Written by TurboTenant Legal
Updated over a week ago
TurboTenant can generate reports for individuals using an ITIN (International Tax Identification Number) or a social security number.
Keep in mind that having an ITIN does not guarantee that the renter will have any credit history on file.
Note: TurboTenant cannot run screening reports on individuals with only a passport number at this time. They must have an ITIN or SSN!
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In this post we will discuss how to do tenant screening without a Social Security Number.
Some applicants may not have a Social Security Number (SSN) while others may not want to share that information.
If you believe this is a quality applicant there are still options available to you.
What to do when performing a tenant screening without a Social Security Number?
When screening tenants there are 3 main identifiers a background check service looks for.
- Date of Birth
- Name
- Social Security Number
Some tenant screening services start by using the Social Security Number and cannot work without that information.
These are typically instant services that are software that relies on the SSN to find your applicant.
If you use a background service that utilizes FCRA Certified Screeners they’re able to use your applicant’s name and date of birth to identify your applicant and pull records.
How to screen tenants without a SSN
Here at RentPrep it’s a three step process:
- Signup for a free account
- Choose a Basic, Pro, or Platinum report
- Notify our screeners you don’t have a SSN
The easiest way to notify our screeners is when you’re entering your applicants Social Security Number just enter all zeros and use 000-00-0000 as your SSN
This will trigger to our screeners that you don’t have a Social Security Number. If you want to be thorough you can email us at and let us know your order number and that you won’t be providing a SSN.
Does it matter if my tenant has a SSN?
It’s preferable that your applicant has one if they have a very common name. If you’re applicant’s name is John Smith there is a good chance there other John Smiths born on the same day.
However, it is still possible for us to cross reference databases to narrow down the field.
If you have any questions about screening your tenants feel free to click the Live Chat box on our website to start a conversation with one of our FCRA Certified Screeners.
The post Tenant Screening Without Social Security Number appeared first on RentPrep.
Select rental applicants who are most likely to fulfill their lease obligation.
The good news is that most problem renters with court-documented history can be avoided using our tenant background check.
Simply provide a renter’s name, DOB, and social security number. Our staff will manually cross-check every possible name, aliases, and address combination.
Tenant screening reports can be ordered directly from your account or optionally, you can have applicant self-pay for their screening and have report uploaded into your secure account.
Report Grading: Enables you to quickly filter applicants without spending valuable time reading every detail of the tenant screening report. Provide us your selection criteria for us to provide you a Pass, Fail or Needs Consideration grading in our public records based report.
View sample tenant report
We are often asked whether a Social Security number is required to screen tenants. What if an applicant refuses to supply the number–can a landlord reject them? Can a landlord ask an existing tenant for the number if they didn’t get it during the initial application?
If an applicant refuses to provide a Social Security number, this does not mean that they cannot be screened. However, if the landlord cannot determine tenant-worthiness with the information that is provided, this would be a valid reason to reject the applicant.
If a tenant has been willing to provide other personal data but stops short of the SSN, this could be cause for concern. They may believe the landlord cannot access tenant screening records without the SSN. A landlord has to evaluate the applicant’s reason for withholding the information and carefully verify identity in that case.
A landlord has a right to ask for updated information, including a request for a Social Security number from an existing tenant, but that should be done in conjunction with renewing the lease and running a current tenant background check. Having the tenant complete a current rental application with an authorization to screen is a reasonable step in most instances. Be careful if the lease is not about to expire, or if it automatically renews. If the tenant does not want to provide the number, a landlord may not be able to make new demands under the existing lease. Talk it over with an attorney if this is the case.
When it comes time to collect tenant debt, a Social Security number can be critical in locating and extracting a judgment from the tenant.
With every tenant, even the most cooperative, it is essential for a landlord to perform due diligence in the tenant screening process. This means not only obtaining the reports, but reading each with a critical eye, comparing them to one another and against information the tenant provided during the application process.
If an applicant is hesitant to divulge their Social Security number, it may help to assure them that the number, along with all other personal information they turn over, will be kept safe and confidential. See How to Guard Tenant Files for more on a landlord’s duty to protect tenants’ information.
This post is provided by
Tenant Verification Service, Inc., helping landlords reduce the risks of renting with fraud prevention tools that include Tenant Screening, Tenant Background
Checks, (U.S. and Canada), as well as Criminal Background Checks, and Eviction Reports (U.S. only).
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Landlord Credit Reports.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post in not intended to be construed as legal advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual legal counsel or consulting your local, state, federal or provincial tenancy laws.