What Credit Score Do You Need to Rent an Apartment?

Your credit score can make apartment hunting easy or hard. Here is the credit score to rent an apartment that most landlords look for, what else they check, and how to get approved with a lower score. Updated for 2026.

What credit score do landlords want?

There is no single minimum. Each landlord or property manager sets its own rules. As a general guide, many landlords like to see a score of about 650 or higher, and luxury or high-demand buildings may look for 700+. Many smaller landlords will rent to people with scores in the 500s or low 600s if income, rental history and references are strong.

What landlords check besides your score

• Income: often yearly income of 40 times the monthly rent (or 3 times the rent each month).
• Rental history: past evictions, late payments or money owed to landlords.
• Collections and debts on your credit report, especially unpaid utility or rent debts.
• Employment: a steady job or proof of income.
• References from past landlords.
• Background check, where allowed by law.

How to rent with a lower score

• Offer a larger security deposit, where legal in your state.
• Add a co-signer or guarantor with good credit.
• Show proof of savings or several months of bank statements.
• Get a reference letter from a past landlord.
• Look at private landlords and smaller buildings.
• Explain past problems briefly and honestly.

See our full guide to renting with bad credit.

How to raise your score before you apply

1. Check your credit reports for free at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors.
2. Pay every bill on time from now on.
3. Pay credit card balances below about 30% of the limit (lower is better).
4. Do not open new credit right before applying.
5. Ask whether your rent payments can be reported to the credit bureaus.

Before you apply

1. Know your score.
2. Check reports for errors.
3. Calculate 40x rent income.
4. Gather references.
5. Prepare a co-signer if needed.

Income math: the other half of the credit score to rent an apartment

A landlord rarely looks at your score alone. Most pair it with an income test, and the common rule in this guide is yearly income of about 40 times the monthly rent (roughly 3 times the rent each month). If your score is borderline, clearing the income test with room to spare is one of the strongest ways to make up for it.

Here is what the 40x rule looks like at common rent levels. Use it to see which apartments you can apply for with confidence before you pay any application fee.

If you fall short, a co-signer usually needs to meet a higher bar, and a roommate can often combine income with you. For a fuller budget view, see how much rent you can afford.

What to do by score range

Once you know your number, you can decide where to apply and what to bring. Here is a practical plan for each band from the table above.

740 and up

You can apply almost anywhere you meet the income test. Focus on speed: have documents ready so you can secure a good unit before someone else does, and ask whether a strong score lowers the deposit.

670 to 739

You are approved at most apartments. Double-check that your reports are clean, avoid new credit before applying, and bring references to stand out in competitive buildings.

620 to 669

Expect approval at many places, sometimes with a higher deposit. Call ahead to ask the minimum score and lead with income proof and on-time rent history.

580 to 619

Plan on a co-signer, guarantor or extra deposit where legal. Smaller private landlords are often your best bet, and a short explanation letter helps.

Below 580

Large complexes are hard. Target private landlords, line up a guarantor, settle any debt owed to past landlords, and read our guide to renting with bad credit.

A 60-day plan before you apply

1. 60 days out: Pull your free reports and dispute errors. Note collections, late payments and any landlord debt.
2. 45 days out: Pay card balances down toward the 30% (or lower) level mentioned above and set up autopay on every bill.
3. 30 days out: Check your score again so you know the credit score to rent an apartment you are working with. Ask landlords their minimum before you apply.
4. 14 days out: Gather pay stubs, bank statements, references and photo ID. If you need a co-signer, get their documents too.
5. 7 days out: Budget your move-in cash, including deposit and first month, using our move-in costs guide.
6. Apply day: Submit complete applications to your best two or three choices only.

Common mistakes that cost renters approval

• Opening a new credit card or financing furniture right before applying, which can add an inquiry and new debt.
• Guessing the minimum credit score to rent an apartment instead of asking the landlord directly.
• Applying to units where rent is above the 40x income test without a co-signer.
• Ignoring a small collection, such as an old utility bill, that a landlord will see on the report.
• Leaving out explanations. A short note about a past problem reads better than silence.
• Paying application fees before confirming the landlord accepts co-signers or extra deposits.

What landlords see on a screening report

Tenant screening reports usually show more than a three-digit number. Depending on the company and local law, a landlord may see your score or a risk rating, open accounts and balances, late payments, collections, public records and an eviction search. That is why the credit score to rent an apartment is only part of the decision: a 640 with clean rent history can beat a 700 with a past eviction.

You can prepare by checking your own reports first. If something negative is accurate, be ready to explain what happened and show that it is resolved. If it is wrong, dispute it with the credit bureau before you apply, and keep a copy of the dispute to share if asked.

Two real-life examples

Example 1: fair score, strong income. Maria has a 635 score after a rough year, but she earns $66,000 and wants a $1,500 apartment. The 40x test needs $60,000, so she clears it. She brings two references and bank statements, offers a slightly higher deposit if required, and is approved. Her income did most of the work. A lower score can also mean a bigger deposit, so check how much a typical security deposit is before you apply. In pricey markets the bar is often higher, as our average rent in Los Angeles guide shows with the 40x income rule.

Example 2: good score, tight income. Jordan has a 720 score but earns $52,000 and wants a $1,600 unit, which would need $64,000 at 40x. A great credit score to rent an apartment does not fix the income gap, so Jordan either adds a co-signer, finds a roommate to share a larger place, or looks at units closer to $1,300.

The lesson: treat the credit score to rent an apartment and your income as a pair. Improve whichever one is weaker, and bring proof of the stronger one to every application. Also check what you need to rent an apartment so nothing is missing.

Average credit score to rent an apartment

There is no single official average, but the typical credit score landlords hope to see is in the mid-600s, roughly 650 to 700. Many approved renters have scores in that “fair to good” band, and for context, the average U.S. FICO score has been in the low-to-mid 700s in recent years, so an average consumer score usually clears most apartment screens.

What is the minimum credit score to rent an apartment?

There is no legal minimum credit score to rent an apartment. Each landlord sets its own cutoff, and a common planning range is about 600 to 650 at professionally managed complexes, with private landlords often deciding case by case. The table below shows typical cutoffs by landlord type.

What credit score do landlords look for?

Most landlords look for a credit score of about 650 or higher, plus income of roughly 40 times the monthly rent and no recent evictions or unpaid landlord debt. Scores of 700+ usually mean easy approval, while scores below about 620 often need a co-signer, guarantor or larger deposit.

Credit score for renting a house

Renting a house usually needs about the same credit score as an apartment: a typical planning range is 620 to 650+ with larger rental companies, while individual homeowners often decide case by case. House landlords tend to weigh income, rental history and how you will care for the property just as heavily as the number. Compare the trade-offs in renting a house vs. an apartment.

Credit needed for an apartment: quick checklist

• A score in the typical 620 to 650+ range (or a plan to offset a lower one)
• No recent evictions or unpaid balances owed to a landlord
• Income near 40 times the monthly rent
• Collections paid or explained
• Co-signer or guarantor details ready if your score is borderline

Helpful resources: For more on credit score to rent an apartment, see the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Credit score to rent an apartment: frequently asked questions

What credit score do you need to rent an apartment?

Many landlords look for about 650 or higher, and luxury buildings may want 700+. Many smaller landlords accept lower scores with strong income and references.

Can I rent an apartment with a 550 credit score?

Yes, but it is harder. Look at private landlords, offer a larger deposit, add a co-signer or guarantor, and show proof of income and savings.

Do landlords check credit with a hard or soft pull?

Tenant screening checks are usually treated like soft inquiries or have little score impact, but ask the landlord or screening company.

Does paying rent build credit?

Only if it is reported to the credit bureaus. Some landlords and rent-reporting services offer this.

Is 600 a good credit score to rent an apartment?

A 600 score is in the challenging range for many large complexes. You can still rent with strong income, a co-signer or guarantor, a larger deposit where legal, or by applying with private landlords.

What credit score do most apartments require?

There is no single rule, but many landlords look for about 650 or higher and luxury buildings may want 700+. Always ask the property for its minimum before paying an application fee.

What is the minimum credit score to rent an apartment?

There is no legal minimum. A common planning range is about 600 to 650 at managed complexes and 680 to 700+ at luxury buildings, while many private landlords decide case by case with strong income and references.

What credit score do you need for renting a house?

Usually about the same as an apartment: a typical planning range is 620 to 650+ with rental companies, while individual homeowners often accept lower scores with strong income, references and a larger deposit where legal.

Sources: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, AnnualCreditReport.com, myFICO. Prices are national planning ranges, not quotes. See how we research costs.

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