Victoria's New Rental Application Rules (From 31 March 2026): What Renters Can and Can't Be Asked

The Victorian Government packaged the changes as part of its broader rental reforms, announced in late 2025 and rolled out through 2025–2026 ^[1]. The three biggest changes affecting renters are:

The changes sit alongside other 2025–2026 reforms, including a ban on no‑fault evictions and a shift from 60‑day to 90‑day notice periods for several notice types from 25 November 2025 ^[4].

The prescribed form is set out in the Victorian regulations and is available from Consumer Affairs Victoria ^[2]. It is now the only form a landlord or agent can use to collect application information.

Based on public analysis of the form's requirements and Tenants Victoria's guidance, applicants confirm the number of occupants (including children) and provide the standard documents most Australian renters are already familiar with: identification, proof of income, rental history, and employer and personal references ^[5]. The format is now consistent across every Victorian agency, so the same information covers every application you make.

This is the part most renters care about. Under the new rules, landlords and agents cannot ask for information outside the prescribed form. According to Tenants Victoria and analysis of the reforms by property industry professionals ^[5][6]:

If you feel an agent or landlord is pushing for information that is not on the prescribed form, that is now a legal issue, not just an awkward interaction.

Many Victorian agencies now funnel renters through third‑party rental application platforms — Snug, Ignite, Inspect Real Estate, 2Apply, and similar. Some of these platforms previously charged renters for background checks, fast‑tracked applications, or rent payment processing.

From 31 March 2026, it is an offence for any person who owns or operates one of these third‑party platforms to demand or receive a fee from a renter for ^[3]:

The ban applies even if the landlord or agent uses a third‑party platform. The fee is on the platform, not the renter. If you are asked to pay a fee to submit an application or pay rent in Victoria, that is now illegal.

Victoria's rental market is still tight. National vacancy rates sit around 1 per cent, and competition for well‑priced properties is intense. The new rules do not end that competition — they reshape it.

Agencies now have less data to differentiate between applicants. Industry guidance to landlords, including commentary from property managers in the lead‑up to the change, has acknowledged that the core criteria — verified income, rental history, and references — remain the same, but the way they are collected is now tightly regulated ^[6]. The practical upshot for renters: a strong, well‑organised application on the standard form matters more than ever, because landlords have fewer legal tools to look beyond it.

If a landlord or agent asks you for information outside the prescribed form — for example, questions about dependents, your religion, past tenancy disputes beyond what's on the form, or anything framed as "additional" or "just for our records":

If you are asked to pay a fee by a rental app platform, raise it with the platform in writing and copy CAV. The offence is on the platform, not on you — but documenting it matters.

Victoria is now the strictest Australian jurisdiction on rental application data collection. No other state currently mandates a single standard form, though several — including New South Wales and Queensland — have progressive limits on application fees and on discriminatory questions.

For renters moving interstate into Victoria, the shift is noticeable: you will fill out less paperwork, share less information, and have clearer recourse if something feels off. For renters moving out of Victoria, the rules you are used to may not apply elsewhere, so it is worth checking the application rules in your destination state before you start applying.