For example, in California, landlords are prohibited from requiring tenants to provide their social security numbers and are only permitted to use them for specific purposes such as obtaining credit reports or background checks.
Although not all landlords will need you to have a Social Security number, pretty much all of them will require some sort of legal documentation, so be sure to have that ready before you start apartment hunting.
It's important to note that landlords are unable to check a tenant's credit history without a social security number, since there is no way to pull information from any of the credit bureaus.
Landlords to Take a Different Tact with Tenant Screening Without a Social Security Number. Some states, such as California, prohibit a landlord from inquiring about a tenant's or prospective tenant's immigration status or citizenship and requiring proof of legal residency or citizenship as a prerequisite to renting.
You can get insurance from a major carrier without a SSN. The only time it's an issue is if it's a credit no-hit. At that point, it basically assigns the highest rate possible. Having a SSN helps, but is not necessary.
You don't need an SSN to get a driver's license, register for school, get private health insurance, or apply for school lunch programs or subsidized housing. Some organizations use SSNs to identify you in their records. Most, however, will identify you by some other means if you request it.
Some states, such as California, prohibit a landlord from inquiring about a tenant's or prospective tenant's immigration status or citizenship and requiring proof of legal residency or citizenship as a prerequisite to renting.
Ing to a spokesperson for a national screening company, a social security number is not mandatory for a credit check. You can order a credit report with a name and address.
Send an application with tenant screening turned off Since the SSN is a required field, have them temporarily enter any 9-digit number so they can continue filling out their rental application and complete it. Note: These applicants without an SSN will most likely show up as Identity Unverified.