Free · No signup · Updated July 2026

Free North Carolina Rental Application Form - Fill Online, Sign & Download the PDF

North Carolina ties your security deposit to the length of your lease and requires landlords to hold that money in a trust account, yet it puts no cap on application fees. Fill it out below with plain-English help on every field, then sign and download your completed PDF free.

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North Carolina rental application rules to know

•North Carolina sets no statutory cap on rental application or tenant-screening fees. These fees are generally nonrefundable, and in practice most landlords charge only the screening cost, though no North Carolina law requires it.
•Security deposits are capped by lease type under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-51: no more than two weeks' rent for a week-to-week tenancy, one and one-half months' rent for month-to-month, and two months' rent for any term longer than month-to-month.
•Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-50 the landlord must place your deposit in a trust account at a licensed, insured North Carolina bank (or post a bond) and tell you the institution's name and address within 30 days after the lease begins.
•Your landlord must send an itemized statement of any deductions plus the remaining deposit within 30 days after you move out (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-52). If damages cannot be finalized in time, an interim accounting is due at 30 days and a final accounting within 60 days.
•A landlord who willfully ignores these deposit rules forfeits the right to keep any part of your deposit, and courts may order the landlord to pay your reasonable attorney's fees.
•Late fees are capped by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46 at the greater of $15 or 5 percent of the monthly rent (or the greater of $4 or 5 percent for weekly rent), and only after rent is at least five days late.
•North Carolina has no statewide law requiring landlords to accept Housing Choice (Section 8) vouchers, so source of income is generally not a protected category outside a few local programs.
•The State Fair Housing Act (Chapter 41A) protects the same groups as federal law: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicapping condition (disability), and familial status. It adds no extra statewide protected classes.

Last reviewed 2026-07-15. General information, not legal advice.

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Filled in by the applicant based on the listing, or pre-filled by the landlord.

Property address*

Desired move-in date*

Monthly rent ($)

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Frequently asked questions

How much can a North Carolina landlord charge for an application fee?

There is no legal maximum in North Carolina. Application fees are typically nonrefundable and are meant to cover the cost of credit and background screening. Compare fees before you apply, since the state does not regulate the amount.

What is the maximum security deposit in North Carolina?

It depends on your lease term. The cap is two weeks' rent for a week-to-week tenancy, one and one-half months' rent for a month-to-month tenancy, and two months' rent for a longer lease, under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-51.

When do I get my security deposit back?

Your landlord has 30 days after you move out to send an itemized list of deductions and any refund. If the final damage amount cannot be set within 30 days, the landlord must send an interim accounting at 30 days and a final one within 60 days.

Does this application ask about criminal history?

Yes. North Carolina has no statewide fair-chance housing law and no major local ordinance limiting criminal-history questions on private rental applications. Answer honestly. A landlord still cannot use a blanket ban in a way that creates Fair Housing Act disparate-impact liability.

Can a North Carolina landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher?

In most of the state, yes. North Carolina does not protect source of income statewide, so a private landlord can decline to accept a Housing Choice Voucher unless a specific local program says otherwise.

Are late fees limited in North Carolina?

Yes. A late fee cannot exceed the greater of $15 or 5 percent of the monthly rent, and it can only be charged once rent is five or more days late (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46).

More free landlord & tenant forms

For landlords: the tenant application form and the rental verification form.