Important: Homzora is a housing research publisher, not a law firm, and nothing on this page is legal advice. This article is general information about the law as published by government and court sources at the time of writing, and it may not reflect later changes or the facts of your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney and client relationship. For advice about your situation, contact a licensed attorney or a legal aid organization in your state.
In the city of Dallas, about 307,300 of 533,900 occupied homes, or 57.6 percent, are rented, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey (Homzora Dallas dataset, Table B25003). The median gross rent is $1,472 a month (Homzora Dallas dataset, Table B25064). Every one of those households went through an application, and the rules on fees and screening decide what you pay up front and how a landlord can judge you.
This guide explains application fees and tenant screening in Dallas under Texas law and any local rules: what a landlord can charge, what it must tell you, how criminal history, credit, eviction records, and vouchers can be used, and what to do if you are denied.
Quick answers
- Fee cap: the Texas statutes we reviewed set no dollar cap on application fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.351).
- Criteria notice: the landlord must make its selection criteria available in writing (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.3515).
- Deemed rejected: if the landlord does not accept you by the 7th day after a completed application (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.352).
- Refunds: application deposits must be refunded if you are rejected (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.351).
Income requirements at local rents
Income requirements are one of the most common screening criteria. As an illustration only, a landlord requiring income of three times the rent would expect about $4,416 a month, or $52,992 a year, at the median gross rent of $1,472. Requirements vary by landlord and some laws limit them, so ask for the exact standard in writing.
Application fees and deposits
Texas law separates two payments. An application fee is a nonrefundable payment to cover the cost of screening, while an application deposit must be refunded if you are rejected (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.351). You are deemed rejected if the landlord does not give notice of acceptance on or before the 7th day after you submit a completed application, and rejecting one co applicant counts as rejecting all (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.352). A landlord who in bad faith fails to refund can owe $100, three times the amount wrongfully kept, and attorney’s fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.354).
Selection criteria
When you receive an application, the landlord must make printed notice of its selection criteria available, which can include criminal history, rental history, income, credit history, and failure to give accurate information. You sign an acknowledgment; if the landlord rejects you without having given the notice, it must return the application fee and any deposit (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.3515).
Local rules and vouchers
Texas limits city rules in this area. A 2023 law bars cities and counties from adopting ordinances in fields the Property Code already covers (Tex. Prop. Code § 1.004), and an appeals court ruling in July 2025 left it in force (Texas Tribune, ruling on HB 2127 (July 18, 2025)). State law also bars cities from requiring landlords to accept housing choice vouchers (Texas SB 267 (2015), Local Gov. Code § 250.007). Dallas protects source of income as allowed by state law, but requires voucher acceptance only from housing providers that receive city funding (City of Dallas, source of income protections). Austin’s list of housing protected classes does not include source of income (City of Austin, Equity and Inclusion enforcement).
Your federal rights if you are denied
Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, a landlord that denies you, requires a cosigner, or charges a larger deposit or higher rent based even partly on a consumer report must give you an adverse action notice. It must name the screening company, say that the company did not make the decision, and explain your right to dispute the report and to get a free copy if you ask within 60 days (FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know). The CFPB adds that a screening company generally has 30 days to investigate a dispute, and sometimes 45 (CFPB, If your rental application is denied because of a screening report).
At the federal level, HUD withdrew its 2016 guidance on how the Fair Housing Act applies to the use of criminal records, effective September 25, 2025 (Federal Register, HUD withdrawal of 2016 criminal records guidance (July 17, 2026)). State and local rules described in this guide still apply where they exist.
Where to get help in Dallas
TexasLawHelp.org publishes free guides for renters (TexasLawHelp.org, House and Apartment). For other assistance, call 211 (211.org).
Fair housing
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in rental terms because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or disability (42 U.S.C. § 3604). HUD accepts complaints (HUD, File a Complaint).
Before you pay an application fee
- Ask for the landlord’s screening criteria in writing.
- Ask exactly what the fee covers and whether any part is refundable.
- Ask how many applications are already pending for the unit.
- Ask how long a decision will take and how you will be notified.
- Ask whether the landlord accepts a reusable screening report you already have.
Documents to have ready
- Photo identification for every adult applicant.
- Recent pay stubs or an offer letter, and benefit award letters.
- Bank statements if you are self employed or have irregular income.
- Contact information for current and past landlords.
- Voucher paperwork if you use housing assistance.
- A guarantor’s information and documents if one is needed.
Check your own records first
Before applying, review your credit reports from each of the three national credit bureaus and look for errors, old debts you have paid, or accounts you do not recognize. If you have had an eviction case or a criminal record, find out whether it was sealed or dismissed, since many places limit what landlords can use. Fixing errors before you apply is far easier than disputing them after a denial.
If you have limited or poor credit
- Offer a larger share of rent from savings or proof of steady income.
- Ask whether a cosigner or guarantor is accepted.
- Provide references from past landlords showing on time payments.
- Write a short letter explaining a past problem and how it was resolved.
- Ask whether the landlord will consider alternative evidence of ability to pay.
Red flags during the application
Be cautious if someone asks for a fee before you can see the unit, asks you to pay by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency, refuses to give screening criteria, or pressures you to decide immediately. Legitimate landlords usually explain their criteria, accept traceable payment methods, and let you tour the home or a verified video tour before you pay.
If you are denied
- Ask for the reasons in writing if you did not receive them.
- Request the free copy of any screening report used.
- Dispute any errors with the screening company in writing.
- Keep copies of every letter, email, and receipt.
- Contact a fair housing organization or legal aid office if you believe the denial was discriminatory.
Build your evidence file
Landlord and tenant disputes are usually decided by documents. Keep these together from the day you sign:
- The signed lease, every addendum, and every renewal.
- Receipts or bank records for the deposit and each rent payment.
- Dated photos and video of every room at move in and move out.
- Copies of every repair request and the landlord’s replies.
- Every notice you send or receive, with proof of delivery.
Keep copies somewhere other than your phone, such as an email to yourself, so they survive a lost device.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a cap on application fees in Texas?
We found no state cap; the fee must be described as covering screening costs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.351).
When do I get my deposit back if I am rejected?
Application deposits are refundable when you are rejected, and you are deemed rejected after 7 days without acceptance (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.351; Tex. Prop. Code § 92.352).
Must Texas landlords accept vouchers?
State law bars cities from requiring it (Texas SB 267 (2015), Local Gov. Code § 250.007).
What must a denial notice include?
If a consumer report was used, the name of the screening company, a statement that it did not make the decision, and your rights to dispute and to a free copy within 60 days (FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know).
Legal notice
Homzora is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Laws, court rules, and local programs change, and how they apply depends on your facts. Before you act on anything in this article, confirm the current rules with the court, a licensed attorney, or a legal aid organization.
Sources
- Homzora Dallas dataset, Table B25003
- Homzora Dallas dataset, Table B25064
- Tex. Prop. Code § 92.351
- Tex. Prop. Code § 92.3515
- Tex. Prop. Code § 92.352
- Tex. Prop. Code § 92.354
- Tex. Prop. Code § 1.004
- Texas Tribune, ruling on HB 2127 (July 18, 2025)
- Texas SB 267 (2015), Local Gov. Code § 250.007
- City of Dallas, source of income protections
- City of Austin, Equity and Inclusion enforcement
- FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know
- CFPB, If your rental application is denied because of a screening report
- Federal Register, HUD withdrawal of 2016 criminal records guidance (July 17, 2026)
- TexasLawHelp.org, House and Apartment
- 211.org
- 42 U.S.C. § 3604
- HUD, File a Complaint