Security number without consent.
- ✕Send the report to a general inbox the landlord did not name.
- ✕Ignore an item you believe is wrong; raise it before the landlord relies on it.
Applicant-Paid Tenant Screening: FAQ
Can I order a tenant screening report on myself?
Yes. Start at the order start page, choose I am a Rental Applicant, pick an applicant option, enter your details, sign the credit authorization, and add your landlord’s or property manager’s email so the report can be sent to them.
How much does an applicant-paid tenant screening report cost?
Current prices for every applicant and landlord option are listed on our pricing page and our report options page. Check there before you order, because prices are not repeated in this guide.
What does the applicant tenant screening report include?
A full credit report with score, nationwide eviction and criminal history, registered sex offender searches, civil judgments, liens, current or pending bankruptcies, and address and employment history when available, with secure e-sign authorization.
Will ordering my own screening report hurt my credit score?
Our applicant options page states that the credit pull is a soft pull that does not affect your credit score.
How does my landlord receive the report?
The order form has an optional field for your landlord’s or property manager’s email address. The report is sent to the address you enter, so use the exact address the landlord gives you.
Can two applicants be screened in one order?
Yes. You can order two full tenant screenings, or one full screening with credit plus a background check without credit for a second person. The form asks for the second person’s name, Social Security number, and date of birth.
Do landlords have to accept a report I order myself?
Not in general. Many landlords run their own screening. California and Washington let landlords choose whether to accept qualifying reusable reports, and Colorado generally requires acceptance of a qualifying portable report, but each law has its own definition. Ask the landlord first.
How fast are results delivered?
Most reports are delivered the same day.
What if something in the report is wrong?
Contact us before the landlord relies on it. You also keep your right under 15 U.S.C. 1681i to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information with the consumer reporting agency that furnished it, which generally must reinvestigate within 30 days.
Related Guides for Renters Ordering a Report
- How to check your eviction history – find and fix records before you apply.
- Rights after a rental application denial – the notice, free copy, and dispute.
- Sample tenant screening report – what the landlord will see.
- Inside a tenant screening report – each section explained.
- Current screening prices – every option in one place.
- Compare report options – full screening versus background only.
- Minimum credit score for renting – how landlords use scores.
- Screening laws by state – state rules on reports and fees.
Order Your Own Tenant Screening Report
Choose I am a Rental Applicant, sign the credit authorization, and send the report to your landlord. Same-day results. FCRA compliant.
Published by Tenant Screening Background Check · Editorial Team
Established 2004. Our editorial team explains tenant screening and the Fair Credit Reporting Act in plain language for renters and landlords in all 50 states. This page describes only the ordering options shown on our live order pages when it was written.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Screening, consumer reporting, and state reusable-report laws change, and how they apply depends on your facts and your state. For advice about a specific situation, consult a licensed attorney. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.
