How to Rent an Apartment With an Eviction in Texas

Here’s how to rent an apartment with an eviction in Texas. We follow the same order with every renter we help, anywhere in the state: where your file stands first, a signed lease last. Each step links to a longer guide if you want the details.

Step 1: Figure out where your eviction stands

Three things shape your odds:

How old the eviction is

• Under 1 year: hardest
• 1 to 2 years: still hard
• 2 to 3 years: workable
• 3 to 5 years: lots of options
• 5+ years: close to normal odds
• Over 7 years: usually drops off screening reports

Whether the balance is paid

• You still owe your old landlord: hardest
• In collections: harder
• On a written payment plan: somewhere in the middle
• Paid in full (“satisfied”): a lot better
• No balance, dismissed, or ruled in your favor: easiest

How the court case ended

• Judgment for the landlord: a standard eviction
• Judgment with a balance: harder, since you still owe money
• Dismissed with prejudice (it can’t be filed again): very strong
• Dismissed without prejudice (it could be filed again): strong
• Nonsuited (the landlord dropped the case): strong
• Judgment for the tenant: rare, and the strongest of all

Don’t know yet where you land on all three? Our check your history guide shows how to pull your records before you apply.

Step 2: Find the right properties

Not every Texas property treats an eviction the same way. We rank them by how often they’ve approved renters with evictions we’ve worked with, from the most flexible down to the strictest:

1. Independent owners: they have 1 to 20 properties and do their own screening
2. Class B mid market where the property can make its own call: Willow Bridge (formerly Lincoln Property Company’s residential division), RPM Living
3. Mid market management companies (PMCs) where each file gets its own look: some Greystar, Venterra
4. Class A luxury where screening has some give: some MAA, some Camden with older evictions
5. Class A luxury with strict automated screening: most Cortland and NRP Group properties

Now match your file to a tier:

• Recent eviction with a balance still owed → tiers 1 and 2 (plus guarantors)
• Recent eviction, balance paid → tiers 1, 2, sometimes 3
• Older eviction, balance paid → tiers 1 through 4
• Old eviction with strong income → most tiers, sometimes even tier 5

Policies differ by company, and sometimes by property. Our PMC eviction policy guide goes through how each big management company handles evictions.

Step 3: Get your paperwork together

With an eviction on file, every application you turn in should include:

• Your two most recent paystubs (or 12 months of bank statements if you’re self employed) showing you make 3x the rent
• A letter from your employer confirming your job (not just paystubs)
• Landlord references from places you paid on time (ones after the eviction are best)
• Proof of payment if you’ve paid the balance (a zero balance letter or satisfaction of judgment)
• The order of dismissal if your case was dismissed
• Letter of explanation: two paragraphs, honest and to the point. Use our LOE template
• Guarantor approval paperwork if you’re going through OneApp or Liberty Rent

Our documentation guide goes item by item.

Step 4: Look at guarantors and deposit alternatives

Got a recent eviction, an unpaid balance, or more than one filing? Then a guarantor service is often what gets you approved. Our guarantor review covers OneApp (Approval Assist), Liberty Rent, TheGuarantors, and deposit alternatives: Greenlight Rent (formerly Rhino, which merged with Jetty in 2025) and Obligo.

Each property picks its own guarantor programs. We keep notes on which ones the properties near you take. OneApp works a little differently: you can’t sign up on your own. You apply at a participating property first. If it denies you or approves you with conditions, the property refers you to OneApp.

Step 5: Apply smart

• Never apply blind. Know the property’s current eviction policy before you pay a fee. We can help with that.
• Never apply at 5 properties run by the same management company. From what we see, one denial often follows you to all of them.
• Space out your applications: apply at 2 to 3 target properties at a time and wait to hear back before you widen the search.
• Move fast on a good lead. From what we see, eviction friendly units often fill within 2 weeks.

Step 6: Be ready for the deposit and risk fee

Say the unit rents for $1,500 a month. Average rents in our cities run about $1,260 to $1,650 a month (RentCafe, September 2026).

Here’s roughly what the renters we work with need in hand to move in. That counts first month’s rent, fees, the deposit, and any risk fee (an extra charge some properties add when there’s an eviction on file). We figure a standard deposit at about one month’s rent. Many Texas properties ask for less (HelloData’s 2025 Texas fee data), so yours may come in lower:

• Dismissed or paid, 3+ years: $3,000 to $4,000
• Paid, 1 to 2 years: $3,500 to $4,700
• Recent, paid: $4,000 to $5,500
• Unpaid balance: $4,500 to $6,500
• Multiple evictions: $5,000 to $6,500

Our move in cost guide shows where each dollar goes.

Step 7: Follow through on the lease

For the renters we work with, getting from approval to a signed lease and move in usually takes 3 to 10 days. Use that time to:

• Set up utilities in your name
• Confirm when your first month’s rent and deposit are due
• Do the walk through inspection with the property when you move in, and write down any damage
• Keep copies of everything

Then pay on time for the next 24 months. Few things do more for your next apartment search, even with the eviction still on your record.

What to do if you get denied

• Ask for the adverse action notice (the denial notice that names the screening company, usually a letter or email)
• Pull your report from that company if you think it has errors
• A denial can carry over to that company’s other properties, so try a different management company next
• If anything on the report is wrong, dispute it under the FCRA (opens in new tab) (the federal law that covers screening and credit reports)

Already been turned down? Our post denial service walks through what to do next.

How we can help

Renting with an eviction in Texas is doable, and we often find real options even for hard eviction files. Some renters get placed in a few weeks. Others fight denials for months. The difference often comes down to applying at the right properties with your paperwork ready. We help with both, and it’s free. We can’t promise approval. The property makes the final call.

Fill out the form on our home page or call 888-846-7541. We usually reply during weekday business hours, often with a question or two.