What Is an Acceptable Credit Score for Renting?

An acceptable credit score for renting is generally around 670 or higher on the 300-to-850 FICO scale. That’s the bottom of the “good” range and the benchmark most landlords and property managers use when screening applicants.1myFICO. What Credit Score Do You Need to Rent an Apartment or House? A score below 670 doesn’t automatically disqualify you, but you’ll likely need to bring something extra: a co-signer, a larger deposit, or strong proof of income.

Where Your Score Places You

Landlords sort applicants into rough tiers, and knowing which one you fall into tells you what to expect before you apply.

  • 700 and above. Very low risk. You’ll qualify for luxury buildings and upscale complexes and have more room to negotiate lease terms.
  • 670 to 699. The “good” range. Most standard apartments will approve you without extra conditions, assuming your income checks out.
  • 600 to 669. The “fair” zone. Many mid-range properties and independent landlords will still work with you, though they may ask for a larger deposit or extra income documentation.
  • Below 600. Expect friction. You’ll probably need a co-signer, a substantial upfront deposit, or compelling proof that you can afford the rent despite a thin or damaged file.

Local market conditions matter as much as the number. In cities with low vacancy rates, landlords can push their minimums higher because they have plenty of applicants to choose from. In softer markets where units sit empty, the same landlord might accept a 620 and be relieved to fill the space. A score that gets you approved in one neighborhood can get you rejected across town.

What Landlords Look at Beyond the Number

Your three-digit score gets you past the first filter, but landlords dig into the report itself. They’re looking for patterns rather than perfection.

Previous evictions are the biggest red flag. An eviction record in a tenant screening report tells a landlord that a prior lease ended badly enough to involve the courts. Collection accounts tied to unpaid rent or utilities are close behind, since they suggest you left a previous landlord or service provider holding the bag. Late payments on any account signal that you may struggle to pay on time, though a single late payment from years ago matters far less than a recent string of them.

Bankruptcies complicate things, but their weight fades. A landlord reviewing a Chapter 13 filed six years ago will read it differently than one filed last year, especially if your recent credit activity looks clean. What landlords really want to see is whether you’ve recovered.

How Long Negative Marks Stay on Your Report

Federal law caps how long negative information can appear on your credit file. Knowing these limits helps you predict when past mistakes will stop following you into applications.

One point catches people off guard. The eviction itself won’t show up on an Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion credit report. But if the landlord sent your unpaid balance to a collection agency, that collection account will appear for seven years and tank your score. And the eviction record itself lives on in specialized tenant screening reports that landlords routinely pull alongside your credit report.

Renting with a Low or Thin Credit Score

A score below 670 makes things harder, not impossible. Landlords care about risk, and there are several ways to reduce the risk they perceive even when your credit file isn’t ideal.

  • Offer a larger security deposit. Putting extra money down upfront shows financial commitment and gives the landlord a cushion. State laws cap how much a landlord can collect, with limits typically running from one to three months’ rent, so there’s a ceiling, but even one extra month can move an application forward.
  • Bring a co-signer. A co-signer signs the lease with you and becomes responsible for every missed payment. Their good credit backs your application. This differs from a guarantor, who only steps in if you default entirely. Most landlords prefer co-signers because the liability kicks in immediately.
  • Lead with income documentation. If your credit is weak but your income is solid, put that forward. Bring several months of pay stubs, bank statements showing consistent deposits, or an offer letter if you’re starting a new job. Landlords generally want gross monthly income of at least two and a half to three times the rent.
  • Provide landlord references. A letter or phone number from a previous landlord confirming that you paid on time and took care of the property carries weight, especially with independent owners who evaluate applications more holistically.
  • Target less competitive properties. Smaller buildings, independent landlords, and properties without luxury amenities tend to have more flexible criteria. A corporate-managed high-rise in a hot neighborhood applies its cutoff rigidly. A private owner with one vacant unit has more room for judgment.

If you have no credit history at all, which is common for younger renters, recent immigrants, and people who’ve avoided debt, the challenge is different from having bad credit. You’re not a high risk; you’re an unknown risk. The same strategies work, but emphasize anything that proves financial responsibility: consistent savings, timely utility payments, or a history of paying rent in cash that a previous landlord can confirm.

Does Applying Hurt Your Credit Score?

Most rental credit checks are soft inquiries, which means they appear on your report but don’t affect your score. When a landlord uses a third-party screening service like TransUnion SmartMove or Experian Connect, the pull is typically categorized as a soft inquiry rather than the hard inquiry you’d see from a mortgage or car loan application.3TransUnion. SmartMove Tenant Screening4Experian. Tenant Screening Made Easy, Convenient and Reliable for Landlords

Not every landlord uses these services. A property manager might run a hard inquiry, which can dip your score by a few points temporarily. Ask before you authorize the check. If you’re applying to several apartments in a short window, knowing whether each pull is hard or soft can save you from an unnecessary hit right when you need it least.

What You’ll Need for the Application

Rental applications are fairly standardized. Most landlords and screening services will ask for:

  • Social Security number or ITIN. This is how the screening service matches you to your credit file. If you don’t have an SSN, some platforms accept an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and run the check through the same identity verification process.
  • Previous addresses. Usually the last two or three, so the landlord can verify your rental history and reach former landlords.
  • Employment and income details. Your employer’s name and contact information, job title, and length of employment.
  • Written consent. A signed authorization form allowing the landlord to pull your credit report.

Alongside the application, landlords often ask for documents to confirm income. Recent pay stubs are the most common request. Bank statements give a second angle on your financial stability. If you’re self-employed or earn irregular income, expect to provide federal tax returns covering the last one or two years.

Many landlords charge an application fee to cover the cost of screening. These fees are typically modest, they vary, and some states cap how much a landlord can charge. The fee is usually nonrefundable whether you’re approved or not, so apply strategically rather than blanketing every listing.

Check Your Credit Before You Apply

You’re entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, every week through AnnualCreditReport.com. That weekly access, which started as a temporary COVID-era policy, has been made permanent. Equifax offers an additional six free reports per year through 2026 on top of the weekly access.5Federal Trade Commission. Free Credit Reports

Pull your reports before you start apartment hunting. Look for collection accounts you don’t recognize, incorrect balances, or accounts that aren’t yours. Fixing an error before a landlord sees it is far easier than explaining it after a rejection. If you find a mistake, dispute it with the bureau immediately. The bureau must investigate and notify you of the results, and if it can’t verify the item, it has to come off.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681i – Procedure in Case of Disputed Accuracy

Your Rights If a Landlord Denies You

A landlord can’t pull your credit report without your permission. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a consumer reporting agency can furnish your report only in accordance with your written instructions or when the requesting party has a legitimate business need connected to a transaction you initiated.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681b – Permissible Purposes of Consumer Reports Every reputable screening service requires signed written authorization before generating a report.

If a landlord rejects your application based on anything in your credit report, they’re legally required to send you an adverse action notice. That notice must include the name, address, and phone number of the credit bureau that supplied the report, a statement that the bureau didn’t make the rejection decision, information about your right to a free copy of the report within 60 days, the credit score the landlord used, and your right to dispute inaccurate information.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681m – Requirements on Users of Consumer Reports

This is where most renters leave money on the table. If you’re denied, don’t just move on to the next listing. Request the free report and read it. Credit report errors are not rare, and a mistake on your file could be the reason you were rejected.

Building Credit Through Rent Payments

Historically, paying rent on time did nothing for your credit score because landlords didn’t report to credit bureaus. That’s changing. A growing number of services now let you report monthly rent payments to one or more bureaus, turning your largest monthly expense into a credit-building tool.

Fannie Mae has approved several fintech vendors to report positive rent payments to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion as part of a rent reporting pilot. Some of these platforms can report up to 24 months of previous on-time payments retroactively.9Fannie Mae. Property Owner Fact Sheet – Positive Rent Payment If your building participates, enrollment is typically free for tenants.

If your landlord doesn’t participate, you can sign up for a service independently. Costs run from free for basic plans to around $10 per month for premium options. Before signing up, check which bureaus the service reports to. Ideally all three, since different landlords pull from different bureaus. Also confirm whether the service reports only on-time payments or all payments, because a single late rent payment reported to the bureaus could hurt your score instead of helping it.