International renters
Can I rent an apartment in the US without a Social Security number?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Yes. A Social Security number is not required to rent, and landlords near universities and in big cities deal with applicants who have none all the time. You will usually need to show a passport and visa, proof of your school or job, and proof of funds, and you may need a guarantor or a guarantor service.
The SSN matters to landlords because their screening company uses it to pull a credit report. Without one, they need other ways to confirm who you are and that you can pay. Many screening companies can run an identity and eviction check with a passport instead, and some accept an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) if you already have one.
Before you pay any application fee, ask the landlord or leasing office one direct question: do you accept applicants without an SSN, and what do you need from them? If they say their system requires one, the fee is wasted. If they say yes, ask exactly which documents and whether they work with guarantor services.
- Good sign: a clear written list of alternatives (passport, I-20 or DS-2019, bank statements, guarantor).
- Workable: a request for a larger deposit or some prepaid rent, within what your state allows.
- Move on: a landlord who cannot tell you how they handle it, or who asks for your passport itself rather than a copy.
If you get an SSN later, share it only through a landlord's secure application or resident portal, never in a post or a Facebook message.
Want the whole picture? Read Renting as an International Student.