Renting in NYC without US credit history

You can rent in New York City without a US credit score, but you will need to prove you can pay in other ways: an offer letter or proof of income, bank statements, and usually a guarantor or an institutional guarantor service. What a landlord can’t do is charge you more than one month’s security deposit or set harsher terms because of your immigration status or where you are from.

This guide is for international students, people relocating for a job, and anyone new to the US. It covers what landlords accept, what the law limits, and a plan that works in a fast market.

Why landlords ask for US credit

NYC landlords usually screen with two tests: yearly income of about 40 times the monthly rent and a US credit report. Without a credit file, the landlord has no record of how you pay bills here, so it looks for something else that lowers its risk. If you meet 40x on a US salary, an offer letter often carries a lot of weight. If you don’t, or your income is from abroad, expect to be asked for a guarantor.

What you can offer instead of a credit score

Offer letter and proof of income

If you are relocating for a job, ask your employer for a letter on company letterhead with your start date, title and salary. Students can show a scholarship or financial support letter, school documents and proof of funds. Pay stubs or tax returns from your home country can help, but landlords differ on how much weight they give them.

Foreign credit reports

Some companies, such as Nova Credit, pull data from international credit bureaus and offer it to lenders and tenant screening firms. Coverage depends on the country you come from, and many NYC landlords don’t use these reports. Ask the leasing office whether it accepts one before you pay for anything.

Guarantors

Most NYC landlords want a personal guarantor who earns about 80 times the monthly rent and often lives in the tri-state area, which rules out most parents abroad (see guarantor requirements). That is why institutional guarantors are common for newcomers. Insurent, for example, publishes a price of 98% to 110% of one month’s rent for a one-year lease for non-US renters without US credit. International students qualify through a “responsible party,” usually a parent, who earns at least 50 times the monthly rent in their home country or has liquid assets of 80 times the rent. The building has to accept the provider.

What the law says landlords can and can’t do

Identification and the SSN

Landlords may ask for photo ID and personal information to run a credit check. The NYC Commission on Human Rights lists a passport, a Social Security number or an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) as examples. Its guidance says a landlord that refuses alternative documents that are sufficient to run a check, or that insists on an SSN to open a security deposit escrow account without offering another arrangement, may be using that as a pretext for discrimination. A landlord doesn’t need your SSN to open an escrow account.

No extra deposits or harsher terms

New York caps any security deposit or advance at one month’s rent, and the state housing agency says an owner can’t ask a tenant, guarantor or third party for more. Under the NYC Human Rights Law, landlords can’t refuse to rent or change the terms because of actual or perceived immigration status or national origin. The Commission’s own example of a violation is a company asking applicants it believes aren’t US citizens for six months’ security while others pay one month. It also says status information can’t be used to impose new terms such as a co-signer.

Fees

Credit and background check fees are capped at the actual cost or $20, whichever is less. The landlord must give you a copy of the report and the screening company’s receipt, and must waive the fee if you provide a check done within the past 30 days. Other application or processing fees aren’t allowed. Since June 11, 2025, a broker working for the landlord can’t charge you a fee either (see the FARE Act).

A plan for your search

1. 1

   Before you arrive

   Gather your passport, visa or admission documents, offer letter or school letter, recent bank statements in English (or translated), and your guarantor’s documents.
2. 2

   Get pre-qualified

   If you’ll need an institutional guarantor, apply early so you know your approved rent range before you tour.
3. 3

   Ask each landlord up front

   “I don’t have US credit yet. Which institutional guarantors do you accept, and do you accept foreign income?” Skip buildings that say no.
4. 4

   Budget the full move-in cost

   First month, a security deposit of no more than one month, up to $20 per screening, plus any guarantor fee. Run it through the move-in cost calculator.
5. 5

   Start building US credit

   Paying rent and bills on time in the US is how you stop needing workarounds at renewal or your next move.

Estimate your cash need with the NYC move-in cost calculator, check your rent range with the rent affordability calculator, and use the rental scam red flags guide before you wire anyone money. Newcomers are a common scam target.

If you think you were treated unfairly

Discrimination based on immigration status or national origin can be reported to the NYC Commission on Human Rights through 311 or at (212) 416-0197. Overcharged deposits and screening fees can be raised with the NY Attorney General’s office. Keep copies of emails, texts and listings.