Job Application Form Template (US)

Updated on August 4, 2026

A job application form collects a candidate's basic details, work history, and certification before an interview — it's an employer's intake form, not a resume the candidate writes. What an employer can and can't ask on this form varies sharply by state: several states restrict or ban asking about criminal convictions before a conditional offer, and a few ban asking about salary history entirely.

The form below is the editor: decide above it whether to include a conviction question, and type straight into the highlighted blanks. A candidate can complete the form and sign the certification on screen, or you can download a clean Word or PDF file to hand out — no sign-up, no watermark.

1 of 13 blanks filled

Tap any highlighted blank in the document below and type straight into it.Free — no sign-up, no watermark

Choose your version

Include a criminal conviction question? (check your state's rule first)

Job Application Form

This application is submitted to by on .

1. Applicant

Address:
Phone:
Email:

2. Position

Position applied for:
Availability:
Desired compensation:

3. Education

4. Employment History

5. References

6. Certification

I certify that the information provided in this application is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

The Applicant

Date:

Ban-the-box: real in some states, absent in others

California, Illinois, and New York restrict when and how an employer can ask about criminal history, though the exact mechanism differs — California and Illinois bar the question on the application itself for larger employers, while New York's core rule is a use-restriction with a separate, no-threshold ban on asking about certain categories (arrests resolved in the applicant's favor, sealed convictions) that applies regardless of employer size. Pennsylvania has a use-limitation and a written-notice duty, but no statewide ban on asking. Texas has no statewide ban-the-box law at all — and its 2023 preemption statute (Labor Code §1.005) blocks cities from passing their own, so no Texas ban-the-box duty exists anywhere in the state, despite some vendor guides claiming otherwise.

Salary history: a narrower but growing list of bans

California, Illinois, and New York all bar asking about a candidate's salary history. This form only asks for desired compensation, not past or current salary, specifically to stay usable across every state regardless of a salary-history ban.

The sections, explained

Applicant and position: Name, contact details, position applied for, and availability.
Education and employment history: The candidate's education background and prior employment.
Desired compensation: What the candidate is looking for — not their salary history, which several states bar asking about.
Criminal history question (optional): Only include this if your state and employer size permit it before a conditional offer — see the compliance checklist below.
Certification: The candidate certifies the information provided is accurate, signed and dated.

Requirements checklist

This is a fast-moving area of state law — confirm the current rule for your specific state and employer size before finalizing your form.

California: no conviction question before a conditional offer
Employers with 5+ employees cannot ask about criminal history on the application, and cannot inquire at all until after a conditional offer of employment.
Cal. Gov. Code §12952
Illinois: two overlapping ban-the-box duties
820 ILCS 75 (15+ employers) bars inquiry until the applicant is deemed qualified and notified for interview (or given a conditional offer if there's no interview); the Illinois Human Rights Act separately requires a substantial-relationship analysis for any employer, regardless of size.
New York: a no-threshold form-content ban, separate from the use-restriction
Executive Law §296(16) bars asking about arrests resolved in the applicant's favor, sealed convictions, and youthful-offender adjudications, with no employer-size threshold — this is distinct from the 10-employee-and-up use-restriction under the Correction Law.
Texas has no ban-the-box law, and locals are preempted
No statewide ban-the-box law exists in Texas, and Labor Code §1.005 preempts cities from enacting one — despite some vendor guides claiming a 2025 law took effect, no such law passed.
Michigan: a no-threshold misdemeanor-arrest bar
Elliott-Larsen (MCL 37.2205a) bars asking about a misdemeanor arrest, detention, or disposition that didn't result in a conviction, on any application, with no employer-size threshold.
Salary-history bans
California, Illinois, and New York all bar asking about a candidate's salary history — this form asks only for desired compensation to stay usable in those states.

How to use this template

Fill in the applicant and position details. Type into the highlighted blanks: the candidate's contact details, the position applied for, and availability.
Add education and employment history. Fill in the education background and prior employment blanks.
Decide whether to include a conviction question. Use the selector above the form. Only include it if your state and employer size permit asking before a conditional offer — check the compliance checklist above.
Have the applicant certify and sign, then download. The applicant signs the certification on the signature line at the foot of the form. Download it as a Word or PDF file for your records.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as a resume?

No — this is an employer's intake form for the candidate to fill out, distinct from a resume the candidate writes and brings themselves.

Can I ask about criminal history on the application?

It depends on your state and employer size. California and Illinois restrict or bar it before a conditional offer for larger employers; New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan have their own use-restrictions or no-threshold bans; Texas has no ban-the-box law at all.

Can I ask for the candidate's current salary?

Not in California, Illinois, or New York, which ban asking about salary history. This form only asks for desired compensation, which is fine everywhere.

Does a Texas city have its own ban-the-box ordinance I need to follow?

No — Texas Labor Code §1.005 preempts cities from enacting hiring-inquiry ordinances, so no local ban-the-box duty exists anywhere in the state.

Do I need a certification and signature section?

Yes — it's standard practice for the candidate to certify the information is accurate before submitting the application.

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Disclaimer

This template and guide are provided for general information only and do not constitute legal advice. Ban-the-box, salary-history, and hiring-inquiry laws vary by state and change frequently. Confirm current requirements with an employment attorney before finalizing your application form.