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Can a landlord ask for an application fee?

Last updated: October 15, 2026

Short answer

It depends on the province. A landlord cannot charge an application fee in British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia or PEI, where the law bans charging for an application or for processing it (Ontario bans any fee from a prospective tenant unless a regulation exempts it, and no exemption covers application or credit check fees). Alberta does not ban or cap application fees, but the government's handbook says a person who does not want to pay one does not have to apply to that landlord. In New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador we found no rule that names an application fee, so ask the province's tenancy office before you pay.

Application fees by province

Province	Application fee	What the rule says
Alberta	Not banned or capped	The handbook says a person who does not want to pay the fee does not have to apply
British Columbia	Banned	A landlord cannot charge anything for accepting or processing an application, checking suitability or accepting you as a tenant; the offence carries a fine of up to $5,000
Manitoba	Banned	No charge for taking, processing, investigating or accepting an application; a tenant who paid can ask the Residential Tenancies Branch to order repayment
Saskatchewan	Banned	No charge for accepting or processing an application, checking suitability or accepting a tenant
Ontario	Banned	No fee or similar amount from a prospective tenant, refundable or not, unless a regulation exempts it; none covers application or credit check fees
New Brunswick	No rule found that names it	A general rule limits what can be required as a condition of a lease; ask the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office
Nova Scotia	Banned	No one may demand, accept or receive money in consideration of or respecting an application to become a tenant
Prince Edward Island	Banned	No fee for accepting or processing an application, checking suitability or accepting a tenant
Newfoundland and Labrador	No rule found that bans or limits it	We found no rule in the Act on a fee for applying; ask the Residential Tenancies Office

Several of the bans go beyond the application itself. British Columbia, Saskatchewan and PEI also bar charging for investigating whether you are suitable as a tenant, and Manitoba names investigating too. In our reading, a credit check fee falls under that wording. Ontario bans any fee from a prospective tenant, and none of its exemptions covers a credit check fee. Nova Scotia bars money taken in consideration of or respecting the application. For money paid to hold a unit before a lease is signed, see can a landlord keep a holding deposit, and for the full list of charges, see what a landlord can charge for.

What a landlord can ask for instead of a fee

A landlord can still screen applicants without charging them. Privacy guidance (from the provincial commissioner in Alberta and British Columbia, and from the federal Privacy Commissioner elsewhere) points to the same basics:

Credit check: only with your consent. For a basic check the landlord needs at least your name, address and date of birth. British Columbia's privacy commissioner adds that the landlord should say why it wants the check and run it only on the few applicants it is seriously considering. In Alberta, the commissioner's guidance says you can bring your own credit report instead.
Photo ID and pay stubs: a landlord may ask to see them, but likely does not need to keep a copy.
References: the landlord should get your consent before contacting past landlords or running a background check.
Social Insurance Number: a landlord should not require it, and where the federal privacy law applies you cannot be refused for declining to give it.
Ontario: under the Human Rights Code regulation, a landlord may ask for credit references, rental history and permission for a credit check, may ask for income information only together with those items, and may require a guarantor. The Ontario Human Rights Commission says a fixed rent-to-income cut-off is illegal.

Alberta and British Columbia have their own private-sector privacy laws for landlords. In the other provinces covered here, the federal privacy law applies. Criminal record checks are a separate question: British Columbia's commissioner says a landlord cannot require one unless it is necessary for the tenancy, and in most situations it is not. See can a landlord ask about a criminal record and what landlords can legally ask for.

If a landlord asks you to pay to apply

These steps are SQRFT's advice, not a legal requirement:

Ask what the fee is for and get the request in writing. A message or email that names the amount and the reason is useful if you later need to ask for the money back.
Check your province in the table above. In a province where the fee is banned, tell the landlord you understand it is not allowed and ask them to drop it.
In Alberta, remember you can say no. The handbook says you do not have to apply to a landlord who charges a fee, so you can look at other listings.
Do not pay for a place you have not seen. Money requested before a viewing, or by someone who cannot show they own or manage the unit, is a common rental scam sign (see how to spot rental scams).
Contact the tenancy office if the landlord will not budge. Each province's office is named in the answers below.

Application fees in each province

Alberta

Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act does not ban or cap application fees. The government's handbook says a landlord may want to charge one, and a person who does not want to pay it does not have to apply to rent from that landlord. We found nothing in the Act or its regulation that limits an application fee.

If you do pay, ask for a receipt that says what the fee is for. Credit checks need your consent, and the privacy commissioner's guidance says you may bring your own report instead.

Alberta tenant rights | What landlords can legally ask for

British Columbia

A BC landlord must not charge you anything for accepting an application, processing it, investigating whether you are suitable, or accepting you as a tenant. Breaking this rule is an offence with a fine of up to $5,000, and the Residential Tenancy Branch director can also order a monetary penalty of up to $5,000.

Landlords can still ask for references and, with your consent, run a credit check, but they cannot bill you for the work. If one asks for a fee, contact the Residential Tenancy Branch.

BC rental applications and references | BC tenant rights

Manitoba

Manitoba's Act bars a landlord from requiring or receiving any payment the Act does not allow, and it names taking, processing, investigating and accepting an application as things a landlord may not charge for. The Residential Tenancies Branch's guide lists application fees among the payments not allowed.

A tenant who paid one can ask the Branch to order the money repaid. Contact the Residential Tenancies Branch if you are asked for a fee.

Manitoba tenant rights | What a landlord can charge for

Saskatchewan

In Saskatchewan a landlord must not charge a person for accepting an application for a tenancy, processing it, investigating the applicant's suitability as a tenant, or accepting the person as a tenant. In our reading, the wording about investigating suitability also reaches a credit check fee.

If a landlord asks for one, contact the Office of Residential Tenancies. The federal privacy law applies to what the landlord collects, so a credit check still needs your consent.

Saskatchewan tenant rights | Saskatchewan lease agreements

Ontario

Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act forbids a landlord from collecting, requiring or trying to collect a fee or similar amount of money from a prospective tenant, whether or not it is refundable, unless a regulation exempts it. The exemptions cover things like extra keys at direct cost and a refundable key deposit, and none of them covers an application, screening or credit check fee.

Charging in breach of this rule is an offence, with fines of up to $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation. A landlord can still ask for the screening items the Human Rights Code regulation allows. If you are asked to pay, contact the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Ontario rental applications and references | Ontario tenant rights

New Brunswick

We found no rule in New Brunswick's Residential Tenancies Act, its regulation, the standard lease or the government's renter pages that names an application fee. A general rule in the Act says no one may require another person, as a condition of entering a lease, to pay anything other than rent, a security deposit or a reasonable amount for a service tied to the tenancy, and any agreement to pay more is void.

We have not seen the province apply that rule to application fees, so ask the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office before you pay one.

New Brunswick tenant rights | New Brunswick lease agreements

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia bans application fees: no one may demand, accept or receive money from a person who applies to become a tenant in consideration of or respecting the application. The government's Renting Guide says landlords cannot charge an application fee for a tenant to be considered for a unit. The only exception in that section is a capped charge for the expenses of a sublease or assignment, which is not an application fee.

If you were asked to pay one, contact the Residential Tenancies Program. Money a landlord takes before the lease is signed can also count as part of the security deposit (see the holding deposit page).

Nova Scotia tenant rights | Nova Scotia lease agreements

Prince Edward Island

A PEI landlord cannot charge a person a fee for accepting an application for a tenancy, processing it, investigating the applicant's suitability as a tenant, or accepting the person as a tenant.

PEI also allows no deposit other than the one security deposit, so a landlord cannot ask for a separate holding or application payment. If you are asked for one, contact the Rental Office.

PEI tenant rights | Can a landlord keep a holding deposit

Newfoundland and Labrador

We found no rule in Newfoundland and Labrador's Residential Tenancies Act that bans or limits a fee for applying to rent. The fees we found in the Act are for late payment and NSF cheques, plus the director's own application fee. The government's policy on deposits says deposits taken outside the rental agreement do not come under the Act, and we found no official page that says whether that reaches an application fee.

Ask the Residential Tenancies Office before you pay. As advice, get the terms in writing. The Act treats money a landlord receives from a tenant beyond the rent as a security deposit (s.14(2)), but we found no official page that says whether this reaches a fee paid before any agreement exists.

Newfoundland and Labrador tenant rights | Can a landlord keep a holding deposit

Related questions

Is a rental application fee legal in Canada?

It depends on the province. Application fees are banned in British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia and PEI. Alberta does not ban or cap them. In New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador we found no rule that names an application fee, so ask the province's tenancy office.

Can a landlord charge a credit check fee?

Not in the provinces that ban application fees, in our reading. British Columbia, Saskatchewan and PEI also bar charging for investigating whether you are suitable as a tenant, and Manitoba names investigating too. Ontario's ban covers any fee from a prospective tenant, and none of its exemptions covers a credit check fee. In Nova Scotia the ban covers money taken in consideration of or respecting the application. A credit check also needs your consent in every province covered here. In Alberta, the privacy commissioner's guidance says you can bring your own credit report instead.

Can a landlord charge an application fee in Alberta?

Alberta's Act does not ban or cap application fees. The government's handbook says a person who does not want to pay the fee does not have to apply to rent from that landlord. We found nothing in the Act or its regulation that limits the amount.

Can a landlord charge an application fee in Ontario?

No. The Residential Tenancies Act bars a landlord from collecting or requiring a fee or similar amount of money from a prospective tenant, whether or not it is refundable, unless a regulation exempts it. The exemptions cover items like extra keys and refundable key deposits, not application or credit check fees. Charging one is an offence with fines of up to $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation.

Can a landlord charge an application fee in BC?

No. A BC landlord must not charge anything for accepting or processing an application, investigating your suitability as a tenant, or accepting you as a tenant. Charging one is an offence with a fine of up to $5,000. Contact the Residential Tenancy Branch if you are asked for a fee.

Is an application fee the same as a holding deposit?

No. An application fee is a charge for the landlord to look at your application, while a holding deposit is money to reserve a unit. The rules differ: in Nova Scotia, money taken before the lease is signed counts as a security deposit, PEI allows no deposit other than the one security deposit, and in Newfoundland and Labrador the government says a holding deposit is not regulated by the Act. See can a landlord keep a holding deposit for the rules in each province.

Can I get my application fee back?

In Manitoba, a tenant who paid an application fee can ask the Residential Tenancies Branch to order it repaid. Elsewhere, start by asking the landlord in writing to return the money, then contact the province's tenancy office if they refuse. As advice, keep the request, any receipt and proof of payment, because they show what you paid and why.

What can a landlord ask for on a rental application?

A landlord can ask for what it reasonably needs to decide whether to rent to you, such as photo ID to look at, references, employment or income information and your consent to a credit check. It should not require your Social Insurance Number, and questions tied to human rights grounds can lead to discrimination. See what landlords can legally ask for for the details by province.

Can a landlord ask for my SIN on an application?

A landlord can ask, but should not require it. The federal privacy commissioner says a landlord does not need your SIN and that you cannot be denied for refusing to give it, unless the law requires it or no other identifier would do. A credit check only needs your name, address and date of birth at a minimum. See is it normal for a landlord to ask for a SIN.

Do I have to pay to apply if the landlord says everyone does?

In British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia and PEI, no: the fee is not allowed whatever the landlord says. In Alberta the fee is not banned, but you do not have to apply to that landlord. In New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, ask the tenancy office first, because we found no rule that names an application fee.

Government sources

General information, not legal advice. Rules change; check your province's tenancy office before acting.

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