Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a § 47a-4d
Fees for tenant screening reports.
Operative Text
(a) As used in this section, “tenant screening report” means a credit report, a criminal background report, an employment history report, a rental history report or any combination thereof, used by a landlord to determine the suitability of a prospective tenant. (b) No landlord may demand from a prospective tenant any payment, fee or charge for the processing, review or acceptance of any rental application, or demand any other payment, fee or charge before or at the beginning of the tenancy, except a security deposit pursuant to section 47a-21, advance payment for the first month's rent or a deposit for a key or any special equipment, or a fee for a tenant screening report as provided in subsection (c) of this section. No landlord may charge a tenant a move-in or move-out fee. (c) On and after October 1, 2023, a landlord may charge a fee not exceeding fifty dollars plus an adjustment reflecting any increase in the consumer price index for urban consumers, as determined by the Commissioner of Housing on an annual basis, for a tenant screening report concerning a prospective tenant. (d) A landlord that charges a fee for a tenant screening report concerning a prospective tenant shall provide the prospective tenant with (1) a copy of the tenant screening report or, if the landlord is prohibited from providing such a copy, information concerning such report that would allow such tenant to request a copy of such report from the service provider that produced such report, and (2) a copy of the receipt or invoice from the entity conducting the tenant screening report concerning the prospective tenant.
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d, Connecticut law limits what landlords may collect from prospective tenants before or at the start of a tenancy. Landlords are generally restricted to collecting a security deposit, first month's rent, a key or equipment deposit, and — as of October 1, 2023 — a tenant screening report fee capped at $50 (subject to annual consumer price index adjustments). Application processing fees and move-in or move-out fees are prohibited. When a screening fee is charged, the landlord must provide the prospective tenant with a copy of the report (or instructions for obtaining it) and a receipt or invoice from the screening provider.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d sets clear boundaries on the upfront charges a compliant Connecticut landlord may collect. Operators generally limit pre-tenancy charges to the statutory security deposit, first month's rent, key or equipment deposits, and a tenant screening fee that does not exceed the $50 ceiling (adjusted annually by the Commissioner of Housing for CPI changes). When a screening fee is collected, compliant landlords provide the prospective tenant with a copy of the screening report or retrieval instructions, along with the receipt or invoice from the screening service — and they do not charge any application processing, move-in, or move-out fees.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d gives Connecticut prospective tenants the right to be free from unlawful upfront fees, including application processing fees and move-in or move-out charges. If a landlord charges a tenant screening fee, it must not exceed the $50 cap (plus any CPI adjustment), and the landlord is required to supply a copy of the report or instructions for obtaining it, as well as the provider's receipt or invoice. Tenants who believe a landlord has violated these requirements may consider filing a complaint with the Connecticut Department of Housing, consulting a tenant-rights organization, or raising the violation as a defense or claim in a relevant legal proceeding.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 17, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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