Austin Apartments That Accept Felonies and Misdemeanors
We find Austin communities that accept non-violent felonies and misdemeanors, navigating the Texas 7-year lookback and case-by-case screening.
Why renters in your situation keep getting denied
If you've been searching on your own, you've probably hit at least one of these. We built the service to fix exactly this.
Auto-denials before anyone reads your record
Background-screening software flags any felony hit, regardless of age, type, or rehabilitation. No human reviews the file.
Confusion over the Texas 7-year lookback
Property lookback periods vary, and older offenses are often weighted leniently, but no one tells you which properties play that way.
Deferred adjudication still surfacing on checks
Unsealed deferred adjudication shows up like a conviction. Most renters don't know whether their record was sealed or how it'll screen.
Not sure which Austin complexes review case by case
Blanket-ban communities never advertise the policy, and case-by-case communities don't advertise theirs either. You have to know.
Renting in Austin with a Criminal Record
A criminal record makes apartment screening unpredictable, but many Austin communities review records case by case rather than auto-denying. At Austin Second Chance Apartments, our Misdemeanor & Felony-Friendly Search focuses on non-violent offenses and uses the Texas 7-year background lookback to target properties most likely to approve you - including options for felonies both over and under seven years, and for deferred adjudication.
We’re a non-judgment service backed by 5,000+ successful placements across Austin. Your locator is a TREC-licensed professional, not a leasing agent who’s trying to talk you in or out of anything. We tell you what’s realistic, what documentation helps, and where to apply across Austin, Round Rock, and Pflugerville.
How the Texas 7-Year Lookback Works in Your Favor
As of 2026, most Texas apartment background screens look back 7 years. Offenses older than 7 years often don’t surface at all, and when they do, they’re typically weighted much more leniently. That’s why the age of the offense is the single biggest factor in whether you’ll be approved at a given property.
We use this to your advantage. For offenses outside the 7-year window, your pool of likely-approval properties is much larger - including Class B and C garden-style communities across North Austin and East Austin. For offenses inside the window, we target case-by-case communities - many guided by HUD’s criminal-history guidance, which discourages blanket bans and pushes for individualized review.
For a deeper breakdown, see The Texas 7-year background lookback explained.
What Strengthens a Case-by-Case Screening Review
When a community does case-by-case screening, you can influence the outcome. Things that help:
- A rehabilitation letter - short, factual, focused on what’s changed (employment, stability, time elapsed)
- Employment references from a current employer or supervisor
- Income at or above 2.5x-3x rent (income strength offsets perceived risk)
- A disclosure done at the right time - usually after the property confirms they’ll consider your situation
- Court documentation of the disposition (especially for deferred adjudication or completed probation)
We coach you on each. See our guide to how case-by-case criminal screening works.
Offenses We Cover and What’s Harder to Place
We specialize in non-violent offenses. That includes most drug, property, and theft offenses, and Class A or B misdemeanors under Texas Penal Code. We have the strongest results with:
- Non-violent felonies over 7 years old
- Class A and B misdemeanors at any age
- Deferred adjudication (especially sealed via non-disclosure)
- Single offenses with documented stability since
Harder cases: violent offenses, sex offenses, federal offenses, and very recent felonies. We’ll be honest with you about what’s realistic. We don’t take referrals for cases we can’t help with. Helping renters with a record is one part of our free second chance apartment locating service in Austin, alongside eviction, broken-lease, and bad-credit placements. We cover communities from South Austin and the I-35 corridor through Pflugerville and Round Rock.
Ready to get matched to Austin-area communities that will work with your record? Request your free list today
A straight-talk advocate for second-chance renters
Non-violent focus
We specialize in non-violent offenses, where the most Austin properties have flexibility. We're upfront about what's harder.
We know the case-by-case communities
Some Austin properties do real individualized review (often guided by HUD criminal-history guidance). We track which.
Documentation coaching
Rehabilitation letters, employment references, and a thoughtful disclosure can change a case-by-case outcome.
No judgment, no upfront fees
Free to you, always. Commission-paid by the community after move-in. Your locator is a TREC-licensed professional.
Five steps from denied to moved in
Tell us about your record
Offense type, age, and disposition. We focus on non-violent records. Three minutes, completely confidential.
We map case-by-case communities
We know which Austin properties do individualized review rather than blanket bans - and which weigh older offenses leniently.
Get your curated list in 24-48 hours
Short list of properties that consider records like yours. Notes on what each one will want to see.
Apply with documentation
We coach you on rehabilitation letters, references, and disclosure timing - what helps and what to avoid.
Move in and claim your rebate
List us as your referral and submit the rebate form for $50 after move-in.
Not sure if you'll qualify? Send your situation anyway.
We'll give you an honest read, then a curated list if there's one to send. Zero cost. Zero pressure. Zero application fees burned.
A look at the work
Background FAQs
Can I rent an apartment with a felony in Austin?
Often yes, especially for non-violent offenses outside the Texas 7-year background lookback. Even within the 7-year window, case-by-case communities will review your file individually.
What does the Texas 7-year lookback mean?
As of 2026, many Texas apartment background checks look back 7 years for criminal records. Offenses older than 7 years often don't surface, or are weighted very leniently. We use this to target the most flexible properties.
Does a rehabilitation letter help?
Yes. A strong rehabilitation letter covers the offense context, time elapsed, current employment, and housing stability. Include employer references and any completed probation, community service, or counseling. We coach every client on what to include and when to submit it during the application process.
What about deferred adjudication?
Deferred adjudication can appear on a background check unless sealed via an order of non-disclosure. Misdemeanor deferred adjudication is generally screened more leniently than a conviction.
Are violent offenses workable?
We focus on non-violent records. Violent offenses, sex offenses, and certain federal offenses face much stricter screening - we'll be upfront about what's realistic in your case.
Is your apartment locating service really free?
Yes. The service is 100% free to you. We're paid a commission by the apartment community after you move in, so you never pay us a fee — and legitimate Texas locating is always commission-based, never upfront.
How fast will I get my list of apartments?
Most renters receive a curated, customized list within 24-48 hours of submitting their situation. The list is valid for 30 days, and we'll revise it by phone if you need more options.
Guides for background renters
In-depth, free guidance on screening, approval odds, and what to expect.
Apartments That Accept Felonies in Austin
Which Austin property types accept felonies, the age and offense-type factors that matter, and how a locator pre-screens. Get a free curated list.
Read guide scenarioRenting With a Misdemeanor or Deferred Adjudication
How misdemeanors screen vs felonies, what deferred adjudication means on a background check, documentation to obtain, and what to expect.
Read guide scenarioRenting With a Non-Violent Felony Over (and Under) 7 Years
How offense age changes options with a non-violent felony, the case-by-case path, and what documents like rehabilitation letters help.
Read guide definitionThe Texas 7-Year Background Lookback Explained
What the Texas 7-year lookback covers, how older vs newer offenses are treated, FHA/HUD criminal-history guidance, and how property policies vary.
Read guide what to expectHow Case-by-Case Criminal Screening Decisions Get Made
What human vs automated review looks at, why outcomes vary by property, what you can influence, and how a locator front-loads approval.
Read guideOther Ways We Help
Bad Credit Apartment Locator
We direct renters with low credit, bankruptcies, or foreclosures to Austin complexes that approve on income stability rather than credit score.
Learn moreEviction Apartment Locator
We find Austin apartments that approve renters with a past eviction - including options for evictions over and under one year old.
Learn moreReady to stop wasting application fees?
Tell us your situation. We'll send a curated list of Austin apartments that will approve you — in 24-48 hours, completely free.