Rental application documents: a checklist, and how to send them from your phone

Most rental applications ask for a government photo ID, proof of income such as your last two or three pay stubs, recent bank statements, and your rental history or references. The best apartments go fast, so have these ready as clean PDFs before you tour. ScanMojo scans them free on iPhone and Android, with no ads and no watermark, and they stay on your phone until you send them.

  1. 1

    Scan your ID

    Choose ID under the viewfinder, fit the front in the frame, then turn it over for the back. ScanMojo keeps it in the IDs folder, which opens only with your face, fingerprint or passcode.

  2. 2

    Scan the paper pages

    Tap Scan and hold the phone over each page. Scan every page of a statement or letter into one document, so a three-page bank statement is one three-page PDF.

  3. 3

    Import what's already a PDF

    Pay stubs and statements you downloaded can come straight in: open Tools › Import a file. Downloaded PDFs are usually sharper than a scan of the printout.

  4. 4

    Check the names

    ScanMojo names each document from the text on its first page. Rename any that need it, like "Pay stub, October", so the landlord can tell them apart.

  5. 5

    Tap Share, then PDF

    Send each document by email or upload it to the application portal. Use the landlord's portal if there is one; it's usually safer than email for an ID and pay stubs.

The checklist

Identity: a driver's license, state ID or passport for every adult on the application.

Income: your last two or three pay stubs. Some landlords also want your most recent W-2 or an employer letter confirming your job and pay.

Bank statements: usually the last two or three months, as proof of steady deposits or savings.

Rental history: your current and past addresses, with landlord names and phone numbers, plus a reference letter if you have one.

The application itself: filled in and signed. Add a pet record or vehicle details if the listing asks for them.

Requirements vary by landlord, city and state, so ask for the list before you start. A credit check usually comes from the landlord's screening service, so you may only need to give your consent.

If you don't have pay stubs

Starting a new job: an offer letter on company letterhead showing your pay and start date often works. Self-employed: your latest tax return, with bank statements or 1099s. Students: a landlord may accept a guarantor's documents, or a financial aid or scholarship letter. Retired or on benefits: an award letter or pension statement.

Ask what the landlord accepts before you send anything, and send documents exactly as they were issued. Altered pay stubs are one of the things landlords check for.

When the portal wants one file or a small one

Every document shows its PDF size, so you can check it against the upload limit. For free, the B&W look keeps text-only pages small, and scanning paper pages into one document gives you one PDF.

ScanMojo Pro handles the harder cases. Tools › Merge PDFs joins your scans and PDFs into a single file, and Share › Smaller PDF makes a copy that fits a limit from 500 KB to 10 MB. You can make and preview a smaller copy for free; sharing it takes Pro. Your original scan stays as it is.

Sending your ID without handing over a clean copy

A copy of your ID can be misused if it's forwarded or left in an inbox. With ScanMojo Pro, Share › Safe Copy writes "For rental application only" across every page, with the date if you want it, so the copy is harder to reuse for anything else. It can also black out numbers: tap Cover Numbers or drag across anything you want hidden. The blacked-out part is really gone from the shared PDF, not just covered.

Check with the landlord before you black anything out, because some screening services need your ID number. You can preview a safe copy for free; sharing it takes Pro. Without Pro, share the ID as a PDF over the portal.

Questions

What documents do I need for a rental application?

Usually a government photo ID, your last two or three pay stubs or other proof of income, recent bank statements, and your rental history or references. Requirements vary, so ask the landlord for their list.

How many pay stubs do I need for an apartment application?

Most landlords ask for the last two or three. Check with yours, since some ask for more or want a W-2 as well.

What can I use as proof of income if I'm self-employed or just started a job?

Self-employed applicants usually send a recent tax return with bank statements or 1099s. If you've just started a job, an offer letter showing your pay and start date often works.

How do I send documents to a landlord from my phone?

Scan or import each one in ScanMojo, tap Share › PDF, then attach it to an email or upload it to the portal. Scanning and PDF export are free, with no ads and no watermark.

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