Documents Needed to Rent an Apartment: A Florida Checklist

By Zach Curtis, licensed agent, Realty Hub, SL3664129. Updated October 18, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

The fastest way to lose a good apartment is to find it before your paperwork is ready. In South Florida, good units at fair prices can get several applications within days, and condo associations add their own forms on top of the landlord's. Use this checklist to get everything in one folder before you tour. (We also have an older overview, what documents you need to rent in Florida.)

The core checklist (every adult on the lease)

• ☐ Government photo ID: driver's license, state ID or passport.
• ☐ Proof of income: the last 2 to 3 pay stubs, or an offer letter on company letterhead with salary and start date.
• ☐ Bank statements: the last 2 to 3 months. Many landlords also want to see move-in funds.
• ☐ Credit and background check authorization. The landlord or agent sends a link; you pay the screening fee.
• ☐ Rental history: current and previous landlord names, phone numbers and dates.
• ☐ Employer contact for verification.
• ☐ Vehicle info (make, model, plate) for building parking.
• ☐ Pet info, if any: vaccination records, photo and weight. Requests for assistance animals are handled under fair housing rules, not the pet policy.

If your situation is different

• Self-employed: the last two years of tax returns, recent bank statements, and a profit-and-loss statement or a letter from your accountant.
• New job or relocating: a signed offer letter showing salary and start date. Savings statements help.
• Retired or other income: benefit award letters, pension statements, or investment account statements.
• Thin or low credit: a guarantor's documents (the same list as above), or proof of savings for a larger deposit. See renting with a 600 credit score.
• No rental history: a letter from a past landlord, a roommate lease, or proof of on-time bills.

The condo association's extra forms

Many Hallandale Beach and Hollywood rentals are condo units, and the association often runs its own approval. Expect a separate application for each adult, a copy of the lease, ID, sometimes its own background check, and a fee. Under Florida law, the approval fee is allowed only if the association's documents provide for one and is capped per applicant, with a married couple or a parent with dependent children counted as one applicant (section 718.112(2)(k), Florida Statutes). Read how condo approval works.

Move-in money, ready to send

Have first month, often last month, and the security deposit available as a cashier's check or a verified transfer. At today's median Hallandale Beach asking rent of $2,300, three months would be $6,900 before fees. Details: move-in costs explained.

Tips that speed up approval

1. Scan everything into one PDF per person, named clearly.
2. Black out all but the last four digits of account numbers on bank statements.
3. Tell your references they will get a call.
4. Submit the association application the same day the landlord approves you.

Ready to look? Live lists: Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Dania Beach, Aventura.

Fair housing: every listing is open to everyone. We describe buildings, prices and processes, never who lives where.

Keep your folder up to date: replace pay stubs as new ones arrive so nothing is older than about 30 days when you apply.

Co-applicants and guarantors

Every adult who will live in the unit usually applies separately with their own ID, income and screening. A guarantor (someone who agrees to pay if you do not) usually provides the same income and credit documents, and some landlords ask that the guarantor's income be higher than the tenant's requirement. Ask the listing agent whether out-of-state guarantors are accepted.

Frequently asked questions

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