Tenant screening, state by state
Tenant-screening law differs in every U.S. state. Reporting limits on housing records and criminal records, fair-housing protected classes, and source-of-income statutes all change which information we can deliver and which decisions you can lawfully base on it. Pick your state below.
| State | Housing records reportable | Sealed / dismissed filtered | Source of income protected | Fair-housing law that applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Federal Fair Housing Act |
| Alaska | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Alaska Statutes § 18.80 |
| Arizona | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Arizona Fair Housing Act, A.R.S. § 41-1491 |
| Arkansas | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Federal Fair Housing Act |
| California | 7 years | dismissed, sealed | Yes | California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Cal. Gov. Code § 12955 |
| Colorado | 7 years | dismissed, sealed | Yes | Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act |
| Connecticut | 7 years | sealed | Yes | Connecticut Fair Housing Act |
| Delaware | 7 years | federal limit only | Yes | Delaware Fair Housing Act, 6 Del. C. § 4600 |
| District of Columbia | 3 years | dismissed, sealed, no_judgment | Yes | D.C. Human Rights Act |
| Florida | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Florida Fair Housing Act, Fla. Stat. § 760.20 |
| Georgia | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Georgia Fair Housing Act |
| Hawaii | 7 years | federal limit only | Yes | Hawaii Fair Housing Act, HRS § 515 |
| Idaho | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Federal Fair Housing Act |
| Illinois | 7 years | dismissed, sealed | Yes | Illinois Human Rights Act, 775 ILCS 5 |
| Indiana | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Indiana Fair Housing Act, IC 22-9.5 |
| Iowa | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Iowa Civil Rights Act |
| Kansas | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Kansas Act Against Discrimination |
| Kentucky | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Kentucky Fair Housing Act, KRS Chapter 344 |
| Louisiana | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Louisiana Equal Housing Opportunity Act |
| Maine | 7 years | federal limit only | Yes | Maine Human Rights Act |
| Maryland | 7 years | sealed | Yes | Maryland Fair Housing Act |
| Massachusetts | 7 years | sealed | Yes | Massachusetts Fair Housing Act, M.G.L. c. 151B |
| Michigan | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act |
| Minnesota | 7 years | dismissed, sealed | Yes | Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minn. Stat. § 363A |
| Mississippi | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Federal Fair Housing Act |
| Missouri | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Missouri Human Rights Act |
| Montana | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Montana Human Rights Act |
| Nebraska | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Nebraska Fair Housing Act |
| Nevada | 7 years | sealed | Yes | Nevada Fair Housing Law |
| New Hampshire | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | New Hampshire Law Against Discrimination |
| New Jersey | 5 years | dismissed, sealed, no_judgment | Yes | New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) |
| New Mexico | 7 years | federal limit only | Yes | New Mexico Human Rights Act |
| New York | 7 years | dismissed, sealed, no_judgment | Yes | NY State Human Rights Law |
| North Carolina | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | North Carolina State Fair Housing Act |
| North Dakota | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | North Dakota Human Rights Act |
| Ohio | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Ohio Fair Housing Act, ORC § 4112 |
| Oklahoma | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Oklahoma Anti-Discrimination Act |
| Oregon | 5 years | dismissed, sealed | Yes | Oregon Fair Housing Act |
| Pennsylvania | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Pennsylvania Human Relations Act |
| Rhode Island | 7 years | federal limit only | Yes | Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act |
| South Carolina | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | South Carolina Fair Housing Law |
| South Dakota | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | South Dakota Human Rights Act |
| Tennessee | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Tennessee Human Rights Act |
| Texas | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Texas Fair Housing Act, TEX. PROP. CODE Ch. 301 |
| Utah | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Utah Fair Housing Act |
| Vermont | 7 years | federal limit only | Yes | Vermont Fair Housing Act |
| Virginia | 5 years | dismissed, sealed | Yes | Virginia Fair Housing Law |
| Washington | 5 years | dismissed, sealed | Yes | Washington Law Against Discrimination, RCW 49.60 |
| West Virginia | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | West Virginia Fair Housing Act |
| Wisconsin | 7 years | dismissed | Yes | Wisconsin Open Housing Law |
| Wyoming | 7 years | federal limit only | Not statewide | Wyoming Fair Employment Practices Act |
Informational only, not legal advice. Reviewed August 2026. State and local landlord-tenant law changes frequently, and local ordinances often add limits state law does not — verify against current statute and counsel licensed in your state before relying on this content.