GUIDE
Apartment Lookback Periods: Which Date Actually Counts?
How long a report can legally show a case and how far back an apartment looks are two different things. We check the property’s side for you before you count on an older case falling outside its criteria.
Two clocks can apply
A reporting rule covers what a screening company is allowed to put on a report. A property rule covers how that property uses the information it legally gets. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act limits many negative entries other than convictions to seven years. Convictions are an exception, so no federal rule wipes them off a report after seven years.
Texas has its own rule. Under Business and Commerce Code Section 20.05, a screening company usually can't report an arrest, indictment or conviction from more than seven years back. The clock runs from the disposition, release or parole date. The exceptions are for loans and life insurance of $150,000 or more and jobs paying $75,000 or more. Apartment rentals aren't one of them. A property can still find an older case in public court records. If an older case shows up on a screening report, ask legal aid about disputing it.
We check what starts the property's clock
Here's an example. The offense happened in 2016, the conviction came in 2018 and supervision ended in 2021. Under a five year rule, counting from the conviction gives a different answer than counting from completion. Don't just pick the date that helps you most. We look at which event each property's rule counts from and how it handles the exact anniversary.
What we look for in the rule
- What offense category does the rule cover?
- Does it use the offense, conviction, release or completion date?
- Does it treat pending cases, deferred adjudication and convictions differently?
- Is individual review available outside the stated window?
A building's age, luxury branding or specials tell you nothing about its lookback period. We check the current criteria for each specific address. For reporting rights, read FTC: tenant background checks and your rights. For legal advice about your own case, use Local Help. An older case doesn't guarantee approval on its own.
Published by the Felon Friendly Apartment Team. This is general renter information. Each property makes its own decisions, and questions about your own case belong with a lawyer or legal aid.
Common Questions
How far back do Texas apartments check criminal history?
Each property sets its own window. Written criteria often count back a set number of years, and the window can change by offense type. We check the window and its starting date at each community.
Can a report show a conviction older than seven years?
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act doesn't put a seven year limit on convictions. Texas has its own seven year rule for many screening reports, and its exceptions don't cover apartment rentals. Legal aid can tell you if an older entry is worth disputing.
Is the lookback the same at every apartment?
No. Each community sets its own criteria, and one property can use different windows for different offenses. A building's age or price won't tell you its lookback. That's why we check each address.
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Our help is free to renters. Participating communities may pay our brokerage a referral fee. Tell us what you need, and we'll check each community's criteria against your record.
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