# What Credit Score Does a Texas Apartment Require? > What credit score do you need to rent in Texas? Minimums often run 550 to 620. Here’s how we check a property’s rules before you pay to apply. URL: https://nocreditcheckapartment.com/guide/credit-score-needed-to-rent-texas/ Wondering what credit score you need to rent an apartment in Texas? Know the property’s rules before you pay to apply. We check them for the communities we send you. That covers any minimum score, what else counts, and whether conditions come in writing. ## The short answer Many Texas communities that use a minimum set it somewhere from 550 to 620. But the only answer that counts is the one for the property you want. Keep a note of any conditions, like a risk fee or bigger deposit, before you pay. When a property has a minimum score, we note how it uses it and which report it pulls. A general Texas range is no substitute for the property’s own written rules. ## What that means for you Where your score lands against the minimum decides whether you get an automatic denial or a conditional approval. The minimum itself changes with the building, from newer luxury properties down to older ones. ### Hard cutoff vs. full review communities Some apartment complexes have a strict cutoff. If your score is below their minimum, usually somewhere from 550 to 620, their software denies you automatically. Full review communities read your whole application: income, savings and rental history next to the credit check. We point renters to these communities first, so one number is less likely to sink the application. ### How income and risk fees move the line If you're a little below their target score, a full review community will often offer a conditional approval. Landlords charge risk fees to cover themselves when a score falls under their minimum. A monthly add on, if there is one, adds up over a 12 month lease, so ask before you sign. Here's what a conditional approval usually asks for: - A one time risk fee, often a few hundred dollars. - A small monthly add on to the rent at some communities. - A larger security deposit paid upfront. - A guarantor or cosigner who backs the lease. If you work for yourself, strong tax returns can help you get past a credit dip. Solid savings can cover a bigger deposit too. ### Why there's no one minimum everywhere Every management company decides how much risk it'll take, and local demand plays a big part. In busy city areas, minimums often sit near the top of that range. Suburban and older communities more often set the line lower in the range. We keep track of where each community sets its line, so you can apply where your score may already fit. ## How Texas communities use your credit score Texas communities run your credit through screening software, and many of those systems give you their own risk score instead of a plain FICO. Property managers use a mix of screening companies, including TransUnion SmartMove, RealPage LeasingDesk, and AppFolio. Some check Experian RentBureau rent data too. Each one pulls up different information, and each management company reads it by its own rules. ### What Texas Law Says About Screening Texas Property Code [Section 92.3515](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/?tab=1&code=PR&chapter=PR.92&artSec=92.3515) has been on the books since 2008. Under it, landlords have to make their screening criteria available in writing when they give you an application. The criteria cover things like credit, income, rental history, and criminal history, but the law doesn't make them list an exact score. If a landlord denies you and never made the criteria available, they owe you your application fee back. Know the criteria before you pay. That's the part we handle for you. Guessing costs $50 to $75 per rejected application. ### How the Screening Companies Compare Each company leans on a different part of your financial history, and that changes which paperwork helps. Screening CompanyWhat It Focuses OnWhat It Means for YouTransUnion SmartMovePredicting evictionsUses its own ResidentScore instead of a regular FICO score.Experian RentBureau (rent data)Rent payment historyShows rent payments that property managers report to it, so on time rent can help.RealPage / AppFolioOverall riskBuilt into the property management software many communities already run. For more, check out our guide on renting with [bad credit](/bad-credit/). ## What to do next Don't guess at which communities your score clears. Applying blind wastes fees, and some screening companies pull your credit as a hard inquiry. We'll usually reach out the same day with a few questions, and within 24 to 48 weekday hours we'll tell you which Texas communities may be worth a look for your situation. It's free to you. Communities pay us the referral fee out of their marketing budgets. Here's a quick checklist to get ready before you apply: - Pull your current VantageScore and FICO scores. - Gather two years of business tax returns if you run your own business. - Have your last two or three months of bank statements ready. - Send us the buildings you're looking at and we'll check how each one screens. Related reading: [bad credit](/bad-credit/) · [hard cutoff vs full review screening](/guide/hard-cutoff-vs-full-picture-screening/) ## FAQ Is there one minimum credit score everywhere? + No. Each community sets its own, usually 550 to 620, and some have no minimum. Can strong income beat a low score? + Often, yes. At many communities, income of 3x to 4x the rent can make up for a score below their minimum. What if I'm just below the cutoff? + A risk fee or a guarantor can close the gap. We point you to full review communities, where a score just under the line often gets a conditional approval. ## Related guides [### What Is a Risk Fee / Conditional Approval Fee? A risk fee can get a lower score a second look at some communities. Expect a few hundred dollars for credit and more for an eviction or record, usually charged once on top of your deposit.](/guide/apartment-risk-fee/)[### Can I Get an Apartment With a 500 Credit Score? Some Texas communities with conditional approval consider a 500 credit score, sometimes with a risk fee. A 500 with no old rent owed gets a second look more often.](/guide/apartments-500-credit-score/)[### Guarantor vs. Higher Deposit vs. Cosigner for Bad Credit Guarantor, bigger deposit, or cosigner? We compare the cost, where each is accepted, and which screening problems each one may help with.](/guide/guarantor-vs-deposit-vs-cosigner-bad-credit/)[### Hard Cutoff vs. Full Review Screening: Which Apartments to Target Stop burning application fees at properties with a hard credit cutoff, and apply where they review your whole file instead.](/guide/hard-cutoff-vs-full-picture-screening/) ## Want us to look at your situation? Send us your screening issue and target city. We typically get back to you the same day to go over your form, and your community list usually takes 24 to 48 weekday hours. Weekend requests most likely hear from us Monday. Free. [Start Your Free Search](/find-apartments/) ## Put this advice into practice - [Plan your move-in budget](/calculators/move-in-budget-planner/) - [Prepare your application checklist](/calculators/application-readiness-checklist/) - [See renter resources](/renter-resources/)