How Long Do Evictions Stay on Your Record?

An eviction notice is every renter’s worst nightmare. And unfortunately, evictions are surprisingly common. In a typical year, landlords file around 3.6 million eviction cases. 

Getting evicted can leave renters facing some serious consequences in both the short and long term. If you’ve been evicted in the past, you may be wondering how you can move on financially. 

How long do evictions stay on your record? And what can you do to lessen the financial repercussions of an eviction? 

Will an eviction show up on my credit report?

By default, evictions are not reported to the credit bureaus and will not show up on your credit report. 

Evictions are reported to your rental report, which is completely separate from your credit report and your credit score. Rental reports are accessed by landlords and rental agencies whenever you apply for a new lease. 

However, there are still ways an eviction can affect your credit. If the eviction results in debt, that debt may be reported to the credit bureaus and shown on your record. 

Typically, this only takes place if the landlord sells your debt to a collection agency. If this occurs, the debt owed will show up in collections on your credit report. 

These “collection accounts” show up on your credit report for seven years, and can have a significant negative impact on your credit score. 

Where does an eviction show up in my financial history?

The main place where an eviction will show is on your rental history report. 

This report is accessed via tenant screening companies. When you apply for a lease, the landlord will pull your rental history report from a screening company. This report shows your history of rentals, payment information and any evictions or past-due notices. 

Evictions can also show up in public court records. These records are not added to any credit or rental history reports. However, they are publicly accessible via county court systems. 

How long do evictions stay on your record?

Evictions typically stay on your rental history report for seven years. In some states, it can be up to 10 years.

If eviction debt makes its way to collections, the debt will be reported on your credit report. Collections remain on your record for seven years as well. 

How to remove an eviction from your record

Having an eviction on your record can make it difficult to secure another lease. In some cases, it may be possible to remove the eviction from your record. 

Removing eviction in the event of an error

If you believe the eviction record was made in error, you can dispute it with the tenant screening company. You can ask your landlord which company they used and contact the company directly. 

To dispute collections accounts on your credit report, you can dispute the record with the credit bureaus. 

Expunging eviction when the debt is settled

An eviction expungement is a court process that requests that a judge seal your eviction record. Once sealed, nobody will be able to access the record.

Landlord-tenant law varies by state, as does the process for eviction expungement. It may be worthwhile to speak with a lawyer or legal advocacy group to explore your options. 

Coming to an agreement with the landlord

You may be able to ask that the property manager request to remove the eviction notice from your record, once you have paid off any outstanding debt. Be sure to get this in writing from your landlord. 

Can I rent with an eviction on my record?

Renting with an eviction on your record can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Ultimately, it’s up to the landlord or property manager to decide who they want to rent to. 

There are also some strategies you can use to improve your odds of landing a lease with an eviction record.

Renting with roommates

When you rent with roommates, the property manager will consider the rental histories of all involved parties. If your roommate(s) have a positive rental history, this will improve your odds of getting approved for the lease. 

Using a cosigner

A cosigner is someone who signs on to your lease and shares financial responsibility for agreement. If you fail to pay rent, the cosigner must pay — and can be held liable in court if they don’t. 

Someone who trusts you may be willing to cosign on your lease. Parents and close loved ones are a good place to start. With a cosigner, a rental agency may be willing to overlook your eviction record, as they will have the cosigner’s financial responsibility to fall back on. 

Using references

Landlords might be willing to overlook blemishes on your rental history if you can provide references from prior landlords. For instance, if you had an eviction years ago but have since rented, you can contact your old landlord to see if they would be willing to be a reference for you. 

Providing proof of income 

Most leases require that you provide proof of income — either from pay stubs or tax returns. In some cases, landlords might be willing to rent to you if you can prove that you have a reliable income. 

Explain your circumstances

Landlords are human beings too. If you can explain the circumstances around why you were evicted, they may be willing to work with you. If you have a legitimate reason for the financial difficulties that lead to your eviction, it’s possible that a landlord might be more open to renting to you. 

Bottom line

Evictions show up on your rental history report, which is accessed whenever you apply for a lease. How long do evictions stay on your record? Eviction records typically stay on this report for seven years, but it can be even longer in some states. 

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