Renting an apartment and living on your own for the first time is a big step. One question that may come up when you’re looking at renting an apartment is how old you need to be. Good question!
The age at which you can rent an apartment may vary depending on a number of factors, including where you live, the type of apartment you are renting and the policies of the landlord or property management company you’re working with.
Typically, you can rent an apartment once you’ve reached the age of majority — but that can differ based on each state’s laws.
What is the age of majority?
The age of majority is the age at which an individual is legally considered to be an adult, meaning they are able to make decisions on their own without the consent of their parent or legal guardian.
In the United States, the age of majority is typically 18 years old, but there are some exceptions by state and for certain things, including renting an apartment in some cases. If the age of a majority isn’t 18, it’s common for it to be either 19 or 21.
Independent landlord requirements
While the age of majority may be 18 in most states, some landlords may prefer to keep tenants that are a little older. It’s not uncommon for landlords to require tenants to be 21 years old to rent an apartment, especially if it’s two bedrooms or more. This is usually based on the risk a landlord may be taking on with a young tenant.
If you’re 18 years old and have never rented an apartment before, you won’t have any references from previous landlords as proof that you are a good tenant and you likely won’t have built up enough credit to have a credit score as evidence of your financial responsibility. If a landlord doesn’t have any hard proof that you’re going to make your payments on time, it becomes a big risk for them as they may end up losing money if a tenant doesn’t pay rent.
If you’re looking at renting a smaller apartment, like a studio or one-bedroom, you can assume that the rent will be more affordable than that of a two- or three-bedroom apartment. For this reason, landlords may view smaller apartments as low-risk and allow for someone that’s 18 to rent them, whereas a larger, more expensive apartment may require tenants to be 21, when they’ll likely have proof of good rental history, a stable income and a credit score as evidence of financial stability.
Co-signing with a guardian
If you haven’t yet reached the age when you can rent an apartment, you may still be able to do so with a little help from a parent or legal guardian. If your landlord allows it, you can have a parent co-sign the lease, which means they are taking on the responsibility of paying the rent and potential damages if you aren’t able to.
This may not be a possibility at every apartment, so you’ll need to check with your landlord or property management company to find out if it’s something they’re open to and what additional terms there are for tenants with a co-signer.
Additional circumstances
There are some circumstances under which someone that hasn’t yet reached the legal age of majority can rent an apartment. This typically occurs when someone under 18 has become emancipated, which may be done through a court order, joining the military or getting married.
However, even if someone has become emancipated, they may still need to provide proof of regular income and/or have a co-signer on their lease to ensure that they’re good for the regular rent payments and not a risk to the property owner.
Check out your state’s laws
The best way to know how old you need to be to rent an apartment in your state is to check out your state’s laws on the age of majority, along with rental laws and policies. This will help guide you as you search for the proper type of apartment you can legally rent in your state at your current age.
Renting an apartment at the age of majority
Since most states have set the age of majority at 18, you can probably assume that’s the age at which you can rent an apartment. There are very few exceptions to that general rule and you’ll quickly find out if it’s not the case when you try to apply for an apartment lease. In any case, it’s a good idea to research the state where you live and the laws surrounding apartment rentals so you can make an informed decision when renting an apartment.
Source: apartmentguide.com