Renting an Apartment in LA With No SSN or an ITIN: Your Rights

If you live in Los Angeles without a Social Security number (SSN), you can still legally rent an apartment. California law does not require a tenant to be a citizen, a permanent resident, or the holder of an SSN to sign a lease, and it specifically bars landlords from using your immigration status against you. Many immigrant renters use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead, or provide alternative documents entirely. This guide explains, in plain language, what a landlord in LA can and cannot ask, and how to qualify for a home using bank-verified income and rent history rather than a traditional credit score.

This is general educational information for California and the City/County of Los Angeles, not legal advice. Rules change, so verify anything time-sensitive and consider free help from a local tenant legal-aid organization if you run into trouble.

Renting without an SSN is legal in California

There is no state or federal law that requires you to have an SSN to rent housing. A landlord may want to confirm two basic things: who you are (identity) and whether you can pay the rent (financial ability). Neither of those requires citizenship or an SSN. You can typically satisfy identity with a passport, a consular ID (such as a matrícula consular), a foreign driver's license, or a California AB 60 driver's license, and you can satisfy financial ability with income and payment-history documents described below.

Many renters without an SSN use an ITIN, a tax-processing number the IRS issues to people who file taxes but are not eligible for an SSN. Renting with an ITIN and no SSN is lawful. An ITIN also helps because it lets you file tax returns and build a documented income record that landlords recognize. Importantly, you are not required to hand over an ITIN either — it is one option, not a legal obligation.

AB 291: what your landlord cannot ask about your immigration status

California's Immigrant Tenant Protection Act (AB 291, effective January 1, 2018) added strong protections to the Civil Code. Under Civil Code §1940.3, a landlord may not:

• Make any inquiry regarding, or based on, the immigration or citizenship status of a tenant, prospective tenant, or occupant; or
• Require any tenant or applicant to make a statement, representation, or certification about their immigration or citizenship status.

The law also protects you from retaliation. Under Civil Code §1940.35, it is unlawful for a landlord to disclose or threaten to disclose information about your (or your household's) immigration status to immigration authorities or law enforcement for the purpose of harassing or intimidating you, retaliating against you for exercising your rights, pressuring you to move out, or trying to recover the unit. Violations can expose a landlord to statutory damages of six to twelve times the monthly rent, plus attorney's fees. The definition of "immigration or citizenship status" in Civil Code §1940.05 is broad — it also covers a landlord's perception of your status or your association with someone of a perceived status, so a landlord cannot get around the rules by acting on an assumption.

What this means in practice: a landlord in LA cannot demand to see a green card, visa, or proof of "legal status," cannot ask "are you a citizen?", and cannot condition an apartment on you proving lawful presence. If a landlord threatens to call immigration because you asked for a repair or complained about conditions, that threat itself may be illegal retaliation.

What a landlord can legitimately ask for

The protections above do not stop a landlord from screening you like any other applicant. Civil Code §1940.3 still lets a landlord request the information needed to verify identity and financial qualifications — as long as the request is not aimed at your immigration status. That generally includes:

• Proof of identity: a passport, consular ID, or driver's license (a California AB 60 license issued to people who can't prove lawful presence is valid ID for this purpose).
• Proof of income or ability to pay: pay stubs, an employer letter, bank statements, tax returns, or other verifiable records.
• References and rental history: prior landlords or a record of on-time payments.

A landlord may run a credit or background check and charge an application screening fee, but that fee is capped. Civil Code §1950.6 sets a base fee of $30 per applicant, adjusted for inflation (CPI) each year since 1998; for 2026 the inflation-adjusted cap is commonly reported at roughly $66 per applicant. Because the statute itself only states the $30 base plus the CPI mechanism, ask the landlord for the exact figure and always get a receipt. The landlord must refund any part of the fee they didn't actually use to run a credit report or check references. Under AB 2493 (effective January 1, 2025), a landlord who charges a fee must either screen applicants on a first-come, first-served basis or refund the fee to applicants who weren't selected, and cannot charge a fee at all if no unit is currently available.

California also has a voluntary "reusable tenant screening report" law (Civil Code §1950.1). It is not mandatory — a landlord doesn't have to accept one — but if a landlord chooses to accept reusable reports, they must disclose that and cannot charge you a separate screening fee when you provide a qualifying report. This can save applicants money when applying to several units.

Proving you can pay without a credit score: bank-verified income and rent history

Many immigrant renters have thin or no credit files, which traditional scoring models penalize. The good news is that a credit score is not required by law, and there are recognized ways to show you're a reliable tenant:

• Bank-verified income: several months of bank statements showing steady deposits are often more persuasive than a score. If you're self-employed or paid in cash, deposit that income into an account so there's a paper trail, and consider filing taxes with an ITIN to document earnings.
• Verified rent-payment history: proof that you've paid rent on time — cancelled checks, money-order receipts, bank transfers, or a letter from a prior landlord — directly answers the landlord's real question: will you pay?
• Employer verification: a signed letter stating your position, length of employment, and monthly income.
• Larger up-front payment within legal limits (see below).

If you receive a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher or other rent subsidy, you have extra protection. Under California's source-of-income law (Government Code §12955, strengthened by SB 329 and SB 267), landlords cannot refuse you simply because you use a voucher, and they must let you submit lawful alternative evidence of your ability to pay your share of the rent — including government benefit payments, pay records, and bank statements — and reasonably consider it instead of a credit history. That principle of accepting alternative documentation is exactly the approach that helps renters without an SSN or a scored credit file.

A free, verified renter profile can package all of this in one place. CertRent lets you assemble bank-verified income and documented rent history into a single shareable profile so a landlord can see your ability to pay without you scrambling for paperwork at each showing — and without a credit score standing in the way.

Guarantors, co-signers, and deposit limits

If a landlord is still hesitant, a guarantor (co-signer) who agrees to cover the rent if you can't is a common solution — a relative, friend, or an employer. A guarantor typically needs their own income documentation; they do not need to share your immigration status, and the landlord cannot ask about it.

Watch your deposit. Since July 1, 2024, AB 12 (Civil Code §1950.5) caps the security deposit at one month's rent for most rentals. A small "natural person" landlord who owns no more than two residential properties totaling no more than four units may collect up to two months. If a landlord demands several months of deposit "because you have no credit," that likely violates the cap. A landlord who offers you the choice to pay a larger deposit (within the legal limit) in exchange for skipping a credit check may be reasonable — but they cannot exceed the statutory maximum. When you move out, the landlord must return the deposit with an itemized statement within 21 days.

Finally, know which rules govern your specific building. Rent-increase and eviction protections differ depending on whether you're in the City of Los Angeles (RSO/Just Cause Ordinance), unincorporated LA County (RSTPO), or covered only by statewide AB 1482. If you're unsure who your landlord even is, our Who Owns My Building tool can help, and you can read more in our California security deposit guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord in Los Angeles refuse to rent to me because I don't have an SSN?

A landlord can require proof of identity and ability to pay, but there is no law requiring an SSN, and under Civil Code §1940.3 they cannot inquire about or condition the rental on your immigration or citizenship status. Refusing you specifically because of your immigration status — or because you offered an ITIN instead of an SSN — runs into these protections and California fair-housing law. You can offer alternative identity and income documents.

Is it legal to sign a lease using an ITIN instead of an SSN?

Yes. An ITIN is an IRS tax-processing number for people not eligible for an SSN, and renting with an ITIN and no SSN is lawful. Using an ITIN to file taxes also helps you build a documented income history that landlords recognize. You are not legally required to provide an ITIN, though — it's simply one useful option.

What if a landlord threatens to report me to immigration?

Under Civil Code §1940.35, it is unlawful for a landlord to disclose or threaten to disclose your immigration status to authorities in order to harass, intimidate, retaliate against, or pressure you to leave. Such conduct can make the landlord liable for statutory damages of six to twelve times the monthly rent plus attorney's fees. Document the threat and contact a local tenant legal-aid organization.

How can I prove I'll pay the rent if I have no credit score?

Use bank statements showing steady deposits, documented rent-payment history (receipts, cancelled checks, or a prior-landlord letter), an employer verification letter, and tax returns filed with an ITIN. California even requires landlords to accept alternative evidence of ability to pay from voucher holders, which reflects the broader idea that credit scores aren't the only proof of reliability. A free verified renter profile can bundle these documents to share with landlords.

How much can a landlord charge to apply, and can they keep it?

Application screening fees are capped by Civil Code §1950.6 — a $30 base amount adjusted annually for inflation, reported at roughly $66 per applicant for 2026. Ask for the exact figure and a receipt. The landlord must refund any portion they didn't use for a credit report or reference check, and under AB 2493 must either screen first-come, first-served or refund non-selected applicants, and cannot charge a fee if no unit is available.