New York Criminal & credit history rules

Can a landlord deny a tenant for criminal or credit history in New York?

A landlord may charge a prospective tenant only the actual cost of a background and credit check or $20, whichever is less, and must give the tenant a copy of the check and the receipt. The fee is waived if the tenant provides a check done within the past 30 days. A landlord also may not refuse to rent or offer a lease because the applicant was involved in a past or pending landlord-tenant case; checking court records or a tenant screening bureau and then refusing to rent creates a rebuttable presumption of a violation (RPL § 227-f).

Verified Source: N.Y. Real Prop. Law §§ 238-a(1)(b), 227-f(1) · last checked 2026-10-23