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How Long After a Conviction Can You Rent in Texas?

How long after a conviction can you rent in Texas? Each property sets its own rule. We check each one’s written policy and which date it counts from. Check your case papers before you count the years, and don't go by a general waiting period you read somewhere.

Renter marking a date on a wall calendar

The short answer

There’s no single waiting period. Many Texas communities look back 5 to 7 years, and many start that clock when you finish your sentence, probation or parole included. A violent felony or a sex offense can mean a longer look back or a flat no.

We’re the No Credit Check Apartment Team, a licensed real estate team brokered by Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC (TREC #562021). Between us we have more than 20 years in real estate, working with property managers across Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. We point renters with credit, eviction and record problems to communities whose criteria may fit them, and each property makes its own rental decision.

Timeline from the end of your sentence through the 5 to 7 year window

What that means for you

Finishing probation or parole matters. That's usually when the clock starts. A conviction from eight years ago with parole that ended two years ago still looks recent to many communities.

The type of charge changes the wait. Some communities will consider a nonviolent misdemeanor after a few years. Violent felonies and sex offenses often mean they look back much further, or just say no. Federal law lets convictions show up on a background check no matter how old they are. Texas law is stricter: screening companies can't report a conviction more than seven years after the case ended or you were released or paroled. A community can still look up court records on its own, so it sets its own lookback.

How Texas communities handle it

Texas property managers screen through a handful of companies, including TransUnion SmartMove, RealPage LeasingDesk, and AppFolio. Some check rent payment data from Experian RentBureau, and old apartment balances often show up through collection agencies like NCAC. Each one pulls up different information, and each management company reads it differently.

A denied application usually costs $50 to $75, and those fees stack up fast when you apply without knowing how a property screens.

For more on renting with a conviction on your record, see our page on criminal background or the related guides below.

What to do next

Don't know where to apply, or tired of paying fees just to get turned down? Don’t guess. Send us your situation and we’ll point you to Texas communities worth a look. It’s free to you; communities pay our referral fee out of their advertising budgets.

Related reading: criminal background · applying with a criminal record

FAQ

Is the 5 to 7 years from my conviction or my release? +

At a lot of the communities we track, it's from the day you finish your sentence, including probation or parole. Some count from the conviction date, and we note which one each property uses.

Can I rent sooner than 5 years? +

Sometimes. Some communities will consider you sooner if it was a nonviolent misdemeanor, your income is strong, or your rental record has been clean since.

Does completing probation help? +

Yes. At many communities, the day you're discharged from probation is when the 5 to 7 year clock starts.

Related guides

Can You Rent an Apartment With a Felony in Texas?

Some Texas communities rent to people with a felony. The charge and how long ago it was shape how they look at it, and good credit alone won't undo a denial.

Deferred Adjudication in Texas and Apartment Screening

Deferred adjudication isn't a formal conviction, but some reports still show it. Here's how managers treat it and what paperwork helps you explain it.

HUD 2016 Guidance and Criminal Background Rental Screening

In 2016 HUD said blanket criminal denials could break the Fair Housing Act. HUD withdrew that guidance in 2025. The Fair Housing Act itself still applies.

Renting With a Misdemeanor: Which Charges Cause Trouble?

An old misdemeanor, like a DWI or marijuana possession, is usually easier to rent with than a felony. Recent, violent and theft charges still cause problems, and court paperwork helps.

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.

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