A Wisconsin rental application is the form a prospective tenant fills in to give a landlord their contact details, income, rental history and references. In Wisconsin, before authorizing a rental agreement, the landlord may ask potential tenants to complete a particular form, called rental application. Download the free template or create it online with the buttons below, then follow the steps on this page.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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A Wisconsin rental application template gives a landlord the main facts about a potential tenant in one place. Landlords look through it to compare applicants before they choose one. The document includes such information as:
Tenants’ identification
Ability to pay rent regularly
Credit background
Employment and rental history (if any)
Personal references
Information about co-tenants and pets
Once the potential lessee authorizes the rental application, the property owner obtains legal power to inspect your background and check the data you provide. Make sure to present truthful information, as it will affect the landlord’s decision.
Tenant’s Protection
There are several matters that tenants should consider to protect themselves from any kind of discrimination. Of course, a landlord may reject your application, but they must provide reasonable justification. Following the Madison General Ordinance 32.08(5), the lessor must provide a written explanation within three days of rejection.
The landlord has no right to cancel your application relying on your income if you provide evidence that you have managed to pay the same rent amount in previous residences.
Any rejection based on one’s religion, color, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, appearance, and other cases claimed in 39.03(4) of Madison General Ordinance will be considered discrimination.
Under §134.06 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, a landlord may request an application charge (or else, earnest money) from the potential tenant. The maximum grant to investigate the credit background equals $20.
If the landlord disapproves of your application, they should give back the charged fee the next working day. If you succeed with the application, the earnest fee should become part of either your first rent payment or deposit withdrawals. Otherwise, the money must be returned.
On the other hand, the rental contract is more than useful to the landlord. It serves to generate additional protection and claims that no agreements can be violated without further penalties.
Wisconsin Rental Application Form Details
The table below sums up the FormsPal Wisconsin rental application template. It lists the other names the form goes by, how long it takes to fill in and how many fillable fields the PDF has.
Document Name
Wisconsin Rental Application Form
Other Names
WI Rental Application, Wisconsin Application to Rent
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How to Fill Out a Wisconsin Rental Application Template
Follow these steps to complete the FormsPal Wisconsin rental application template. They go in the order of the form, from the unit details at the top of page 1 to the signature at the bottom of page 2. You can fill in the downloaded PDF with the FormsPal PDF editor, or print it and write in the answers by hand.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Wisconsin Rental Application template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.
Before you start, gather your current and previous addresses, your employer’s details and your bank information. Having them at hand makes the form quicker to complete.
Print and Alert Clear buttons Open the PDF and look at the top of page 1. The Print and Alert Clear buttons and the note field for longer names are tools of the PDF, not questions, so there is nothing to answer here. Use the note field if a name does not fit in its box.Step 1: sample entries, not a real document.
Rental Application bullets Read the five bullets under the RENTAL APPLICATION heading before you fill anything in. They cover who completes the form and what to have ready.Step 2: sample entries, not a real document.
Unit Information This block is marked to be completed by the landlord. Enter the date, the name of the landlord or agent, the address and unit number, the monthly rental amount, the security deposit amount, the type of tenancy and the utilities included.Step 3: sample entries, not a real document.
Personal Information Write the applicant’s full name in the first, middle and last name boxes, then add the date of birth.Step 4: sample entries, not a real document.
Personal Information (continued) Add any prior names you have used, your Social Security number, address, city, state and ZIP, both phone numbers, driver’s license number and email.Step 5: sample entries, not a real document.
Other Occupants List each other person who will live in the unit with a full name, relationship, date of birth and Social Security number. The form has three lines for this. Leave them blank if nobody else will live there.Step 6: sample entries, not a real document.
Rental History Give your current address, how long you have lived there, your current landlord and phone number, your reason for moving and your current rent amount with the period.Step 7: sample entries, not a real document.
Rental History (previous address) Repeat the same details for your previous address: how long you lived there, the previous landlord and phone number, your reason for moving and the rent amount. Finish the city, state and ZIP line.Step 8: sample entries, not a real document.
Employment History Write your current employer, the starting date and the employer’s address.Step 9: sample entries, not a real document.
Employment History (current job) Add your job title, gross monthly income before deductions, supervisor and phone number. If you have a second employer, begin it on the next lines with the name, starting date and address.Step 10: sample entries, not a real document.
Employment History (other employer) Finish the other employer with the job title, gross monthly income before deductions, supervisor and phone number. Leave this part blank if you have only one employer.Step 11: sample entries, not a real document.
Other Sources of Income On page 2, list any additional income you want the landlord to consider. Keep papers that back it up within reach, since the form notes that verification is needed.Step 12: sample entries, not a real document.
Credit and Financial Information Enter up to two bank accounts with the bank, account number and account type. Then add up to two credit references, such as auto loans, personal loans or credit cards, with the type, creditor, account number, total amount owed and monthly payment.Step 13: sample entries, not a real document.
Other Information List up to three automobiles or other vehicles with the make and type, year, color and license number. Then answer the questions about pets (and what type and how many), furniture, smoking and past evictions, with a short explanation if the answer to the eviction question is yes.Step 14: sample entries, not a real document.
Emergency Contact and Signature Give the emergency contact’s name, phone number, relationship and address. If you want to pay for a consumer credit report with the application, write the amount on the credit report line. Then read the authorizations, sign on the Signature of Applicant line and add the date. Keep a copy of the signed form.Step 15: sample entries, not a real document.
Other Wisconsin Forms
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A Wisconsin rental application is a form that a person who wants to rent a home fills in for the landlord. It lists the applicant’s identity, income, rental history, employer, bank and credit details, other occupants, pets and an emergency contact. The landlord looks it over to compare applicants.
Which sections does the Wisconsin rental application have?
The template has these sections:
Unit Information
Personal Information and Other Occupants
Rental History and Employment History
Other Sources of Income
Credit and Financial Information
Other Information, an emergency contact and the signature line
How long does it take to fill out the application?
The details table above lists about 18 minutes. The time depends on how many details you have at hand. Gather your addresses, employer information and bank details first, and the form goes faster.
Can I fill in the Wisconsin rental application on my computer?
Yes. The template is a fillable PDF, so you can type your answers into the fields on a computer and then print it. You can also print the blank form and write in the answers by hand, or use the Create My Document button to build a new copy online.
What should I do with the application after filling it in?
Read through each answer once more and check that names, dates and phone numbers are correct. Sign and date the form, then keep a copy for your records before you hand the original to the landlord.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Jennifer M. Settles
Author & Attorney
With over 25 years of experience as a business and transactional attorney, Jennifer has mastered the craft of closing highly successful deals for her clients. Through her wide-ranging expertise in commercial contracts, real estate transactions, M&A and corporate law, Jennifer secures results that are second-to-none.
