• WLA Tenant Screening (First Step): To process a background check through WLA, active members will need to submit the completed (1) WLA Rental Application & (2) Authorization Form along with (3) a copy of the applicant(s) picture ID to 1 of the 3 WLA Offices for screening. We accept application forms via email or fax. Please see the following link for office contact info: WLA OFFICES
  • How to locate the rental applications online: The WLA Rental Application & Authorization Forms (2-page PDF) can be found on the WLA website under Forms>Tenant Screening Forms. WLA members will need to login to their accounts to access the forms.
  • IMPORTANT! Please submit the completed rental application forms and photo IDs to only ONE WLA Office for screening. Do NOT send the applications to more than one office as the reports could accidentally get processed more than once. If the applications have been sent to more than one office and it gets processed more than once, then you will be charged for the number of times the reports were processed!
  • Applicant Signatures: The required documents will need to be filled out completely by BOTH the landlord and the applicant(s). We also require that the applicant(s) sign both forms. The signature is important because it gives both the landlord and WLA permission to run a background check on the applicant(s). Without the signature, WLA is unable to do the background check.
  • Tenant Screening Reports: At the top of the rental application form, please indicate which tenant screening reports you wish to run on your applicant(s). Provided below is a list of our report prices & descriptions. Please note, the report prices are per person regardless of marital status.
  • General Turnaround Time for Reports: We can have the results of the background checks submitted back to the landlord or landlord's representative/agent within a 24-48 hour period. Please note, each WLA office is run by only 1 person. If we receive a high number of rental applications and phone calls, then it could cause a bit of a delay in getting the results back.
  • Paying for Reports: After the results of the background check have been processed and emailed back to the WLA member, we will send the member an invoice via email with instructions on payment. We only accept payment from the landlord side (member). We do NO accept payments from applicants/tenants. The member is responsible for paying WLA for the tenant screening report from their own account. It is advisable that the member collects an upfront payment for the screening fee from the applicant(s) when they turn in their completed rental application forms to be processed.

NOTE: You will need to login to your account first before you can make a payment. If you are an active member, but you don't have your login credentials, please contact the WLA Offices.

Check Payments: We also accept checks made payable to WLA. All check payments will need to be mailed to the WLA Headquarters in Everett | Mailing Address: 2302 Rucker Ave. #4, Everett, WA 98201

Starting June 1st, 2025, we will no longer be offering the Statewide Criminal Report, only the Nationwide Criminal Report aka Multistate. The Nationwide Criminal checks all of the U.S. and includes a Sex Offender Search.

***A note about the Basic Credit Report: Per Federal Law, we are unable to send the full credit report to you. However, we are allowed to go over the results of the full credit report with you over the phone. The physical report can not leave the WLA office.

** Nationwide Criminal includes all 50 states in the nation. A Sex Offender Search is included. **

**Criminal Reports go back 7 years**

*Applicant Score - The Applicant Score ranges from 0-100 of whether to accept or reject the applicant.
The score is based on the credit report - the more bad debt someone has, the lower the score will be. Bad
debt is considered to be collections, bankruptcies, judgments, late payments and evictions. The Applicant
Score is only provided in the Decision Point Plus reports.

WLA does NOT provide Credit Scores!