Background Checks from a
Paper Rental Application
Price criminal and eviction screening from a paper application. Each report is $5. A $5 identity check becomes 1 screening credit. Platinum includes identity and 1 report each month. Credit reports are not live.
Perfect for HUD landlords, Section 8 housing, and tenants who aren't tech-savvy. No e-invites, no digital forms, no portal signups required.
How It Works — 4 Simple Steps
No tech skills needed. If you can take a photo with your phone, you can run a background check.
Download the Form
Get our free 1-page rental application with built-in FCRA authorization language. Print a stack and keep them in your car.
Tenant Fills It Out
Hand the paper form to your prospective tenant. They fill in their info and sign the background check authorization — with a pen.
Snap a Photo
Take a clear photo of the completed, signed application with your phone. That's all you need.
Order After Verify or Platinum
Open VerticalRent and order the reports you need from Background Checks after you verify. Each report is 1 screening credit ($5), and the $5 identity check becomes 1 credit. John can help you fill the order — he does not skip identity verification.
What You Can Screen from a Paper Application
Criminal and eviction checks need a name, date of birth, SSN, address, and signed authorization. The tenant can fill that on paper — no online portal for them.
Criminal Background Check
Platinum $5- Searches millions of court records nationwide
- Sex offender registry check (all 50 states)
- National terrorist & watch list screening
- Federal court records search
- County-level criminal history
Eviction History
Platinum $5- Nationwide eviction search across civil courts
- Unlawful detainer filings & judgments
- Landlord-tenant court records
- Nationwide civil-court coverage
- Historical eviction actions (7-year lookback)
Credit reports are not live
VerticalRent does not sell a TransUnion or Experian credit report today. Criminal and eviction checks can be ordered after Verify or Platinum from a signed paper authorization — no portal signup needed for the tenant.
Your Applicant Has Rights Under the FCRA
Right to a copy of the report: Your applicant has the right to request a copy of any consumer report used to make a leasing decision. They can email support@verticalrent.com to request a copy, or you can provide it to them directly.
Adverse action notice required: If you decide to deny an applicant based in whole or in part on information found in a criminal or eviction background check, federal law requires you to provide them with an adverse action notice. This notice must include the name and contact information of the reporting agency (VerticalRent / ScreenForge Labs LLC), a statement that the agency did not make the decision, and the applicant's right to dispute the accuracy of the report and obtain a free copy within 60 days.
VerticalRent automatically generates adverse action notices for you when you deny an applicant through the platform. If you're using the paper application workflow, make sure you still provide written notice to the applicant if you decline them based on screening results.
Screening Cost Calculator
See exactly what it costs before you sign up.
Download the 1-Page Rental Application
Includes FCRA-compliant authorization language that allows you to legally run criminal and eviction background checks. Print a stack and keep them ready for showings.
Why Paper Applications Still Matter for Small Landlords
Background Checks for HUD & Section 8 Landlords
If you rent to tenants receiving housing assistance through HUD, Section 8 vouchers, or other government housing programs, you know the reality: many of your prospective tenants don't have reliable internet access, a computer, or the tech skills to fill out a digital rental application. That doesn't mean you should skip screening. Criminal background checks and eviction history searches protect you and your property — and they only need a name, date of birth, and signed authorization to run.
Screening Tenants Who Aren't Tech-Savvy
Not every tenant has a smartphone with an email address. Not every tenant is going to click an e-invite link, create an account, and fill out a digital form. For landlords who rent to elderly tenants, recently relocated individuals, or anyone who prefers doing business face-to-face, a paper rental application is still the most practical way to collect information. VerticalRent bridges the gap: your tenant fills out a paper form, and our AI-powered assistant reads the photo and runs the background check for you.
What You Can (and Can't) Screen Without an Online Application
With a signed paper authorization, you can legally run:
- Criminal background checks — nationwide court records, sex offender registries, federal watch lists
- Eviction history — civil court records, unlawful detainer filings, landlord-tenant judgments
What you cannot run from a paper application alone:
- Credit reports — not live. VerticalRent does not sell a TransUnion or Experian credit report today. Do not send a digital invite expecting a bureau credit check.
For most small landlords renting affordable housing, criminal and eviction checks provide the due diligence you need before handing over the keys.
FCRA Compliance for Paper Applications
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that you have a "permissible purpose" and the applicant's written consent before ordering any background check. Our downloadable rental application includes the required authorization language. When the applicant signs the form, they're giving you legal permission to run criminal and eviction checks through VerticalRent. We log the consent in our FCRA audit trail when you submit the photo to Ask John.
Important: If you deny a rental application based on information found in a background check, you are required by lawto provide the applicant with an adverse action notice. This notice must include the name of the consumer reporting agency (VerticalRent / ScreenForge Labs LLC), a statement that the agency did not make the rental decision, and the applicant's right to dispute the report and receive a free copy within 60 days. Your applicant can also request a copy of the report at any time by emailing support@verticalrent.com.
How screening from paper works
Ask John is VerticalRent's AI assistant. He can help you understand screening results and FCRA steps. Ordering still happens on Background Checks after Verify or Platinum. Each report is 1 screening credit ($5). A $5 identity check becomes 1 credit. Credit reports are not live.
Screen From Paper — Verify or Platinum First
Sign up free. Verify identity for $5 and that fee becomes 1 screening credit. Each report is $5. Platinum includes identity and 1 report each month.
Already have an account? Order from Background Checks after Verify or Platinum.