How Much Can Landlords Charge for Application Fees in Arizona?

State law in Arizona doesn't put a cap on rental application fees. That being said, the whole point of an application fee is to reimburse a landlord for the time or money they spent screening prospective tenants—things like calling references or running an online credit or background check. Most tenant screening services cost between $30-40. So, be cautious if a landlord is asking you to pay an application fee that’s a lot higher than that.

One other thing to know as a tenant in Arizona: All landlords have to be very clear when they are charging a nonrefundable fee by mentioning it in writing. If they don't, then the fee is considered refundable. So if you don't end up getting an apartment—and the landlord never put it in writing that the application fee was nonrefundable—it's within your rights to ask for the money back.

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