R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 § 34-18-59
Fair limitation on rental application fees
Operative Text
(a) A landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real estate broker, property management company, or designee shall not be allowed to require or demand any prospective tenant to pay for a rental application fee. (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real estate broker, property management company, or designee from requiring an official state criminal background check from the bureau of criminal identification (BCI), department of attorney general, state police or local police department where the prospective tenant resides or from requiring a credit check subject to the following limitations: (1) If a prospective tenant provides a required official state criminal background check or credit report issued within ninety (90) days of the application for a rental unit, no fee for such official state criminal background check and/or credit report may be charged by the respective landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real estate broker, property management company, or designee; (2) If a prospective tenant does not provide a required official state background check and/or credit report issued within ninety (90) days of the application for a rental unit, then the landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real estate broker, property management company, or designee may charge the prospective tenant a fee representing not more than the actual cost of obtaining the official state background check and/or credit report. Provided further, any prospective tenant who is charged a fee under this subsection for a background check or credit report shall be provided with a copy of the background check or credit report; and (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real estate broker, property management company, or designee from obtaining an independent background check or credit report at the landlord's own expense.
Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18-59 prohibits landlords, property managers, brokers, and related parties from charging prospective tenants a general rental application fee. However, the law does allow these parties to require a criminal background check or credit report under specific conditions: if the applicant supplies a qualifying report issued within the past 90 days, no fee may be charged; if the applicant cannot provide such a recent report, the housing provider may charge only the actual cost of obtaining one and must give the applicant a copy. Housing providers may also run their own independent checks entirely at their own expense.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 34-18-59, compliant operators in Rhode Island do not charge any general application fee to prospective tenants. When a background check or credit report is needed, operators accept qualifying reports the applicant already has if issued within 90 days, charging nothing in that scenario; if the applicant lacks a recent report, operators limit any fee to the documented actual cost of obtaining one and furnish the applicant with a copy of that report. Any independent checks a housing provider chooses to run beyond what the applicant supplies are conducted at the provider's own cost.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 34-18-59 of Rhode Island General Laws gives prospective tenants the right to apply for a rental unit without paying a general application fee. If a landlord or property manager requires a background check or credit report, tenants who already have a qualifying report issued within the last 90 days cannot be charged for it; those who are charged for a new report are entitled to receive a copy of that report and may only be billed the actual cost. Tenants who believe a fee has been improperly charged may consider contacting a Rhode Island tenant-rights organization or consulting an attorney to understand available remedies.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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