How Long Does It Take to Get Approved for an Apartment?

The short answer

The timeline from application to approval varies widely. Here is what to expect and how to speed up the process.

Apartment approval timelines range from a few hours to several weeks. Knowing what drives the timeline — and how to influence it — can mean the difference between getting the unit you want and losing it to another applicant.

Typical approval timelines

What causes delays

Incomplete applications

The single biggest cause of delays is a missing document. If your application goes in without a pay stub, bank statement, or reference contact, it sits in a queue until you supply it — and another applicant with a complete package may move ahead of you.

Background and credit check processing

Most landlords use third-party screening services (TransUnion SmartMove, RentSpree, Experian, etc.). These typically return results within 24–48 hours, but disputes or holds can extend this.

Reference verification

Calling previous landlords or employers is a manual step. If your references are slow to return calls, your application waits. Giving landlords cell numbers rather than office numbers speeds this up significantly.

Multiple applicants

If a unit has several applicants, landlords often review all of them before making a decision, which can add a day or two.

Landlord availability

Individual landlords juggle property management alongside other jobs and personal commitments. Weekends and holidays add time.

How to speed up your approval

Apply with a complete package immediately

Have all documents ready before you tour:

• Government-issued photo ID
• Most recent 2–3 pay stubs (or bank statements)
• Previous year's tax return (for self-employed)
• Contact information for 1–2 previous landlords
• Contact information for an employer or direct supervisor
• Social security number (for credit check authorization)

Use pre-verification

A service like Settl bundles identity verification, bank-linked income, and a shareable verified profile into a single link. When you share your Settl Verified Passport with a landlord, they can skip most of the manual steps — no chasing documents, no calling references to verify income. This often cuts 2–3 days off the decision timeline.

Follow up professionally

If you have not heard back within 2 business days, a brief, polite follow-up email is appropriate. Reiterate your interest and offer to provide any additional information. This signals you are still interested and can gently move your application up the queue.

Apply to backup units simultaneously

Do not wait for one approval before applying to others. It is standard and acceptable to apply to multiple units at the same time. You can withdraw applications once you secure a lease.

What happens after approval

Once approved, most landlords give you 24–72 hours to sign the lease and pay the security deposit. Missing this window typically means the unit goes back to market. Have your funds ready — and know whether you need a cashier's check, ACH transfer, or other payment method before you get the approval call.

Red flags that a decision is stalled

• No response after 5 business days with a complete application
• Requests for the same document multiple times
• Vague answers about timeline when you follow up

If a landlord is repeatedly unresponsive or disorganized during the application process, that is useful information about what it might be like to have them as a landlord.

Bottom line

Most apartment approvals take 1–5 business days. Submitting a complete, well-organized application is the most powerful thing you can do to speed up the process. Pre-verification tools can compress the timeline further by giving landlords instant access to verified information rather than waiting for manual checks.

Ready to get your Settl Verified Passport?

Verified identity, income, and stability, all in one report landlords trust. Apply anywhere, pay once.

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