If you’ve recently started searching for an apartment, you’ve probably run into a confusing maze of application fees, background checks, and screening requirements; each one costing you $30 to $75 per application. By the time you’ve applied to three or four properties, you could easily be out $200 before you’ve signed a single lease.

That’s exactly the problem that Portable Tenant Screening Reports (PTSRs), also called Reusable Tenant Screening Reports (RTSRs), were designed to solve. But a common question we hear at Reusable Tenant Screening Reports every week is: “What’s actually the difference between a PTSR and a regular background check? And which one do I need?”

What Is a Traditional Tenant Background Check?

A traditional tenant background check is the standard screening process most renters know. Here’s how it typically works:

  • A landlord or property manager decides they want to screen you as an applicant.
  • They send you a rental application and charge you an application fee, usually between $30 and $75.
  • They use that fee to pull a background check through a third-party screening service.
  • The report is sent directly to the landlord. You may or may not receive a copy.
  • If you apply to another property, the process starts over — new application, new fee, new hard pull on your credit.

The key problem: every new application is a brand-new cost, a brand-new credit inquiry, and a brand-new wait. Multiply that across five or ten properties and you can see why renting has become so expensive before you’ve even moved in.

What Is a Portable Tenant Screening Report (PTSR)?

A Portable Tenant Screening Report flips the traditional model. Instead of the landlord ordering the report, you order it yourself — once — and share it with as many landlords as you need.

At Reusable Tenant Screening Reports, our PTSR works like this:

  • You create an account and complete one application.
  • You pay a single fee of $59.95.
  • TransUnion™ — one of the three major national credit bureaus — generates your full screening report, including credit history, criminal background, eviction records, income verification, and rental history.
  • You invite any landlord or property manager to view your report securely through our platform.
  • Your report is valid for 30 days and can be shared with up to 150 landlords — no additional fees, no additional credit pulls.
Shannon Says“One of the biggest misconceptions we see is that landlords will think a tenant-provided report is less reliable than one they ordered themselves. In reality, our reports go through TransUnion’s full identity verification — often more rigorous than what landlords get through basic screening services. The data is the same. The difference is who controls the process.” — Shannon McBride, COO, Reusable Tenant Screening Reports

PTSR vs Traditional Background Check

Here’s how the two approaches stack up across the factors that matter most:

FeatureRTSR / PTSR (ReusableTenantScreeningReports.com)Traditional Background Check
Who pays?Tenant (one-time, $59.95)Landlord (charged to tenant per application, $30–$75 each)
How many times can it be used?Up to 150 landlords in 30 daysOne application only — then repurchase
Credit score impact?Soft pull — no impactHard pull — can lower your score
Who orders it?Tenant orders it themselvesLandlord orders it on the tenant
Data source?TransUnion™ (NCRA-certified)Varies by service
Fraud protection?TransUnion™ identity verificationDepends on service
State law compliant?Yes — Colorado, IL, NY, CA, WA, MD, RIStandard report, no PTSR compliance
Report valid for?30 days, unlimited sharesSingle use, immediate
Cost to landlord?FreeApplication fee collected from tenant
Best for?Active renters applying to multiple unitsOne-off applications in non-PTSR states

Does a PTSR Hurt Your Credit Score?

No — and this is one of the most important differences. Traditional background checks initiated by a landlord typically involve a hard credit inquiry, which can lower your credit score by a few points. When you’re applying to multiple properties at the same time, those hard pulls add up.

With a PTSR from Reusable Tenant Screening Reports, the initial credit pull is a soft inquiry — it does not affect your credit score. You pay once, TransUnion generates your report, and every subsequent share with a landlord carries no additional credit impact.

Derek Says“We built this service specifically because we watched renters in Colorado Springs getting hit with duplicate fees and unnecessary credit pulls every time they applied somewhere new. HB23-1099 gave us the legal framework we needed to fix that — and we built the platform around protecting renters first.” — Derek Exley, President & CEO, Reusable Tenant Screening Reports

When Is a Traditional Background Check Still the Right Choice?

There are scenarios where a traditional background check still makes sense:

  • You’re only applying to one property and the landlord doesn’t accept PTSRs.
  • You’re in a state without PTSR legislation and the landlord has a specific screening service they require.
  • The landlord has explicitly stated they won’t accept tenant-provided reports.

In every other scenario — especially if you’re actively apartment hunting across multiple properties — a PTSR is almost always the more cost-effective and renter-controlled option.

Which States Require Landlords to Accept PTSRs?

As of 2026, seven states have active PTSR legislation:

  • Colorado — Mandatory acceptance (HB23-1099 + HB25-1236)
  • Illinois — Mandatory acceptance (Public Act 103-0840)
  • New York — Mandatory acceptance
  • Rhode Island — Mandatory acceptance
  • California — Optional but regulated (AB 2559)
  • Washington — Optional but regulated (RCW 59.18.257)
  • Maryland — Optional but regulated (Maryland Code §8-218)

In states with mandatory acceptance laws, landlords who refuse a valid, compliant PTSR can face fines of up to $2,500. In optional-acceptance states, many landlords are choosing to accept them voluntarily because it saves them time and comes at no cost to them.

Our reports are fully compliant with the requirements in all seven states — including TransUnion™ data sourcing, 30-day validity, and secure delivery.

Is a PTSR as Trustworthy as a Landlord-Ordered Report?

This is the question we hear most often from landlords — and the answer is yes, often more so.

Every PTSR generated through Reusable Tenant Screening Reports goes through TransUnion’s full identity verification process — going beyond IDs and Social Security Numbers to personal verification questions only the real applicant could answer. The date the report was generated is printed on every report by TransUnion, so landlords know they’re looking at current data.

Additionally, because reports are shared directly through our secure platform — not downloaded and emailed as PDFs — landlords can be confident the report hasn’t been altered.

We are a certified member of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA) and operate in full compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a landlord refuse a PTSR?

In states with mandatory acceptance laws (Colorado, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island), landlords cannot refuse a valid, compliant PTSR. In other states, acceptance is at the landlord’s discretion — but many choose to accept them because it’s free for them and provides the same data.

How long is a PTSR valid for?

Your PTSR is valid for 30 days from the date it is generated. Within that window, you can share it with up to 150 landlords at no additional cost.

What does a PTSR include?

A full PTSR from Reusable Tenant Screening Reports includes: credit history and score (via TransUnion™), criminal background check, eviction records, rental history, income verification, and employment history.

What if I don’t find a rental within 30 days?

You can generate a new report for another $59.95. Your account information will be pre-populated from your previous application, so the process is quick.

Do roommates each need their own PTSR?

Yes — any individual over 18 who will be living in the residence needs to complete their own application and obtain their own report.

Ready to Take Control of Your Rental Applications?

Stop paying duplicate fees for the same information. One payment of $59.95. One report from TransUnion™. Up to 150 landlords, 30 days, no extra cost.

Reusable Tenant Screening Reports is a locally owned and operated Colorado business — and when you call us, you speak with a real person. Not AI. Not a call center. Shannon, Derek, or a member of our team will pick up.

Get your Report today at ReusableTenantScreeningReports.com