Are Evictions Public Record? Your Full

Evelyn Sanderson - January 25, 2025

Housing is getting more expensive than ever, and for many, the dream of owning a home seems far away. Renting an apartment is one of the most common housing options for single people, couples, and families these days. While renting can be more economically accessible and removes the burden of home maintenance, it can also be hard to afford, especially if you’ve suffered an economic setback.

If you’re in danger of getting evicted or have already received an eviction notice, you’re no doubt feeling stressed. You may wonder how this is going to affect your future. Will future landlords or even employers be able to see that you’ve been evicted? What are your options?

If You’re Facing Eviction

If you think you’re going to be evicted soon or are in danger of not being able to pay your rent, you should take action. Inform your landlord or rental company of your situation and ask for leniency. Not everyone will provide it, sadly, but it’s worth a try.

You can also look into state and local programs that provide relief. If you’re on disability or unemployment, the labor office may be able to help you apply for temporary rental assistance.

You may also be able to buy yourself time to find another accommodation option before an eviction is legally filed by your landlord. If you can get temporary assistance or negotiate a grace period from your landlord, that can make a big difference. Breaking a lease will have less of a long-term impact than receiving an eviction, especially if your landlord agrees to the early ending of your lease.

Eviction Records

Once an eviction has been legally filed, it will be in the public record. Depending on which state the eviction occurred in, it will remain in the database of evictions for seven to ten years. If you’re attempting to get into a better rental situation, you might want to take a peek at your own rental history record to see what potential landlords read about you.

It will also remain on your credit report for years. This record can significantly impact your ability to take out loans or other forms of credit. It can also hurt your chances of finding another rental or getting a mortgage.

Disputing an Eviction

If you feel that an eviction was wrongfully filed against you and you have sufficient evidence, you can appeal the eviction. This can be a lengthy and expensive process, but if you can prove that you did not violate your lease but were unfairly targeted or your landlord did not follow correct legal procedures, you can win the case.

Once your innocence is proven, you can petition to have your eviction removed from the public record and from your credit report. If you choose to take further legal action against your landlord, that’s up to you. Definitely have an experienced lawyer on your side if you do.

Paying off an Eviction

If you were evicted due to unpaid rent, you may wonder if paying off your debt can improve the situation. Once an eviction has been filed, it will stay in the public record. 

However, it’s possible to reduce its impact on your credit score by paying off your debt.

In some cases, this may be beneficial, but it’s important to do your research.

Evictions and Background Checks

 The eviction records within a state are separate from criminal records. Some landlords may file legal charges against you if you’ve allegedly damaged the property in some way or broken other terms of the lease. In this case, a misdemeanor may turn up on a background check.

If it’s simply an eviction due to non-payment, then it’s unlikely an employer will be able to see. Most employers run criminal background checks and are very unlikely to check your rental history record. However, if they do a public records search to get a panel of general background information on you, then some financial information, including bankruptcies and evictions, could appear.

Renting After an Eviction

Since a potential landlord will likely see that you’ve been evicted if it’s occurred within the past 7 years, you may wonder how you’ll find housing going forward. Though it will be more challenging, there are some options available.

Regardless of what option works best for your situation, be prepared to make your case to your potential landlord. Be honest with them about your previous eviction and explain what happened, but show that you’re in a better position now and that you’re prepared to be a model tenant for them.

Eviction-Friendly Rentals

Larger apartment complexes run by companies rather than people are hard to get into if you have an eviction on record. Your application is likely to be thrown out as soon as they see your previous eviction.

Instead, you might look for smaller private housing options. A duplex or quadplex with the landlord living in one of the tenants might be a good option, or renting a mother-in-law suite inside a house.

Sharing an apartment with a roommate who puts the apartment in their name could also be an option. Some communities may have government-owned housing that aims to help lower-income people or those with low or no credit.

Other Post-Eviction Options

If you have the option to stay with friends or family members for a short time, this can allow you to build up your credit again, recovering from the hit of your eviction. It can also allow you time to save money for a deposit.

Landlords might be willing to take a risk on you if you put down a bigger initial deposit. You can also set the landlord’s mind at ease by having a co-signer with good credit.

For Landlords

Filing an eviction is serious business. Depending on your state and local laws, it can be a lengthy process that ties up your rental unit for a long time. Since it’s such a hassle, sometimes it can be better to come to an agreement with the tenant to break the lease mutually instead. If they understand what a big impact an eviction can have on them, they probably would prefer to reach such an agreement with you.

If you do have to evict a tenant, make sure you follow local procedures to the letter and ensure you do nothing to break the terms of their lease along the way. This protects you from expensive legal fees and the risk of having your former tenant take you to court later.

Keep a Roof Over Your Head

Obviously, evictions are serious business. It can be very stressful if you’re facing an eviction, but there may still be things you can do. Once an eviction has been filed, it can make your life significantly more difficult, but it’s unlikely to impact your future job search, though it can impact your credit and rental history.

It’s essential to do everything in your power to avoid evictions, but should it happen, you can still come back from it with hard work and patience.