Free · No signup · Updated July 2026
Free Canadian Rental Application Form - Fill Online, Sign & Download the PDF
Renting is governed province by province in Canada, so the fees, deposits, and rules that apply to you depend on where you live. This free form works Canada-wide, and every province has its own guide below. Fill it out below with plain-English help on every field, then sign and download your completed PDF free.
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Canada rental application rules to know
- •You do not have to give your Social Insurance Number to rent anywhere in Canada. A landlord may ask, but the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada confirms you cannot be required to provide it, and a credit check needs only your name, address, and date of birth.
- •Every province and territory has a human rights code that bars a landlord from refusing you because of protected grounds such as race, religion, sex, age, disability, and marital or family status, and most codes also protect receipt of public assistance or source of income.
- •Application and screening fees are banned in several provinces, including Ontario (RTA s. 134), Quebec (Civil Code s. 1904), and British Columbia, but permitted in others such as Alberta. Check your provincial page before paying any fee.
- •Deposit rules differ sharply by province: Quebec bans all deposits, Ontario allows only last month's rent, British Columbia allows a half-month security deposit plus a half-month pet deposit, and Alberta allows up to one month. See your province for the exact cap.
- •Tenant credit checks in Canada run through Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada. Since November 2024 both treat rental tenant-screening checks as 'soft' inquiries, so applying for a rental does not lower your credit score.
- •Landlord and tenant law is provincial, not federal, so the deposit caps, fee rules, interest, and deadlines that apply to you come from your provincial residential tenancy law and human rights code. Pick your province or territory below for the specifics.
Last reviewed 2026-07-16. General information, not legal advice.
Fill out your application online
One section at a time. Nothing you type leaves your browser; the PDF is generated on your device. Hover any ? for plain-English help.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to give my SIN on a rental application in Canada?
No. A landlord can ask for your Social Insurance Number, but you are not required to give it, and you cannot be refused just for declining. Credit bureaus can run a check with only your name, address, and date of birth.
Can landlords charge application fees in Canada?
It depends on the province. Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia ban application and screening fees, while some provinces such as Alberta allow them. Check your provincial guide below to see what is legal where you live.
Does a rental credit check hurt my credit score?
No. Since November 2024, both Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada classify rental tenant-screening checks as soft inquiries. That means you can apply to as many rentals as you like without affecting your score.
How much of a deposit can a landlord ask for?
That is set provincially. Quebec allows no deposit at all, Ontario allows only last month's rent, British Columbia allows up to half a month plus a half-month pet deposit, and Alberta allows up to one month. Open your province's page for the current cap and rules.
Can a landlord run a criminal or background check?
It varies by province. Where criminal-record protection exists it is usually employment-only rather than housing, and several codes do not protect it at all, so many provinces allow the question, while Quebec restricts it under its privacy rules. Check your provincial page for what applies to you.
Which law covers my rental application?
Your province or territory's residential tenancy law sets deposit and fee rules, its human rights code sets what a landlord may not ask, and privacy law limits the personal information they can collect. There is no single federal rental law, so choose your province below.
More free landlord & tenant forms
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- General Canada form
- United States forms
For landlords: the tenant application form and the rental verification form.