The short answer
Yes, renting with a felony in Texas is possible. Many communities look at each applicant on their own, and the type of charge and how long ago it was matter most. Nonviolent and white collar charges tend to fare better once enough time has passed. Sex offenses and arson get denied at most communities we track.
We're the No Credit Check Apartment Team, a licensed real estate team brokered by Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC (TREC #562021). Together we have more than 20 years in real estate and work with property managers across Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. With a record, where you apply matters more than your credit score.
What that means for you
Nonviolent offenses usually give you the best shot at a lease, and an older charge beats a recent one.
Most property managers look at the risk to the property and other residents. We sort charge types the same way when we look for communities for you.
A single white collar conviction from five years ago looks very different to a property manager than a recent violent offense. HUD withdrew its 2016 guidance against blanket criminal bans in 2025. The Fair Housing Act still applies, but each community's own policy matters more now. We track which communities still look at each application on its own.
Which felonies tend to fare better
A clean rental history since the conviction improves your chances a lot.
Nonviolent drug offenses and white collar charges often get a second look once enough time has passed. Violent crimes, manufacturing charges, and offenses involving property damage get a much harder look. A lookback is how far back the community checks. For a financial crime it might be three years. An assault charge can mean an automatic denial.
| Type of Conviction | How Properties Usually Respond | Lookback We Often See |
|---|---|---|
| White Collar / Financial | Often approved with conditions | 3 to 5 Years |
| Nonviolent Drug Possession | Sometimes approved with conditions | 4 to 7 Years |
| Felony Theft / Property Damage | Often denied | 7+ Years |
| Violent Offenses | Usually an automatic denial | 10+ Years or Permanent |
Why perfect credit won’t save a criminal denial
A perfect credit score can't override a strict criminal screening policy. Landlords treat your finances and your background as two separate questions.
Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, a background check can show a conviction no matter how old it is. Texas law is stricter: a screening company can't report one more than seven years after the case ended or you were released or paroled. Court records stay public, though, and a landlord can look them up.
We often see applicants with 750 credit scores get rejected over a single offense from ten years ago. To get a conditional approval, you need a landlord whose lookback period fits your timeline.
If this is you, stop applying blindly to random complexes. We track the lookback periods at the Texas communities we work with.
How Texas communities handle it
Texas property managers use third party screening vendors to run background checks. Each management company reads what comes back differently, based on how much risk they're willing to take.
Properties here use services like TransUnion SmartMove, RealPage LeasingDesk, and AppFolio. They pull criminal records from different sources, such as county and state court records and the National Sex Offender Public Website. Some check Experian RentBureau too, but it tracks rent payments, not criminal records.
A single charge might show up on one vendor's report and not on another's. That’s one reason two communities can reach different answers on the same application.
What blind applications really cost you
Texas apartment application fees usually run $50 to $75. Some luxury buildings charge more. Five blind applications that end in a no can cost $250 to $375.
Generic listings rarely explain how approval actually works. Under Texas Property Code Section 92.3515, landlords have to make their written screening criteria available when they give you an application. Before you apply anywhere, get three things settled.
- Know the rules before you pay. We read each community’s written criteria for you.
- Know which screening company the community uses. We tell you that up front.
- Let us find the property’s exact felony lookback period.
We ask leasing offices these questions every day, so you don’t have to. Knowing the rules upfront keeps you from paying for an automatic denial. Read our full guide on criminal background for more on how each vendor handles records.
The related guides below get into more specific timelines.
What to do next
Talk to us before you pay another application fee.
Here’s what you get when you reach out:
- A read on your charge, how old it is, and which lookback periods it clears.
- A list of communities whose lookback periods may work for you, within 24 to 48 weekday hours.
This locating service is completely free to you. Communities pay the referral fee directly from their advertising budgets.
Send us the charge, the year your sentence ended and your monthly income, and we’ll start there.
Related reading: criminal background · how long after a conviction you can rent